Has anyone backlit their Williams start buttons with LED replacement bulbs?

pookdolie

Permanently Banned for excessive trolling.
Joined
Oct 8, 2009
Messages
7,935
Reaction score
96
Location
California
Has anyone backlit their Williams start buttons with LED replacement bulbs?

A few Williams games had bulbs under their Player 1 and Player 2 start buttons.

I've got a Robotron mini. I was thinking of putting in LED replacement bayonet bulbs. Has anyone else done this and, if so, is there a big difference in brightness?

(Not looking to replace the button itself with a LED unit. Just the bulbs.)
 
The dark blue buttons on Robotron can be difficult to light. They just don't let a lot of light through.
if you get a multi LED bulb and point it to the right spot on the button you might do OK.

I'm going to try to source some appropriate LEDs to light the darker colors for the button lights I sell here:
http://www.nicemite.com/LightmiteLB/LightmiteLB.htm
They were initially developed for the lighter colored buttons, but I think there may be some good candidate LEDs out there now for the darker buttons.
 
A few Williams games had bulbs under their Player 1 and Player 2 start buttons.

I've got a Robotron mini. I was thinking of putting in LED replacement bayonet bulbs. Has anyone else done this and, if so, is there a big difference in brightness?

(Not looking to replace the button itself with a LED unit. Just the bulbs.)

Yep did that to my Robotron MW. I tried red and I tried blue. The red looked excellent while the blue was not so great. Don't remember what bulbs I used but the blue could probably user a higher wattage bulb.

EDIT: Rikitiki thanks for the info. I look at it and wonder if those would actually work because of the button spacing??
 
Last edited:
Used the pinch lamps from a Ms PAcman cocktail joytstick harness.
I then hot glued the lamps in place. Like I said the red looks awesome - the blue needs something different. If I could get Rikitiki to get me the outside diameter of those boards and they would work I would gladly pony up the money for them.
 
I can get bayonets that would be powerful enough, using 1.5 watt red smd's they look great, you can see some of the stuff I've been playing with here.
http://picasaweb.google.com/armi0024/ArcadeButtonsAndLEDS#

The plates of led's are ok, but if you are trying to shoot through a small hole (ie. a button) that's like going to target practice with a shotgun, yeah you hit the bullseye, but you also hit everything else around it. The single high powered SMD's are very directed and very bright.
 
I used these (the white ones), but I need to remount them with the vertical pinball sockets to point them straight down to really show off the lighting. I have also used them in the coin doors, there they really shine becuase they are pointed straight out.

47led44.jpg

http://www.centsibleamusements.com/pinball-led-44-47.aspx

These sockets are the ones I am looking to remount the lights. They normally mount under the pinball playfield to shine up through the transparent scoring markers.

LB-077-5005-00.jpg

http://bayareaamusements.com/Mercha...077-5005-00&Category_Code=LBS&Product_Count=3

ken
 
There are a number of places to get those #44/47 bulbs now. Centsible Amusements was the first I could remember off the top of my head. But that is the style that throws a tight beam that should increase the visibility when mounted over the button using the standup pinball sockets. (Those can probably be found cheaper too).

ken
 
This is another place.

http://www.bcspinball.com/

I have been looking at LED's a lot, sampled over a 100 for my own curiosity mostly and my own use. I'm working with someone on the list to outfit a whole pinball game right now just to see how it will compare with what's available. If it makes sense I may start selling some kits. I will be placing another larger LED order soon and can give some decent pricing on LED's if people let me know ahead of time. None of these guys put the wattage output and that is highly variable on LED's. I have a great source for some very bright 4 chips, happy to tuck a few extra in the next order if anyone is interested. I basically give close to my cost if people get in before I order because then I don't have to carry any inventory, and by shipping large lots the shipping is cheaper for everyone.
 
My Narc has lit buttons via 12 volt bayonet bulbs. The bulb is just placed int eh general area of the actuator of the button. The yellow/red buttons light up awesome. The blue/green buttons don't light for crap, regardless of bulb placement.
 
My Narc has lit buttons via 12 volt bayonet bulbs. The bulb is just placed int eh general area of the actuator of the button. The yellow/red buttons light up awesome. The blue/green buttons don't light for crap, regardless of bulb placement.

The dark translucents are indeed difficult to light up effectively. I'm currently sourcing some LEDs for this purpose. I had one customer accomplish it with 1 watt LEDs but I'm hoping that was overkill since they are pricey.
Once I find a solution, they will be for sale at www.nicemite.com
 
Whammoed, nice stuff, very creative
1 and 1.5 watts are really pricey but also will just fit in the bayonets, my personal fav was the white button I was lighting up with pink LEDs, just fun, not a traditional leaf, but fun:
P1000613.JPG


The dark translucents are indeed difficult to light up effectively. I'm currently sourcing some LEDs for this purpose. I had one customer accomplish it with 1 watt LEDs but I'm hoping that was overkill since they are pricey.
Once I find a solution, they will be for sale at www.nicemite.com
 
Last edited:
I lit Happ buttons with LED's. I think the Williams buttons are either Happ or very similar. These are 12v automotive LED's.
ledstargate.jpg
 
I lit mine up by just shoving a 3mm blue LED into the hole on the bottom of the button, then insulating it to keep it from grounding itself out. Tapped into the voltage coming to the button and put a resistor inline to take it down to the 3V it needed to fire. I used to have pictures of it, but I managed to lose them... but you can see how they look at the beginning of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w-oPx_ucv8

They light up much better than my friends buttons.

I can take a picture of what I'm talking about if you're interested?
 
Back
Top Bottom