FLORESCENT FRUSTRATION!

[Ombuds_John]

Working on the 891-22 some more.  The 12 inch florescent above the reels not working.  I replaced the bulb and starter, and still no go.  Swapped one of the other ballasts from the front lower lighting on door.  Still doesn’t work!!! WTF?  The starter just blinks away trying to get the bulb to start, but no.  Are new bulbs same as old bulbs?

[shortrackskater]

Try swapping the starters.
If you still get the flicker, swap the bulb.
I'm assuming the bulb wattage is the same as the old one?

[DavidLee]

End sockets may need to be investigated.
Look to see if the contacts in the sockets are bent, broken or burned.
Also, the wires to the sockets.

Since everything else works.

[Ombuds_John]

Try swapping the starters.
If you still get the flicker, swap the bulb.
I'm assuming the bulb wattage is the same as the old one?

I need to check the wattage.  I think I assumed the same size meant it was the same wattage.  I did swap the starters.  It’s kinda hard to get to the bulbs behind the glass to swap them, so I have not done that yet.  I did spray cleanser in sockets.  The new bulb flickers like it’s trying to start. 

[Ombuds_John]

SOLVED/NOT SOLVED. I bought a LED bulb, took the starter out, installed bulb, and it lit right up.  Problem solved, but I never actually figured out why the regular bulb would not work.

[RiseLikeRa]

How does the LED look in the game?  I changed many of the 47 and 63 bulbs to LED in my machines and I like the result.  I did not even know that they made 12" LEDS.

Ra

[wolftalk]

How does the LED look in the game?  I changed many of the 47 and 63 bulbs to LED in my machines and I like the result.  I did not even know that they made 12" LEDS.

Ra

led tube replacements for common flourescent bulbs are available and cheaper than replacing a ballast.

the gotchas are:

1] some are plug-n-play, but that means you need a working ballast

2] some require you to remove the ballast and wire 120V directly to the tube sockets.  This is usually easy as it's often just a case of removing the starter and cutting/splicing the ballast wires

3] some tubes want the 120V wires on the two pins on one end of the tube, others want one wire on each end of the tube.  Get it wrong and say goodbye to the 120V fuse.

4] usually inside the tube is just a single led strip and a curved reflector, so the light only comes out in roughly a 180 degree area.   A few tubes are more complex and send light out in most directions.

5] some tubes are rotatable so you can aim the light where you want, others aren't.  The ones that aren't is usually not a problem as long as you don't install the tube with the light pointing into the back of the game :-) 

A tube lighting the reels could be more of an issue ... depends on how the sockets are mounted.  You'd probably want a rotatable one for the reels, which also lets you spin it for less light if you want.

[DavidLee]

Tester made from discarded machine.
Haven’t used it that much, but have the capability to test all three components.

[RiseLikeRa]

Thank you Wolf.  Not crazy complicated but enough to make me appreciate my fluorescents.  Coincidentally, I just found some of the 12 inch tube at a yard sale. I bought all they had.   I BELIEVE that I only have 2 games that take the 12 as opposed to the 8 inch, The Medalist an the 8 coin Arrow-Line.   If anyone needs a few I will happily send them to you.

Ra