That was the question.

Never heard the red barron term.
But I had my turn with him.
LOL.

Took a while to remember but another nemesis was Melvin Hunt in City of Dunedin.
Always nailed me for clearance on the pool panel.
Which I had no control over on a prewired home. Then of course the pool company stuck the pump right in front of the stub out.

Okay back on topic.
The world according to Mike and John.
The Pool lite is pool equipment.

So that means the depth is determined by table 300.5.
Correct?

So looking at table 300.5. A standard pool with a 4" concrete deck the pvc would need to be 4" below the slab. Column 3.
Correct? Regardless if it is a 120v or transformer 12v circuit.

In past I am guilty of this. I just lifted the mesh and laid the pvc on the dirt dropped the mesh on top of it. And they always passed inspection.

Let the fun begin. Again?

Ruben you are 100% correct!

And for less than a 4" thick deck?????????????

OMG, here we go again.
I guess it would fall under the 2" thick row which is 12" deep.
But now let's get really picky.
Most slabs are not a full 4"
If they use a 2x4 to form the deck it is only 3-5/8"
Since the code states under a minimum of a 4" thick concrete slab.
So how do you know you have a 4" thick slab?

Why - you look at the approved plans, of course!

Alas, 'tis true...most pool decks are not 4" cover . So the PVC for the pool light needs to be at the proper burial depth. This is one of the most flagrant violations that electrical inspectors (I like to think unknowingly) allow, here in our state.

Not to mention the fact that most PVC runs for pool lighting do not even begin in a deck area, but rather some part of the yard, and then continue on into the deck.

So have fun, and catch these burial depth violations!

You are a sick puppy looking for punishment from the masses.

But to have some fun under the deck it appears that you could dig a small trench and slide a chair under the pipe to allow 2" encasement and be out of the the issue.
Then of course deal with where the pipe extends from under the deck.