Space Invaders LED opinion

Mitsurugi-w

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I just got my first pin, A Space Invaders. It needs some work like rebuilding the MPU, cleaning-waxing the playfield, and there are LOTS of bulbs out. Does a LED kit look good in this pin? Also, where is the best place to get the leds (and other parts-there are lots of sites I've found)? What kind of wax should I use on the playfield?

Also, my playfield is missing the round plastic piece that covers the "3x" bulb below the horseshoe in the middle. Where can I find a replacement and what is it called technically? (If I were to search)

Thanks for advance for helping with my first pin!
 
I just got my first pin, A Space Invaders. It needs some work like rebuilding the MPU, cleaning-waxing the playfield, and there are LOTS of bulbs out. Does a LED kit look good in this pin? Also, where is the best place to get the leds (and other parts-there are lots of sites I've found)? What kind of wax should I use on the playfield?

Also, my playfield is missing the round plastic piece that covers the "3x" bulb below the horseshoe in the middle. Where can I find a replacement and what is it called technically? (If I were to search)

Thanks for advance for helping with my first pin!

There's tons of info on all these subjects already - but in a nutshell
Cointaker.com or pinballlife.com
That old of a machine - the LED's may ghost and look like crap.
Wax - caranuba
Plastic piece name is called an insert - marcospecialties.com
 
That old of a machine - the LED's may ghost and look like crap.

Agreed. I can pretty much guarantee at least some of the LEDs will strobe if you put them in all the inserts. Your options would be adding capacitors to individual lamps or buying an "led compatible" lamp driver board from Alltek. I'm not sure how they achieve their LED compatibility and I haven't used one so I can't really comment on the quality.
 
Thanks for the replies. Guess I have some decisions to make. Maybe just go with normal bulbs since I want to see what it is supposed to look like. Truthfully I don't know if I would realize the strobing wasn't normal.
 
Led

I think Xenon looks phoenominal with LED's as well, same era as Space Invaders. I say do it with LED's if you dont like it you can always switch back to incandescents.
 
I think Xenon looks phoenominal with LED's as well, same era as Space Invaders. I say do it with LED's if you dont like it you can always switch back to incandescents.

I agree, Xenon looks awesome w/ LEDs. My Embryon, also of the same era, has some LEDs. No problems w/ ghosting. Personally I like LEDs under the playfields as inserts but not on top, except for space/sci-fi themes. For some reason the cool white bulbs on top do something to those games I like for some reason. Just be aware, with LEDs on some of the older games, they don't draw enough current to fire through the transistor. That is resolved by wiring a small resistor in parallel w/ the new LED bulb. Easy, but just one more thing to consider.

+1 to caranuba. There are many threads on what brand to use. Search those.
 
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