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Thread: Custom and Ready Made LEDs

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Default Custom and Ready Made LEDs

    I've mentioned on here before about the LEDs I had custom made for my arrange ball machines. These are to replace the hot burning mini lamps in the number matrixes and for the machines that have it, the upper score bar. The original mini lamps are ok at best as far as brightness goes but worked well enough for these machines' intended short life span back when they were in the parlor. But these lamp are fairly hot and I've seen more than one melted matrix, fried silicone sleeve, or other component. Also, for me the original mini lamps were not bright enough so I ran lower voltage ones which looked great but were even hotter. Once you see nice, bright lights the originals definitely seem subpar hence part of the reason for my inquiry into LEDs for these a long time ago. Since heat is a big enemy of circuit boards and these machines are 30 years old at least, I no longer risk it, LEDs run cool and will last longer than me. The drawback was that the price to fully outfit a machine (especially one with a score bar) was steep. To me, it's more than worth it for these machines and I just staggered outfitting them over time.
    Fortunately for do-it-yourself types like myself, I have a parts list, and a how-to video to assemble these LEDs on your own on it's way to me. I'll share that with anyone that would like it.
    I also use ready made LEDs from pinball suppliers in varous locations on my machines, especially for lights that stay on. They come in a myriad of colors as well as multiple LEDs per base. They cost a couple bucks apiece or so. and come in bayonet base, wedge, and not sure about screw base.
    Pics:
    1. Loose LEDs
    2. Taiyo Number Matrix with LEDs.
    3. Satomi Number Matrix LEDs
    4. Satomi Score Bar with LEDs
    5. This is a special extension-mounted LED. I have this one mounted behind the lion pocket feature on a Satomi. When a ball goes in, the 7 lights, a token is paid, and the light flashes. Most of the light from the orginal, regular bulb was dim and was not directed thru the large red lens. Now the LED's light is focused straight thru the twin holes and is much brighter. It's not permanently attached to the red lens and is just resting up against it. A great, reversible, and cheap mod for 3 bucks. The LED in my hand in this pic has a red color around it's base to signify the LED color.
    6. Upper Satomi attract light with 3 LEDs in one base. The original bulb was fairly dim so I put a number 47 bulb in which was nice and bright but again too hot.


    Meantime,waiting on Mars 2 cel to be done...
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    Last edited by emmadog; 10-01-2011 at 02:48 PM.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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