Identify these reel lights?

[themeparkdad]

I have a Fuji Thunderbirds machine. Works great except some reel lights are out or dim. They seem to glass incandescent bulbs yet can be white or red. I can't find any part numbers on the bulbs.

The lamps have three contacts and are soldered into the board directly.

The part number of the board is B472139-T. Does anyone have information on these lights?

Walt

[Moparformances]

Sorry i cant really help ya with your bulbs but i can say

Welcome to Pachitalk

[pinball wizard]

[SlotsRfun]

I think those are not incandescent as you couldn't have different tintings in the same bulb package. Incandescents do not work that way. The base with its 3 leads suggests that it is an LED package with red and white LEDs inside. You would also most likely need 4 LEDs in the arrangement in your photo to light each reel segment properly rather than a single incandescent.

[SlotsRfun]

I found that you can buy Bi-Color LEDs. I am fairly certain that is what you have in your machine. Here is a link to a site that sells some but You will have to do a lot of hunting if you want to find the exact replacement package. You may want to settle for a different package, just replace all of them to keep the appearance consistent!
5mm Red white dual color led

[SlotsRfun]

themeparkdad
How did you make out?

(don't you love cliffhanging threads?)

[themeparkdad]

Still working on the mystery of these lamps. I have unsoldered all of the bulbs to remove the board to take a look. I'll post pics soon. It is definitely an incandescent bulb, in a glass package. No part numbers or identification on the bulb, except for a dot which is labeled 'A' on the circuit board. There was black inside the glass, so it must be incandescent. It's possible the red color I've seen is just the bulb at dimmed level. Still, I can't find the use for the third wire on the bulb.


Here's the pinout of the 9pin connector:
pin function
1 upper reel (lamps 1 & 3)
2 middle reel (lamps 5 & 7)
3 lower reel (lamps 9 & 11)
4 upper reel (lamps 2 & 4)
5 middle reel (lamps 6 & 8)
6 lower reel (lamps 10 & 12)
7 +5V
8 +24V
9 GND

Thunderbirds is a Fuji machine. What other pachislo models were made by them? Maybe other models before or after used this lamp system too. I'm thinking I should be able to convert to LEDs if I can't find a source for the bulbs.

[dman]

I believe what you have there is an incandescent or fluorescent bulb. I myself am looking for a few of these also. Please post any results you find I haven't found any sources yet.

Goodluck,
Dman.

[themeparkdad]

Here's the pic of the PCB after the bulbs were removed. I could get the bulb to light when I put a 9 volt battery across two of the bulb contacts (the ones without the dot, marked 'A' on the PCB). I put 18 volts across the terminal, and poof, I burned it out. I just can't figure out what the third wire is used for.

Next, I'll examine the bulb in more detail.

[SlotsRfun]

Ahh, the black inside does make it seem like an incandescent. I remember many year ago seeing some bulbs similar to yours that were incandescent. The bulb had 2 elements and the 3 leads was for the purpose of having the bulb brighten during play on an old arcade machine. 1 element would be on continually and the 2nd element would be used to double the brightness. I think they were made by GE. That was 40 years ago! And they were scarce then!
You may have to go for LEDs if you can't locate any. Good luck!

[compirate]

another thought would be 2 bulbs in each position instead of the one, 2 wires connected to the common, the other 2 to each of the other holes.

[outdoorenth]

I've seen those bulbs on YJA. I'll try to find the listing again.

[SlotsRfun]

another thought would be 2 bulbs in each position instead of the one, 2 wires connected to the common, the other 2 to each of the other holes.

That is THE smart fix! A great idea!. It wold be easy to do and the results would be fine! you have to remember that no one can see the bulbs themselves only the reels being lit by them! I would do that it it were my machine!

[themeparkdad]

Ok, I think the mystery is solved. It turns out those bulbs are not two-colored, incandescent bulbs at all. They are a miniature hot cathode fluorescent lamp. That's right, it's a fluorescent bulb the size of an LED which runs with only 24volts.

The red glow I saw was the hot filament inside the lamp. I am attaching schematic of the reel lamp board so maybe someone else can benefit some day. Also, I included a snapshot of the reel lamp board exposed with only one position lit right after a win. Notice the red glow that threw me off track.

In each reel position, there are two pairs of lamps that can be controlled. I've only noticed one pair being used during normal play, but maybe the other pair is used during Jackpot mode. Now that I've removed the board, I can watch it more closely. If the other pair is not used, I might just rearrange the lamps so I have working ones in the positions that matter.

The lamps are still available from jkllamps.com at $8 each, and a few other vendors.

Thanks for everyone's help in tracking down the answer. I surprised that there's not more technical information from the pachislo manufacturers out there. I don't think Fuji made as many units as other companies but I haven't found much from other manufactures either. The information must be out there somewhere, they have to be able to repair these machines when they are in service too.