I swapped my backbox T8 2ft florescent today with T8 LEDs. It took about 5 minutes per pin once I had the glass off and only cost $7.95 per light on Amazon (using Prime). This procedure applied to both my Stern and Sega DMD machines. Not sure about other DMDs with florescent.

Materials needed:
Wire cutter
Wire stripper
1 wire nut or butt connector
1 T8 LED (single end powered)

I purchased five 2ft T8 LEDs on Amazon for $39.
http://www.amazon.com/5-pack-HonestEast-Lighting-Watts-Neutral/dp/B0183GC42O

Procedure assumes that you purchased a T8 flouescent that only needs power on one end and doesn't use a ballast or starter simular to the type in the above link.

Turn off and unplug your pinball machine.
Identify the wires and components, mark and measure your cuts so after cutting and stripping you'll be able to connect the ends. Remove florescent light. Cut the black wires where indicated on the drawing. Strip black wire coming from molex connector (supplying the 120V) and strip the black wire that's directly on the light socket. Coonect these two black wires together. Install the LED and try it out.

In my opinion, the LEDs makes the translite POP, it makes you back box run cooler, saves energy and (as I've been told), prolongs the life of electronic components.

I tried to make a drawing to show where to cut and what to connect. It's VERY simplistic diagram that applied to my Stern and Sega machines.

It goes without saying, turn off and unplug your pin before you start to on anything electrical. In this case you're dealing with the full 120VAC.

Sorry if this has been posted 100 times.

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I taped off the ends and left a note with instructions on how to revert back from LED to florescent if I (or the next owner) wants to switch back.

Always safety first. I've completed this on my Sterns and Sega machines with no issues greatly reducing heat and the rumor of damage to the boards and cables by the florescent bulbs.