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(Topic ID: 197216)

New To The Game (Bulb Question)

By NoobPinballGuy72

6 years ago

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14 posts
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Latest reply 6 years ago by NicoVolta
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Kitchen-color-temperature-comparison (resized).jpg

#1 6 years ago

CMH

NoobPinballGuy72

Inactive member

Park Hills, MO

6y 5,500 3 1

I recently bought a 1979 Bally #HarlemGlobetrotter machine and it needs a bit of work to get in into good shape, and even more fork to get into GREAT shape.

I have been reading information on differences between the #44 and the #47 bulbs but as I was shopping for bulbs I came across LED's that fit inside the same port. Usually I am not a fan of LED's but the prospect of them not getting hot and messing up the back glass sounds great and not replacing them sounds fun too. Flip side is I don't want a 38 year old machine looking too new if that makes sense.

Thanks in advance for the answers and Im glad to be part of the community!

#2 6 years ago

ZAC

zacaj

RPC

Rochester, NY

11y 158K 10,387 85 122 1

OP
Quoted from NoobPinballGuy72:
I recently bought a 1979 Bally #HarlemGlobetrotter machine and it needs a bit of work to get in into good shape, and even more fork to get into GREAT shape.
I have been reading information on differences between the #44 and the #47 bulbs but as I was shopping for bulbs I came across LED's that fit inside the same port. Usually I am not a fan of LED's but the prospect of them not getting hot and messing up the back glass sounds great and not replacing them sounds fun too. Flip side is I don't want a 38 year old machine looking too new if that makes sense.
Thanks in advance for the answers and Im glad to be part of the community!

I used scattered cointaker warm white in mine and it looked about the same, and I'm the type who usually can't stand leds. It helped that I just left about half the sockets empty, the leds were bright enough to make up for it

#3 6 years ago

AXE

YeOldPinPlayer

Inactive member

Unknown

8y 111K 6,454 4 12

Many vendors out there. Comet, Nifty LED, Cointaker. Warm white will probably be closest to the original color.

Check around for a kit specifically for Harlem Globetrotters. You'll probably want to experiment anyway.

Have fun.

#4 6 years ago

CSB

klr650

Pinside+ Frequent

7y 93,550 932 161

Haven't made the transition to LED's yet (still using 100% #47's.
FYI, if someone ever recommends COOL WHITE LED's (roughly 5000k) in an older 70's or 80's pin, just ignore that advice. Unless you are looking for an industrial look (similar to flourescent lighting in an automotive shop or garage) it will make you sad.
Like those above said, WARM WHITE LEDs (roughly 2700k) are the way to go. This is the closest look to traditional incandescent bulbs.

Kitchen-color-temperature-comparison (resized).jpg

#5 6 years ago

CMH

NoobPinballGuy72

Inactive member

Park Hills, MO

6y 5,500 3 1

I appreciate the advice.

I think I will stick with the #47's. They are quite a bit cheaper and I want to be as close to factory as possible with my first restore.

#6 6 years ago

DAD

Breaking_Dad

Pinside member

Buffalo, NY

9y 66,400 3,024 4

At home you don't really have to worry about the heat....that concern is for on location where they are on all day every day...you are already protecting yourself by using #47 instead of #44....happy flipping.........Joey

#7 6 years ago

TSH

Travish

Pinside member

Greensboro, NC

11y 98,800 3,348 6

You will be happy with single led warm white bulbs. There are 2 "shapes" of the bulbs depending on if you want the light to disperse out the end like inserts and plastics and ones that disperse out the sides like in the back glass. That prevents hot spots and evens out the light.

Warm white.

IMG_3378 (resized).JPG
IMG_3380 (resized).JPG

Cool white.

IMG_3377 (resized).JPG

IMG_3379 (resized).JPG

#8 6 years ago

???

KenLayton

In Memoriam

Olympia, WA

12y 83,400 5,965

OP
Quoted from NoobPinballGuy72:
I appreciate the advice.
I think I will stick with the #47's. They are quite a bit cheaper and I want to be as close to factory as possible with my first restore.

Incandescent bulbs are still way cheaper than LED bulbs.

#9 6 years ago

CMH

NoobPinballGuy72

Inactive member

Park Hills, MO

6y 5,500 3 1

Well that puts a whole new spin on everything.

So I ran diagnostic test on the lights and looks like I will need about 87 to start off with. Going incandescent to get her going but will switch over to warm white LED's as finances dictate.

#10 6 years ago

???

KenLayton

In Memoriam

Olympia, WA

12y 83,400 5,965

Your cheapest price would be to get the 100 pack bulk bulbs (of 47's) at Pinball Life for just $7.75

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2523

Or you could buy a 10 bulb pack for a $1.10 a box.

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=19

#11 6 years ago

MAX

mbaumle

Pinside member

Gloucester Township, NJ

8y 119K 4,200 18 32

Nic has a great LED solution for older games. He uses a hybrid of sorts, so you get the benefit of a classic look, but also the benefit of the cooler LEDs. He calls it the "stealth recipe."

Check it out: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/stealth-led-a-recommended-recipe-for-ems

#12 6 years ago

TSH

Travish

Pinside member

Greensboro, NC

11y 98,800 3,348 6

Send me back $5 for shipping and I will send you 100 for free.

IMG_3382 (resized).JPG

#13 6 years ago

BLY

MrBally

Pinside member

Paradise, NV

12y 141K 13,932 22 1

Quoted from klr650:
FYI, if someone ever recommends COOL WHITE LED's (roughly 5000k) in an older 70's or 80's pin, just ignore that advice. Unless you are looking for an industrial look (similar to flourescent lighting in an automotive shop or garage) it will make you sad.

Or, as I like to say: The Highway Rest Area look.

4 months later

#14 6 years ago

NIC

NicoVolta

Roanoke Pinball Museum

Roanoke, VA

10y 139K 4,059 35 1

Quoted from KenLayton:
Your cheapest price would be to get the 100 pack bulk bulbs (of 47's) at Pinball Life for just $7.75
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2523
Or you could buy a 10 bulb pack for a $1.10 a box.
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=19

Bulk bulbs are bogus because banned from basket. Argh... out of stock! Are these ever coming back?

I wanta lotta 47's.

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