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Gaskets - Silicon vs Rubber and why?

February 24, 2017

Gaskets - Silicon vs Rubber and why?

A typical pool with have anywhere from 6 to 20 or more gaskets in a system.  Just within a typical pump and filter there will be over a dozen.  On sealed systems that protect water leaks they are very important.

I sell most types and come across most on a daily basis, but what I want to discuss today are gaskets used on pool lights.  Most pool lights are designed to come apart and be put back together because light bulbs burn out.  So you have to be able to take them apart and put them back together.  But pool lights have to also be air tight when underwater.  These are sealed units and they cannot leak.  When they leak bad things happen.

Worst case scenario is it shorts when somebody is in a pool and that means death, so it is a very serious issue. Fortunately in most cases the light shorts out when water leaks in and the bulb burns out.  I will write another piece on my opinions of the safest way to deploy LED lights and why they are safer than traditional lights.

So when you open up a light to change a bulb, you better be sure you replace that rubber or silicon gasket at the same time.  Think of it as changing your oil in your car but not changing the oil filter.  Not very smart in my opinion.  And the results can be tragic if water leaks.  So do yourself a favor, if the bulb needs changing, so does the gasket.  The chlorine in pool water rapidly breaks down both rubber and silicon gaskets.  I have found that silicon gaskets are as cheap and better than rubber.  But neither lasts forever.


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