Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: RetroJames on June 16, 2004, 12:42:44 pm
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Flourescent Light fixture on a Moon Patrol eats bulbs! When I power up the
bulb flashes a bunch of times and burns up. Is there a usuall reason for
this? Thanks, James
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Assuming you changed the starter also when you replaced the fluorescent tube I would say your ballast is shot. When that happens it usually takes out the new tube AND starter with it. Buy a new ballast, tube, and starter.
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What are the important specs to know in matching the ballast when I buy a new one?
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Would it be cheaper to just get a new assembly?
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A new 18" lamp fixture can be found for less than $10 at Target or Wal-Mart.
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I got a G.E. fluorescent light unit including the bulb at Wal-Mart for $7.
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It could be the starter or ballast (transformer). Starters are dirt cheap. Start with that. 49 cents at most stores. FS-2 if it's an 18" fixture
As far as a ballast, Home Depot carries an IDENTICAL part number for most arcade games. It's a GE one for 14 to 20 watt fixtures. I've seen others by Sylvania that are a bit larger/heavier that will work with that range to a bit larger. I havn't tried those yet.
Price: $3.59 on clearance at HD for the GE. Or $2.89 at some places for the Sylvania.
Make sure you get one that works with a Size T8 (8/8th of an inch or 1" diameter), 18" and 15 watts. Don't go too high or you will risk fire or instant tube blowout.
Oh and *some* of those cheap all-in-one fixtures do not feature immediate (auto) start. You must hold a switch into a separate position which temporarily applies more volts to warm the filaments/tube up prior to starting before the ballast takes over to keep them running at a lower voltage.
Therefore they wont work in game units if you want it to turn on the marquee immediately without first having to hold down a button (behind the marquee :( )
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Oh and *some* of those cheap all-in-one fixtures do not feature immediate (auto) start. You must hold a switch into a separate position which temporarily applies more volts to warm the filaments/tube up prior to starting before the ballast takes over to keep them running at a lower voltage.
Therefore they wont work in game units if you want it to turn on the marquee immediately without first having to hold down a button (behind the marquee :( )
It's a good thing to look out for, but the last few of these I purchased just had normal on/off rockers or slides.
I think it was even listed on the packaging as one of the "features" of the fixture.
The best $7 you can spend, IMHO, as I have had one of these on 24/7 for over a year and it's still going :)
RandyT