Bulb replacement

[piku]

Hello guys,

My light isn't working. I've verified that the light has electricity going to it and it's not tripping the GFCI so my assumption is a basic blown bulb. However, the water is incredibly cold and dipping my hands in there for even a minute leaves me feeling hypothermic. My light is a pentair and it looks a lot like the one pictured on this thread

http://www.troublefreepool.com/viewtopic.php?t=4489

Anyway, when I go to try to remove the set screw in the top it doesn't *appear* from the poor angle I am looking at it that there is a screw there. It looks like there might be some dirt there but when I try to scrape at it it doesn't come out. When I try pry at the side of the light (gently) to see if it'll come out it's in there firmly. Anyone have any idea how to approach this considering the pool is so cold? I'm mainly having trouble getting a good look at it but I think the video camera in a ziplock bag might be most helpful. I just came up with using a mirror half a second ago too and I think I'll try that. Is it even possible for there to be no screw in there and the light stays in? I'm not sure how it clamps in.

 

[waste]

It should just be screwed in at the top with a 'hook and lip' at the bottom. There is always the chance that the light housing was put in 'cocked' - in which case the retaining screw would not be in the '12:00' position. What may have happened is that the screwhead rusted out so much that you can no longer remove it with a screwdriver - if that happened, I don't know any way to get it out without dropping the water below the screw (but one of the others here may have an idea )

 

[piku]

There are drill extensions and one thing specifically I can think of is my dremel which has an extension tube. Where there's a will there's a way I suppose. I may only need to drain a few inches to make that work. I'm going to get a mirror and a pick to see if I can work out what's going on in there. I just wish the water wasn't quite so cold. If I do need to drill it out, hopefully there'll be a stump I can wrench out to replace the screw. It didn't even occur to me that the stainless screw could rust... :-/

 

[all your parts]

i would just wait for the water to warm up a bit im sure there is a screw holding in the light (somewhere)

 

[piku]

I just bought a large air compressor recently. It occurred to me that I could ruin a cheap harbor freight pneumatic drill doing the job without shedding a single tear . This would be perfectly safe - so I guess I'll wait until it warms up and check it out.

 

[mudrider420]

a hand drill will work wonders. ive used that before and it works. might have to use a drill bit and drill the head off it to take the light out, then use vise grips to take the rest of the screw out. when you put a new screw in, use the stainless steel screw.

 

[piku]

As it turns out, there was a screw there and it was fine

 

[piku]

Thanks TFP