Light controller

Asked by Pat Ilchena

15 replies

Last Reply on April 5th, 2023 by Nigel

August 12, 2016

New controller won’t work:
My old controller that only controlled about 1/2 the lights in the spa has a part number of 6560-134. The replacement controller had the same part number with some extra ID. (Rev 1.1 and Rosstech DCU706). When I installed the new controller, no lights came on. I rechecked all the connections and everything was fine. The new controller has an extra 6 pin connector that my old controller didn’t have. Is this the correct controller?

Replies

  1. Nigel

    August 12, 2016

    Reply

    You do have the correct controller. Check the two yellow wires coming from your transformer that power the blue DCU box for 15 volts with your multimeter and check the connection that it’s good at where your blue DCU wires meet the two yellow transformer wires.
    Check your topside control ribbon cable for any damage or degradation and be sure to check connection to your new Blue DCU via topside Ribbon Cable. If you still are having issues not being able to turn on any lights, you might have a bad Blue DCU box and or topside control panel.
    If only half the lights were working on the old Blue DCU box you may also have some bad air control lights and or a bad waterfall light.
    A DCU can possibly have a burnt transistor caused by a shorted light that can take out a whole zone of ports on the DCU. Usually there are some ports that still work if even this is the case.
    If all else fails contact our Sundance Service Support Desk to book a diagnostic and repair of your 2010 Sundance Optima Spa.

  2. Pat

    August 14, 2016

    Reply

    Thanks for the tips Nigel.
    I have tested the yellow wires and I got 14 volts. I checked the connections and re-connected the wires in the clips and checked the ribbon connections into the controller. No lights with the new controller installed. I installed the old controller and I have lighting but the same inconsistent lighting. I have a few lights that have only certain colors that illuminate and one that has no lighting at all.
    How do I test the new controller to see if it is faulty?

    • Nigel

      August 15, 2016

      Reply

      Pat if you have a few lights that only certain colors illuminate you need to determine which ones are bad and which ones are good and you need to determine which ports on the Blue DCU are good and which ones might be bad. Start with a light that you know is working ok. Usually this would be the footwell light or a handrail light. Locate which port this light is plugged into and then briefly plug all other lights ie waterfall light, air control lights into this port. If they don’t illuminate all colors plugged into this port then they need to be replaced. If they look ok plugged into this port then they are good to still use. If they don’t illuminate all colors don’t leave them plugged into the port to long or it may burn out that port on your Blue DCU. You can always purchase a six port extension Blue DCU if you have some ports working on your old DCU. If the new Blue DCU was hooked up correctly and you had no lights at all then it may be a bad Blue DCU.

  3. Doug Baker

    July 21, 2018

    Reply

    I have a Jacuzzi 345 hot tub. One of my pillow lights will not turn off. All other lights turn off and on. The defective light will change colors when the others do, but when all lights are turned off this one will go back to the same color and remain on. Do I need a new light controller box?

    • Nigel

      July 21, 2018

      Reply

      Hi Doug. It could be that you have a bad port on your DCU box controller. Unplug one of the other lights that is working properly and plug the suspect light into that port to see if it works ok. If it does then you have a bad port and you can simply plug that light into another open port if you have one on your DCU box. If you don’t have one you could install an expansion box to add on a few extra ports and or change the complete DCU box. If the light doesn’t work in a good port then you could have a bad light. I’ve attached a purchase link for an expansion box for your convenience. They are in stock: https://aqua-tech.ca/store/index.php/sundance-parts/electronics/sundance-spas-light-controller-dcu-expansion-box-part-number-6560-332.html

  4. David

    November 06, 2021

    Reply

    I hooked up the 6560-135 that replaced the 6560-134. Lights are on but I have no control to turn off or dimm anymore. All valve and footwell lights stay on, I hooked it up to switched And then constant with no change

    • Nigel

      November 12, 2021

      Reply

      Sounds like you may have your constant and switch wires crossed. Also if the 6560-135 you purchased was new the original footwell dimmer switch button will no longer operate. The footwell lights and waterfall lights will activate simultaneously with the press of the waterfall dimmer switch button.

  5. Jonathan Fischer

    April 30, 2022

    Reply

    Hello,
    I have a 2009 Jacuzzi 365. Is there any way to test my topside controllers light function? There is power to the DCU controller box (15V verified with a meter and the blue LED’s are on inside the DCU) yet I cannot turn on my lights. I know that either my DCU controller is broken or the topside on/off switch stopped working. The ribbon cable looks fine and isn’t damaged. Is there a pinout for the ribbon cable somewhere? I’ve disconnected and tried metering it but I suspect that this is not a simple on/off switch coming from the topside control. With the J-315 topside controller I have two buttons for the LED’s, one for on/off the other for color and pattern change. Don’t want to buy one part only to find out that it is the other that is broken.

    • Nigel

      May 05, 2022

      Reply

      You could try and shortout pins 1 & 3 and then 1 and 2 on the DCU. If the lights turn on then the issue is with the topside panel Jonathan.

  6. steven randall

    April 05, 2023

    Reply

    I have a jacuzzi j315. My lights went out so I replaced my dcu 6560-134 with a new one. All the lights came on except the water fall light and the on off switch and color switch will not work. all the other lights just stay on.

    • Nigel

      April 05, 2023

      Reply

      Hi Steven, where are you located?

  7. steven randall

    April 05, 2023

    Reply

    Steamboat Springs

    • Nigel

      April 05, 2023

      Reply

      What part number did you use to replace 6560-134 Steven and did you buy the part new from a Sundance Dealer?

  8. steven randall

    April 05, 2023

    Reply

    dcu 6560-134 from a Jacuzzi authorized supplier

    • Nigel

      April 05, 2023

      Reply

      Hi Steven, 6560-134 was discontinued many years ago. We are a Sundance Spas authorized dealer. Jacuzzi and Sundance are both owned by the same company and many of the spa parts are interchangable especially on older spa as yours. The replacement for 6560-134 is 6560-135. When replacing with 6560-135 the Aqua-Terrace remote light controller if your spa is equipped with one will not work as spec anymore (dimmer won’t work) as the revision on the 135 DCU is different but the lights should work from the main control panel if the lights are not fouled. If the 134 DCU you put in is not performing I would suggest it is a corrupted DCU. They have not been manufactured for many years so at the least it is old stock that Jacuzzi dealer had is my guess. Here’s a link to purchase 6560-135 if it suits: https://shop.aqua-tech.ca/products/sundance-spas-jacuzzi-light-dcu-p-n-6560-135
      It is also possible one or more of the lights is fouled and causing the other lights to not work properly. Typically the waterfall light fails before any other in the spa. If you disconnect the waterfall light from the DCU and all the other lights work fine then this is an indication of a bad waterfall light. The same could be done with the other lights by disconnecting one by one weeding out potentially bad lights.

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