First-time Pin owner... newb question...

[PsychoAU]

I just got my first Pin last week and have a newb question for you guys.  I know these units were made for a commercial environment where they are turned on all day long.  But given that the pin is over 20 years old, I want to make sure it works as long as possible.  Wouldn't near-24/7 operation quickly wear out the bulbs and such?  Is it harmful to the unit to just turn it on when I want to play a game and then turn it off again?  Does that wear out the power supply quicker?

I would rather just turn it on when I want to play so I can save the bulbs, but not if that is going to cause damage to the rest of the unit...

Thanks for the help, guys.

[shardian]

The only time turning on/off would be bad was if the pin was in your unheated garage in the winter. Otherwise, it shouldn't hurt your pin just to turn it on when you want to play. That is what every single collector does.

[RayB]

bulbs are cheap.

your backglass art, subjected to cold/warm expansion/contraction will crack, peel and flake the artwork.

[WunderCade]

Man pbj...could you have picked a more "epileptic-friendly" avatar? 

[Yarb]

My machines (Fireball II & Flash Gordon which I now have working and a Super Jetspin that is a work in progress) are old and I found that leaving them on all the time not only wastes energy but can be hard on the gas plasma displays. I keep them off, and turn them on to play. I then leave them on until I know I am done for the day then turn em off.

It is important that they be turned on AND PLAYED periodically (especially electro mechanicals). Play cleans the contacts on the leaf switches and allows the caps / batteries to charge. If you have old Ballys like mine you should cut the batteries off the main board right away. Bob Roberts has nice 1F caps to replace them with that don't leak and will hold settings and scores for about a month with the power off.

Cheers on a pinball dedicated forum 

Yarb