Yes, you'll need these. Otherwise, the LEDs will flicker. You could also use an Alltek lamp driver board, more expensive though.

http://www.siegecraft.us/presta/index.php?id_product=44&controller=product&id_lang=1

If they dont light try installing bulb 180, some bulbs only work intalled one way some it doesnt matter

You don't HAVE to get a new board, but it makes it a mindless changeover, and if you have any bad SCRs on the old one, you won't have to fix them.

Not every LED bulb will flicker. Sometimes someone will have repaired the lamp board with higher spec SCRs and all the repaired lamp circuits will flicker. You can add a resistor to just the bulbs that flicker.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/classic-ballystern-led-adapter-kit-review

Those old sockets will often be corroded. You can clean them with a Dremel and one of these bits from HF:

dremel 932.jpg

The spring at the bottom of the socket is old, don't break it off or it can short out the SCR that drives the bulb.

Or a Nifty socket cleaning brush.. http://www.niftyled.com/pinball-bulb-socket-cleaning-brush/

I'd worry that little pieces of the metal bristles would break off and short the socket/SCR.

I've used the Dremal for 14 Bally rebuilds now. Works wonders, even on mouse piss!

I hate mouse piss!

IMG_7247.JPG

You could use leds for GI w/o any mods. It's only the switched lights that need attention. That mouse piss is grody.........