Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: codeena on September 30, 2006, 02:50:13 am
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Hi all,
I just wired up my coin door's original lights to my pc via the molex connection. Both of the lights seemed to work fine for about 2 hours, then one burnt out and the other followed shortly. Not sure what the problem is...any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
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Which wires did you use on the molex? Sounds like you were running 12v to 5v lights.
What kind of base do your lights have? If it's an older door they're likely bayonet, in which case you can keep the 12v connection and just swap the old bulbs for LEDs like this:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/BA9S6_specs.htm
Just remember to match the color of the LED to the color of your reject button plastic for best results (likely red or amber).
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Thanks for the reply. I used the original coin door lights' wires and spliced them into the molex' wires. Unfortunately, I do not know if the lamps are 12v, 5v, etc. The actual lamps are flatter than the ones you provided in the link. They look like the ones in Retroblast's coin door guide, which I referred to before I started: http://www.retroblast.com/articles/coindoor.html
If the lamps weren't the problem, which is quite possible, is it possible that the wires of the coin door aren't correct for the molex/pc's wires? Or is it possible that the wires should be switched on the lamp holder (ground and 12v), or does that matter? Sorry if the questions are dumb! :)
Thanks again!
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Use yellow/black for 12V and red/black for 5V. Match the bulb to the voltage. If you aren't sure, use 5V and see if the bulb burns dimly. But since you are buying new bulbs, you can choose what voltage you want.
Don't worry about which terminal the black wire goes to. I think both ways will work but if not, just reverse the wires. Going backwards won't hurt anything.
I'd consider LEDs if I had lamp-holders like yours. Mine are old-style lamps with posts so I just went to the auto parts store and bought 14V lamps. I run them at 12V with no problems.
-pmc
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I use type 161 12v bought at checker auto.. Connected to 12v molex. Works like a champ.
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Thanks for the tips...I used the yellow and black molex wires. I will go to the store and get some new bulbs. I appreciate your replies!
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Mine uses standard 555 pinball lamps, which are about 6v. So I went to the thrift shop and found an appliance that used a 6v AC adapter. Spliced the wires from the AC adapter to my coin door lamps and the thing works like a champ. Plus, I don't have to worry about the coin door light when I decide to upgrade this PC.
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I forgot to ask if anyone knows what voltage is most commonly used in coin doors. I just found a scrap coin door and its bulb says 6.3vol15amp. Thanks again.
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6.3 is what mine are, slightly different amp. When you think about it, it makes sense for these guys to walk across the aisle and use the same parts from the pinball machines and the old electromechanical games when originally putting these things together.
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Just found that the original bulbs that burnt out say 555 on them, which are on a few of my other doors. It seems like a lot of people have been using 12v in their multi-cabs.
Since I already wired up and soldered the molex wires, I will go out and find some 12v lamps. But if I switched the molex from the yellow wire to the red 5V, would it be okay to use the 6.3v? Also, does differing amp ratings play in part in all of this? Thanks in advance!
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Yeah, you could switch it to the 5v wire without any problems, though I'll tell you that the 161 12v bulbs seem easier to find (almost any automotive store will carry them) whereas the 555s you'll most likely need to order on-line, at least from what I've seen in my area. YMMV, of course. The amps should be a non-issue-any modern PC power supply can provide that power without a problem.
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So I went to the thrift shop and found an appliance that used a 6v AC adapter. Spliced the wires from the AC adapter to my coin door lamps and the thing works like a champ.
This is an excellent suggestion and one I didn't think of till working on my 4th machine... It does work beautifully and you don't have to worry about it pulling on your PSU.
I currently do this now. However, I suggest you check to make sure yours is AC and not DC. Get the proper wall wart.
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12v burns too bright and 5v seems too dim for the 555 bulbs. Running them off of a 6v AC adapter is (as Goldilocks would say) just right. I keep a lot of 555 bulbs on hand for my pin, so it's not a big deal for me to stick with them. Your milage may vary.
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According to http://www.donsbulbs.com/cgi-bin/r/b.pl/555.html , The 555 lamp is 6.3V at 0.25A. The reason they burned out so fast is you were putting 12V to them! Either get a 6.3V (or 6V) transformer, connect the 5V from your PC supply to them (a little less light), or connect them in a SERIES circuit and connect them to the 12V, so each lamp gets 6V. The original PARALLEL 12V circuit lead to 12V to each lamp!
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Yes, the lamps were originally so bright that they were a strain on the eyes! Plus, I could see a lot of light coming out of the back of the cab. Yesterday, I tried connecting to the 5v molex wire and it seems to work perfectly fine, plus I like the amount of illumination. Thanks for all the suggestions, it's really a nice touch to my cab and worth the short amount of time (relatively) to do!
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...it's really a nice touch to my cab and worth the short amount of time (relatively) to do!
I agree! :)