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Author Topic: Electric Ice Buttons Question  (Read 1742 times)

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silen7ce

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Electric Ice Buttons Question
« on: August 05, 2014, 11:21:12 pm »
I bought some Electric Ice buttons online from another arcade enthusiast and noticed that there is lettering that appears to be engraved on the inside of the plunger... I only notice it with red LEDs... Is this normal?  Or were these modified?  They appear to be A-B-C-D...  I'm not sure if it could be the LEDs I am using are brighter than the ones GGG sells?  I'm using 5mm 5Vs  Which I think are the same?   Any opinions are appreciated...






SpatzST

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2014, 02:34:14 am »
I just installed EI2 buttons and using the Helio9 LED's (very very bright) and that is definitely not the case, no letters... maybe Randy can chime in here.  That red button actually looks quite strange, its super bright in the middle and dim elsewhere, it shouldn't be as far as I know.

« Last Edit: August 06, 2014, 02:36:03 am by SpatzST »

RandyT

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2014, 10:43:12 am »
The buttons in the photos are the original EI buttons, not the current EI2 buttons.  The original buttons were made from existing molds, which had a mold cavity identifier inside the plunger.  With normal lighting, these should not be visible, but you can see that with intense lighting, they are.  They are also a different material.  A diffusive element placed inside the plunger would probably help with this kind of lighting.  Grinding the top of the LED flat could also be of benefit.

The current EI2 buttons are from our own molds, have a diffusive surface (no identifiers) inside the plunger and are better for high intensity lighting.  They also have a very different bezel and plunger design.
« Last Edit: August 09, 2014, 12:13:41 pm by RandyT »

Sarver Systems

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2014, 08:35:48 am »
Grinding the LED flat will make the light more of a pinpoint. You'd want a nice round top on the LED. That is, if you can even grind the LED. It might be an SMD LED.

RandyT

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2014, 12:18:39 pm »
Grinding the LED flat will make the light more of a pinpoint. You'd want a nice round top on the LED.

Grinding the LED flat will diffuse the light.  The only way it would do otherwise is if one were to polish it afterward.  There is also a retro-reflector inside many LEDs similar to a reflector cone in a flashlight.  This will alter the light produced by the small LED element.  Additionally, light expands from the source in a spherical shape, so even a pinpoint of light a given distance from the object being illuminated, would have no choice but to spread over the object based on the distance between the two.  Focusing / collimating optical elements are the only things which can alter this behavior.

Sarver Systems

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2014, 03:12:12 pm »
I agree and disagree.

I have ground down a few T 1 3/4 LEDs to make them fit in a weird enclosure (back when I used to mad computers for a living) and I can tell you that lopping off the top of the LED and making flat most certainly does indeed turn a wide angle LED into a pinpoint of light.

After some more though, I wonder if what you mean is to scuff up or sand the surface of a clear LED to broaden it's light path? I have done many times before as well.

Can you clarify more? I think we might both be agreeing with each other, but just not understanding what we're each saying.

RandyT

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2014, 03:32:52 pm »
After some more though, I wonder if what you mean is to scuff up or sand the surface of a clear LED to broaden it's light path? I have done many times before as well.

If you can grind off the top surface of a standard LED, without the scuffing effect you describe, then you must be using an extremely fine diamond tool at high speed, at a very controlled feed rate and under liberal amounts of coolant ;)

Also, note that I'm not talking about grinding it down to within a fraction of the LED elements position, just taking off the rounded top.

We used to do this routinely with our RGB LEDs before going to a diffused lens material.

Sarver Systems

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2014, 08:14:05 am »
So maybe thats why there is a difference of opinion here.

When I cut down my LEDs, I used a dremel tool, and cut them down right to the edge of the light emitting part.

In fact, I was too close on one of them, and it didn't light at all when I was done.

RandyT

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2014, 11:25:21 am »
When I cut down my LEDs, I used a dremel tool, and cut them down right to the edge of the light emitting part.

That would do it.  See above where I stated that light is projected outward from the source in a spherical shape.  The closer the diffuse surface is to the emitter, the less chance there is for the light to spread.  Still, any light which was transmitted would act similarly with regard to another surface a given distance away from it (i.e. interior button surfaces).  An intense pinpoint of light, without focusing/collimating optical elements would still be fine in all but clear or nearly clear pushbuttons.  In that case, an extra diffusive element would be called for.  The ideal situation, however, is a diffusive button material and an LED which directs the majority of it's light over the areas of most interest, based on the distance between the LED and those areas.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2014, 11:27:11 am by RandyT »

Sarver Systems

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2014, 03:02:49 pm »
Right. You want the spread of light to evenly fill the underside of the button as much as possible.

silen7ce

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2014, 03:38:34 am »
Randy,  I was considering ordering the button blaster LEDs off your site... Do you think those would be an improvement or should I just bite the bullet and order a whole set of the EI2s? I tried grinding the LED but it just got worse oddly enough...  Appreciate the advise everyone!
« Last Edit: August 09, 2014, 03:40:09 am by silen7ce »

RandyT

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2014, 10:41:15 am »
The LED's might be just too bright for these early buttons.  I have a better solution for you. Send me an email and I'll tell you how to order some diffusing elements from us.

silen7ce

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Re: Electric Ice Buttons Question
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2014, 01:41:55 pm »
Thanks Randy,

Just sent you an email via your store page!