(Topic ID: 6211)

Anyone used Pinball Life's Ablaze LEDs for GI?

By jayhawkai

12 years ago


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  • 20 posts
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  • Latest reply 8 years ago by Okarcades
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    #1 12 years ago

    Any opinions on these? I know ghosting and strobing are issues for inserts, but these would be for playfield and backbox GI only. They're so cheap at $.39/ea that I'm thinking about a mix of frosted tip ones (if the bulb is visible) and the concave (if under plastic). No particular need or anything, but I'm going to place an order with PBL anyway so thought I might test a few LEDs.

    Frosted 44/47 & 555:

    http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1882&parent=192

    http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1886&parent=192

    Concave 44/47 & 555:

    http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1881&parent=192

    http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1885&parent=192

    #2 12 years ago

    Those 44/47 concave one can make hotspots in the back glass. I use CT Retro ones in the backglass now and do not have the same problems. I think warm frosted ones would work better if going with Pinball life. The pic is of a DE SW with Pinball Life concave leds in it. I had to put some regular bulbs into certain areas to make it a little warmer.

    Sorry for the bad pics.

    IMG_0940.JPGIMG_0940.JPG IMG_0941.JPGIMG_0941.JPG

    #3 12 years ago

    I put the Ablaze in my Whirlwind and they just didn't do it for me. They just weren't bright enough and I couldn't see the ball half the time. I switched to the CT warm white superflex, which are much better, but also still not enough IMO. I honestly like to keep incandescents for the GI because they are bright, but they aren't blinding and they don't drown out the artwork. Just my opinion.

    Although I've wanted to try out the retro warm whites from CT, but just haven't gotten around to it.

    #4 12 years ago

    For some reason certain colors are much brighter than others. For example, the blues and greens are real bright while the red and orange seem barely on. I'm getting ready to order the 3 LED ones of the orange and red and plan to just do it that way going forward for the ones that have the brightness issue.

    The frosted ones are really nice for visible GI but do remember the brightness issue as there are no 3 LED frosteds

    #5 12 years ago
    Quoted from ARTMAN:

    For some reason certain colors are much brighter than others.

    Just for clarification, the Ablaze I originally ordered were the cool white single LEDs.

    #6 12 years ago

    Jayhawkai, I have used and sometimes still use the Ablaze LEDs but only the frosted ones. As some have stated they are not as bright as other but they still do look nice. I do have some of the concave ones but save your money there. I still have not found a good place for them where they look nice and work well. The frosted ones however are very nice and as long as the spot you put them is not too dark they will work fine. I also have used them many times in the backbox. I think they seem to look and work well there as long as the glass/translight is not too dark. Take it for what it is but mostly I would stick to the 3 LEDs from Pinballlife or the or supers from CT, IMHO and experience.

    #7 12 years ago

    I have found that with the pinball life concave 170's, more light comes out of the top of the bulb and less out of the sides than with CT 170's. They seem to be a little dimmer for inserts and GI than the CT's. The 3 LED bulbs for .69 are great, but they are pretty directional and most of the light comes out of the top of the bulb.

    #8 12 years ago

    The frosted Ablaze LEDs are my number one choice for GI. They are not as bright as bulbs, but I really like the way they look. I generally don't like to use anything too bright if it is directly viewable from the playing position.

    #9 12 years ago
    Quoted from PwninShiznat:

    They just weren't bright enough and I couldn't see the ball half the time.

    +1

    Of course, around this forum I am probably known as "grandpa" so that may also explain the dimness...

    #10 12 years ago

    I think a lot of it has to do with how bright you like the lights in the room to be when you are playing. Some of my pins are not very playable in a completely dark room. I always have some ambient light on.

    #11 12 years ago

    I have ordered these leds for pinball life.
    What I did was build a test kit to compare the different led colors and options.

    My post is here:

    http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/led-and-lights-test-fixture-jig

    #12 12 years ago

    Very good info, thanks all. I might order a few to play with, but won't stock up at this point.

    #13 12 years ago

    I like the ablaze for Inserts, and cointaker super or mini for the backbox. For playfield GI I highly reccomend cointaker double led cool or warm white.

    #14 12 years ago

    I got some of the Ablaze frosteds to try in my BR for GI, but have not tried them yet.

    I tried the Cointaker frosteds a couple weeks ago for GI and BB and was disappointed, too damn bright for my taste. I changed all the white bulbs back to incadescents the following day thinking I could live with the red frosteds....still to bright for me, changed back to the stock red-condomed incadescents the next day.

    I do like the standard Ablaze leds for small inserts, except yellow is not bright enough. For yellow and larger inserts go with something brighter.

    I'll try to post an update when I get to changing bulbs again to try the Ablaze frosteds.

    3 years later
    -2
    #15 8 years ago

    Go to comet, ablaze sucks!

    #16 8 years ago

    LOL! Way to respond 3 years later.

    Side note.....I have ablaze in 4 of my games, work great for me!

    #17 8 years ago

    Since this thread already got resurrected from the dead, I'll just chime in to say I installed these for GI in one of my tables and have been incredibly happy with the results: http://pinballbulbs.com/products/frosted-4447-warm-white-pinball-led

    #18 8 years ago
    Quoted from AndHart120:

    LOL! Way to respond 3 years later.

    Side note.....I have ablaze in 4 of my games, work great for me!

    I have ablaze in my Gun Game and they are great as well.

    Ken

    #19 8 years ago

    I use cointaker 2 led clear dome cool or frosted cool in my GI [depends on if it's stern or Williams].
    I use terry's cheap flat tops for inserts and terry's frosted colors for signs, etc.
    Makes the games VERY nice and they don't look like a clown puked on it.

    #20 8 years ago

    I like the ablaze for inserts but they aren't bright enough for GI for me. I got with the .80 cent frosted ghostbusters for GI. I love pinball life LEDs. Also the .39 ablaze have kinda strobe effect in some of my games when I use them for GI. Mostly noticeable with the frosted white.

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