After calming down from the total dumpster fire of a previous thread, I offer this if anyone still cares. Wanted to document for posterity, so here is sizing information for 555 LEDs as compared to standard incandescent measurements.
If you have ever found it difficult to insert an LED into a socket this is why. It is not manufacturer specific, and it does vary according to type of LED used.
Actual thickness measurements are as follows (with photos showing what is being measured):
Incandescent Center notch 3.23mm, Edge 1.70mm
Comet 1 SMD. Center 3.01 Edge 2.53
Titan 1SMD Center 3.75 Edge 2.46
Comet non-SMD flat top Center 3.04 Edge 2.39
Getting LED bulbs to fit in WPC games is relatively straightforward even for the largest of LEDs. But in old early Bally SS games with the crappy sockets it’s tough. It can be done by using a small screwdriver (with game off) to widen the edge socket connectors, but there is risk of creating shorts, and one can still have to work at it even after widening.
The bottom line though is that all these LED bulbs do not adhere to the actual 555 incandescent size. There may be many many reasons for this.
I chose Comet bulbs because that’s what I have hundreds of. Their bulbs will work in ALL games just beware depending on which exact bulb you choose may have varied difficulty in getting in the bulb to fit. I think this is really only a problem in early Bally SS games and even there you can use pretty much any of these bulbs.
The easiest to fit though will clearly be the flash top non-SMD (cheapo LEDs) for early Bally games. I have decided for expediency to use the cheapo Comet ones in my early Bally SS for everything except for the playfield GI where I have spent more time getting the Comet 1 SMDs to work because I like the look and higher brightness.
Good luck
