Bulb wattage and hookup?

[acvieluf]

My coin mechs have the original style lights in them, pictured below. I have two questions:

1) What wattage are the lights, typically? Asking so I know whether to run them from the 5 or 12 volt power from the computer.

2) Does it matter which tabs get positive or negative? I assume no, but I don't know for sure.

Thanks.



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[chopperthedog]

Pull the bulb from the socket and google the number. From the exposed printing they look like 555 bulbs.



good day.

[big10p]

The bulbs in my cabs are 12v 1.2W. Don't get higher wattage ones or they'll get too hot and start to melt any plastic nearby. It doesn't matter which way around you plug them in.

[acvieluf]

Argh.  i guess i was overthinking this.  my apologies.  Thanks for not posting one of those "let me google that for you" links, haha.

Do the positive and negative ends matter?

The bulbs in my cabs are 12v 1.2W. Don't get higher wattage ones or they'll get too hot and start to melt any plastic nearby. It doesn't matter which way around you plug them in.

Thanks!

[acvieluf]

So you were right, bulb number 555s. So here's a follow up question:

This is the info: #555 Incandescent Lamp, T-3-1/4 Bulb, Wedge Base, 6.30 volt, 0.25 Amp

At 6.3 volts, do I hook then up to the 5v connection from the power supply? Or do I connect to the 12v connection, so that they have enough to draw the 6.3?

Sorry if these questions are noobish, but googling produces multiple answers, it seems.

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[chopperthedog]

5v.


good day.

[PL1]

This is the info: #555 Incandescent Lamp, T-3-1/4 Bulb, Wedge Base, 6.30 volt, 0.25 Amp

At 6.3 volts, do I hook then up to the 5v connection from the power supply? Or do I connect to the 12v connection, so that they have enough to draw the 6.3?

The general rule of thumb with bulbs is that it's OK to connect to a power supply rated for a lower voltage or a higher amperage than the bulb(s).

    5v----555 bulb----ground  = OK

Connecting a single bulb to a higher voltage power supply is bad.

    12v----555 bulb----ground = burnt out bulb

Connecting several bulbs in series allows each bulb to drop part of the voltage.
Electrons travelling between ground and the power supply flow through each bulb in the series, so these setups draw 0.25A.

    12v----555 bulb----555 bulb----ground = OK

or

    24v----555 bulb----555 bulb----555 bulb----555 bulb----ground = OK

Connecting bulbs in parallel increases the amperage draw.
These setups will draw 0.5A. (0.25A per parallel path)

              |----555 bulb----|
    5v----|                         |----ground  = OK
              |----555 bulb----|

or

              |----555 bulb----555 bulb----|
   12v----|                                           |----ground  = OK
               |----555 bulb----555 bulb----|


Scott

[acvieluf]

Thank you tremendously.   

[paigeoliver]

Also, normally when you plug a 5 volt bulb into a 12 volt source you figure it out right away because it is stupid bright and then burns out in somewhere between 3 minutes and an hour.

[acvieluf]

Connecting several bulbs in series allows each bulb to drop part of the voltage.
Electrons travelling between ground and the power supply flow through each bulb in the series, so these setups draw 0.25A.

    12v----555 bulb----555 bulb----ground = OK

I wired everything up this way, and no light. Here's the only possible problem I can think of: if the guage of wire that I'm using is slightly thicker than the computer's molex connector wires, would that make a difference?

Please bear with my complete illiteracy of these things.

Thanks.

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[PL1]

Connecting several bulbs in series allows each bulb to drop part of the voltage.
Electrons travelling between ground and the power supply flow through each bulb in the series, so these setups draw 0.25A.

    12v----555 bulb----555 bulb----ground = OK

I wired everything up this way, and no light. Here's the only possible problem I can think of: if the guage of wire that I'm using is slightly thicker than the computer's molex connector wires, would that make a difference?

Smaller gauge (thicker) wire will not make a difference.

If you visualize electronics as plumbing, you get the following comparisons:

 - Gauge of wire ==> diameter of pipe

 - Voltage ==> water pressure

 - Amperage ==> gallons of water

Using this plumbing analogy, changing from a 1/2" pipe to a 3/4" pipe will not cause a faucet to quit working.

As long as you stay within the pressure (voltage) and volume (amperage) ratings of the pipe, it will work.

Just to clarify:
1. You are using 12v (yellow wire) and ground (black wire) from a computer power supply molex connector.

2. You are using incandescent 555 bulbs.



3. Neither bulb is already burned out or has a broken filament.

If you aren't sure, check resistance of the whole circuit. (with power off)

If it measures infinite resistance (open), either a bulb filament is broken/burned out or there is a another bad connection that is preventing current from flowing through the circuit.


Scott

[acvieluf]

I will check these things, thanks. Upon visual inspection, the bulbs do not appear burned out. I believe the connection isn't good, but will check.

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