What pageup saying is that the ones that have the removeable cover from the inside of the tub aren't very common, so you may still have to remove your equipment to get at the light. But if you have to do that, I would seriously suggest you spend a little now, and get the light assembly that is removable from the front so that way you won't ever have to remove the equipment again just to change the lightbulb. Of course you would have to drain the tub and remove the equipment to put the new assembly in, but from that point on it would be a lot easier.

Jer

i would hope that sundance would have had the common sense to make the light assembly front-accessible if the only alternative would be to move fixed plumbing and the motor to get at the light.

alright then. it's time to buy one of those long-lasted LED puppies so I won't have to worry about this again for 11 years and drain the cameo and hope to god it's a front-accessible assembly.

so i decided to take this on today. drained the tub and got inside the tub and started trying to loosen and unscrew the lighting fixture.

TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

the fixture cracked and the o-ring popped out of the side like some sort of hernia. and i can't get it off completely. it was totally fine and now it's ruined and no longer waterproof.

knowing this couldn't be right, and knowing i'd need a new fixture, i called the sundance place and they said yes - GO THROUGH THE TUNNEL via the equipment bay to change the light. NOT INTUITIVE AT ALL but it's the way to go (Sundance could have put two sentences about this in the manual but didn't - punks). The Sundance techs supposedly have some device which helps them do this. No need to move any equipment/pipes etc. But it is a bit of a tedious operation.

So Charger - you were off on your advice to ignore the tunnel.

After I got off the phone with the dealer I got a couple of old ski poles (cut the basket of one so it would be easier to maneuver) and changed the light through the "tunnel" in about 20 minutes. It pops right out - no threading. The assumption that the bulb is screwed into place is what got me in trouble. Again it's a little tedious to get the fixture back in but with patience this is a 20 minute job.

So the light's in but I needlessly drained the tub AND now I have to locate/order/pay for/wait for a new light casing because I jobbed my old one by trying to access the light the wrong way. By the way the ColorGlo Raydiance is working and fits fine into the 12V light fixture of a 1989 Sundance Camo.

Hope this saves someone out there a lot of grief !!!

I stand my ground on the fact that the light lenses that have the double indents in the front are front accessable. I have this on my 1994 Sundance Cameo. It is original equipment. You even checked and verified you did not have the indents, so why would you still attempt at removing the lens in this manner? My advise is sound and on the mark for those that have the double indents on the front of their light lens. Yours was not this way and your application required you to go through the tunnel.

You learned a good lesson here today, and it should help prevent other's from breaking their lenses when they don't have the indents.

well - i went through the tub side anyway because the tunnel route seemed so wrong. i rolled the dice and lost.

if the old lens didn't get so torn up when i tried to remove it, i would have followed the sundance tech's recommendation to use "plastic welder" to put it back on, sans o-ring. but the last thing i want is the plastic lens casing's waterproofness to fail after i'd fused it onto the shell with epoxy.

so i've ordered a new assembly. since i won't be able to tighten the nut onto the back of it due to the tunnel, i am going to use "plastic welder" to permanently attach the new clear lens assembly piece (see attached picture) onto the shell. not much of a concern now that i know a) that the light is rear-access b) that i can change the light via the tunnel c) the LED is supposed to last for 11 years and d) there's no way i can rationalize cutting out my pump and equipment to install a light housing on a 15 year old spa!

any thoughts on my decision and/or the epoxy known as "plastic welder"?

That "plastic weld" epoxy is a very good product. It stinks, it gets warm when it cures, and it bonds! You can get it at the local wal-mart for under 3 bucks. It's specifically intended for applications such as yours, fiberglass and plastic. The only thing you may find is that the lens is held in by the nut in the back, and that might cause a problem with trying to slip fit the new lens in place.

mixed up the plastic welder (man does it stink!) and stuck the new lens assembly on from the inside the tub. didn't even use the nut or o-ring. i let it cure for a day and then filled the tub back up and there don't appear to be any leaks from the inside access 'tunnel.' all appears to be going well... assuming neither my tub nor the light housing is made of polypropylene or polyethylene, which plastic welder does not bond to...

the new lens housing came bundled with colored lens covers, nut, o-ring etc. for $31.95 shipped. found the colorglo raydiance 24 LED light on eBay for $35 shipped. Epoxy was about $4.50. Total of about $70 and a couple hours extra work. the multi-color LED is a blast though i am sure the novelty will wear off at some point.

by the way, i removed the old lens housing without having to reach through the tunnel to hold the nut. i carefully drilled holes through the face of the lens housing, through the outer rim area, to gradually destroy the threading. to get the nut out i just drilled through it until it broke and pulled it out through the hole.