Maxxus Waterfall Light Replacement?

[JMF-Maxxus]

Can anyone explain how to replace the waterfall light for a 2010 Sundance Maxxus?  The Sundance Spa dealership in my area is no longer in business (due to death of owner).  There is no Sundance or Jacuzzi dealership within 90 miles (and that dealership does not make service calls to my area).  Is there a way to get a service/repair manual?  Got no help from Sundance Spa, Inc.

[SerjicalStrike]

It is quite a pain to replace them.  They are epoxied to the shell and are very difficult to get off.  We use a Fein multimaster tool with a scraper blade to get it off.  You will also need a 3/16" drill bit.  We epoxy them back on with Bond and Fill. 

They have a long ribbon cable that we normally just splice into the old ribbon cable.  Otherwise you will need to run the wire all the way back to the front of the spa. 

[JMF-Maxxus]

Thank you for your reply.  I had been busy on other projects, so I haven't yet attempted the waterfall light replacement. 
Follow-up Question:   After draining the spa, should I:
    1.  Access the waterfall light fixture from the panel behind the water fall?
    2.  Remove foam insulation to reach the fixture?
    3.  Disconnect the waterfall light from the waterfall component?
         (Note:  I don't mind running the ribbon cable for the replacement light all the way to the front of spa).
Also:
     1.  Is the light fixture expoxied to the shell of the spa or waterfall component?
     2.  What will require using the 3/16" drill bit ?  (Thanks for providing the bit size.)
Thank you for noting (in advance) the pain that I will soon experience.  It helped confirm my expectation.

[clover]

The light could be the symptom, and not necessarily the problem.  The light system has a controller that it is plugged into that could be the source of the problem.  It is possible to replace a component to only have it be the controller, and vice versa.

Maybe others can give you a better insight on how to approach the situation other than trial and error that will cost you money.  How old is your Sundance, is it covered by the original warranty?

[SerjicalStrike]

Thank you for your reply.  I had been busy on other projects, so I haven't yet attempted the waterfall light replacement. 
Follow-up Question:   After draining the spa, should I:
    1.  Access the waterfall light fixture from the panel behind the water fall?    The light is epoxied to the shell and the ribbon cable runs through a 1" pipe.  If you take the back panel off the spa, it will be very obvious
    2.  Remove foam insulation to reach the fixture? You shouldn't need to remove any foam to get at the light fixture.
    3.  Disconnect the waterfall light from the waterfall component?   The light gets disconnected from a controller in the equipment bay.  It is a blue box with multiple ribbon cables going to it.
         (Note:  I don't mind running the ribbon cable for the replacement light all the way to the front of spa).
Also:
     1.  Is the light fixture expoxied to the shell of the spa or waterfall component? It is epoxied to the shell.  Replacing the light does not require doing anything to the actual waterfall
     2.  What will require using the 3/16" drill bit ?  (Thanks for providing the bit size.) There is a small nipple on the new waterfall light that goes into a hole that will be full of epoxy.  It will be obvious once the waterfall light is removed.  It keeps the light straight
Thank you for noting (in advance) the pain that I will soon experience.  It helped confirm my expectation.

Typically what happens is the waterfall light goes bad and takes out the light controller.  As long as it is just the waterfall lights that are bad, I would say there is a pretty good chance the light controller is ok. 

[cheffner]

 I was wondering how your adventure with your hot tub waterfall light replacement went?  I just ran into the same issue over the last few weeks.  First a couple of colors would start working for the LED lights.  Then one of the two waterfall lights failed then the second one a couple of weeks after that.

I was also told by my service guy (out for different problem) that this is a big pain.

Hope to learn from you if this is worth it or not and also did you have to replace the controller too.

Thanks in advance.

Christopher

Thank you for your reply.  I had been busy on other projects, so I haven't yet attempted the waterfall light replacement. 
Follow-up Question:   After draining the spa, should I:
    1.  Access the waterfall light fixture from the panel behind the water fall?
    2.  Remove foam insulation to reach the fixture?
    3.  Disconnect the waterfall light from the waterfall component?
         (Note:  I don't mind running the ribbon cable for the replacement light all the way to the front of spa).
Also:
     1.  Is the light fixture expoxied to the shell of the spa or waterfall component?
     2.  What will require using the 3/16" drill bit ?  (Thanks for providing the bit size.)
Thank you for noting (in advance) the pain that I will soon experience.  It helped confirm my expectation.

[strohs]

The waterfall lights on my Sundance Cameo is on the fritz again (second failed unit within 5 years - dealer replaced first one under warranty).  It took out my DCU unit too.    That's easy enough to swap out and fix....but as far as the waterfall lights...

Dealer wants $150 for labour (two hours) and the cost of the part, to change the part.  Seems excessive to me?

I'm a relatively handy guy, so, I am also wondering how much of a PITA this is to actually change this part out?

It seems that the toughest part is removing the old light that has been glued on?

I've read the tips earlier in this thread...wondering what other users have experienced who have tried to DIY?


Any insight would be appreciated, thanks!

My first post!

[forstrunner40]

I just got the same problem and was wondering how the swap out went.  Any tips on if its worth it?

[krock1200]

I also face the same problem in my 2007 Altamar. I‘ve already the replacement led lightbar which seems to be a newer version as it comes with a separate plug/adapter.
Questioned: Is the ribbon cable looks and and can you pull it out from the shelf or is the cable to tight? I wonder if the wood cover needs to be removed to splice the new and old ribbon cable together. Thx for any feedback and/or sharing lessons learnt. Best regards from Germany!

[SerjicalStrike]

There is an adapter you can buy to go from the new black cable to the old ribbon cable plug so you can plug it in to the DCU.  You will have to run the black wire all the way back to the DCU and then use the adapter, as the adapter is only about 5" long.

[krock1200]

I have the led bar (inkl. cable) as well as the adapter. I wonder if I "simply"
1. can remove the old bar from the shell (using the Fein Multimaster)
2. pull out the old cable through the hole in the shell (if it not complete full with epoxy)
3. Cut of the cable from the old bar
4. Split the old cable together with the cable from the new bar
5. Push the cable back and glue the new bar to the shell

Hoping this all could work so I don't need to remove the wood panels or running the new cable/wire all the way back to the DCU.
Is that possible or just my wish ;-)?

[SerjicalStrike]

I have the led bar (inkl. cable) as well as the adapter. I wonder if I "simply"
1. can remove the old bar from the shell (using the Fein Multimaster)   That is how we do it

2. pull out the old cable through the hole in the shell (if it not complete full with epoxy) You will just cut the old ribbon cable and pull it up through the hole.  You will need to chisel out some of the epoxy.  A flat head screwdriver and something to hit it with will do the trick

3. Cut of the cable from the old bar
4. Split the old cable together with the cable from the new bar You can get a female ribbon cable fitting that can crimp on the end that you cut, and that adapter will plug into that
5. Push the cable back and glue the new bar to the shell  We put the new bars back with a 2 part epoxy like bond and fill.

Hoping this all could work so I don't need to remove the wood panels or running the new cable/wire all the way back to the DCU.
Is that possible or just my wish ;-)?

It is definitely possible.  We use the adapter and install a female ribbon cable fitting on the old wire to avoid having to take all the panels off and run the wire back to the DCU.