Arcade Collecting > Pinball
Power 4x 555 bulbs
bimm25e:
I have a pinball machine and one of the light matrixes is not working - its 4 555 bulbs that are always on so I was thinking instead of troubleshooting (which I have already done for a few hours) I would just rig up a separate circuit to run these 4 bulbs -
I have a wall wart that runs @ 7.5 VDC / 800mA
And
one that runs at 8.5 VAC / 1A
anyone know if i can just wire these up in series on either adapter? Do i need to use resistors? Or are the bulbs okay to just run themselves?
pbj:
Just run a jumper wire to another string. Do it cleanly and nobody will ever notice or care. I've been running one game like that for 11 years.
:cheers:
bimm25e:
--- Quote from: pbj on July 22, 2014, 12:05:59 pm ---Just run a jumper wire to another string. Do it cleanly and nobody will ever notice or care. I've been running one game like that for 11 years.
:cheers:
--- End quote ---
I guess I don't know enough about filament bulbs to feel safe just doing that. Couldn't that create a larger current on the host circuit, possibly damaging even more components?
Maybe I could use a different type of light that's already powered by 110VAC, I was thinking Christmas lights but they're too small, then I thought larger ones but I think I remember those getting quite hot. I just really don't want to break my toy but without the bulbs its too dim to play a good game at night.
RandyT:
They are probably a 6v bulb and use about .25 amp each. So, you'd need at least an amp to drive 4 of them. At higher voltages, they'll run hotter (not good for the plastics) and probably won't last very long.
One possibility would be to get some decent low-voltage LED replacements and run your separate supply. You probably won't need as much current (check into the specs for the parts), they'll likely run cooler, and will work with the smaller "wall wart" type supply. Kludgey, but it would get the job done.
pbj:
Hey, it's your machine. Overthink this. Rig in hacks. Spend a lot of money. Do what you want.
:cheers:
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