LED pool lights are a staple of the underwater lighting industry today. Despite the fact that the LED chip is considered a cold light source and has a higher light output than traditional incandescent and other hot light sources, LED pool lights can get significantly hot during use. In this article, we will discuss heat generation and heat dissipation methods for LED pool lights.

Why do LED pool lights get hot?
LED lights convert more than 90% of electricity into light, but the remaining energy is lost in various conversion and transmission processes, with this wasted electricity mainly converted into heat. This is why LED pool lights get hot.
Are LED pool lights sensitive to heat?

Yes, LED chips are indeed sensitive to temperature. To dissipate heat efficiently, LED pool lights are equipped with heat dissipators in the lamp housing. If the quality of the LED pool lights is poor or if the working environment is too hot, the lights may face problems such as:

- Damage to the LED chips: At temperatures above 125°C, the physical properties of the encapsulating material can change, leading to defective LEDs.
- Shortened lifespan: High temperatures can cause light decay in LED chips, which can significantly shorten the lifespan of LED lighting products.
- Reduced light output: As the temperature increases, the light output of LED chips decreases.
- Colour shift: Higher temperatures can cause a slight colour shift, which affects the lighting effect and comfort of the pool.
- Increased failure rate: Environments with high temperatures can increase the failure rate of LED pool lights.

How do LED pool lights dissipate heat?
The internal temperature of the lamp can become very high after some time of use. Because LED pool lights operate in an underwater environment, the ambient water temperature is much lower than the temperature inside the lamp housing. The thermal conductor in the lamp housing diverts the excess heat to the water to suppress the high temperature in the lamp housing.

Several commonly used thermal designs in LED pool lights include:
- Metal substrates: Aluminium substrates are widely used because of their excellent thermal conductivity.
- Thermal conductive spacers:These help in heat dissipation of the electronic components and prevent short circuits.
- Metal housing:A metal housing has better heat dissipation capacity than a plastic housing.

The difference between heat-resistant pool lights and ordinary pool lights
- Construction: Heat-resistant pool lights have a better heat dissipation design.
- Housing: Heat-resistant pool lights usually have metal housings for better heat conduction.
- Substrates: The thickness of the aluminium substrate is generally thicker in heat-resistant pool lights, which provides higher heat conduction.

When do I need a heat-resistant pool light?
In high-temperature environments, such as hot spring pools, ordinary pool lights are not suitable because of reduced heat transfer efficiency. Heat-resistant pool lights are specially designed for such applications.
Looking to extend the lifespan of your pool lights

The theoretical lifespan of LED chips is over 50,000 hours under ideal conditions. However, in practice, especially in summer, high temperatures can shorten the lifespan of LED pool lights. Heat-resistant pool lights, with their better heat dissipation properties, can offer a longer lifespan.

Conclusion
Heat generation plays a crucial role in the performance and lifespan of LED pool lights. By using different thermal designs, LED pool lights can dissipate heat efficiently. Heat-resistant pool lights are particularly suitable for high-temperature applications and can help extend the life of your pool lights.

At XPRO POOL Lighting, we supply both ordinary and heat-resistant pool lights to meet your needs. If you are interested in our products or would like to know more about heat dissipating LED pool lights, please feel free to contact us.