Okoboji, IA
Do you know a source for new lamp sockets that replace the 6v lightbox lamp sockets? Can you provide a link?
Thanks.
(Topic ID: 199568)
It's a bingo - pretty sure like okorange says it's one of the flat sockets with the single 'tooth' that pokes the nipple of the bulb. They can break if the tooth is adjusted.
Regardless, Pinball Resource is worth a call. He may have some. If not, you'll have to buy one from one of the parts guys (like Joe Shope) or pull from a parts machine. I've not seen any new sockets, so if Steve has some, please let us know. 
Yes, I should have stated that the socket is from the 6v circuit on a mid-50s Bally bingo game. The 6v circuit is for the backbox lights excluding the 17v sockets used for the bingo card numbers. I found the E-125-2A part number on Phil Hooper's web site after failing to find the part number referenced in my game's user manual. I'm surprised there are no new repros, so I'll call Steve or go to Joe.
My game has several lights that sometimes work and sometimes don't. You probably know the symptoms. The light behind an awarded odd or feature will wink on and off. Sometimes the light will be lit continuously; other times it will come on a few seconds, then go dark, then maybe light up again, and so on. For the affected sockets, the light is at full strength when it is lit, so it's not a question of electricity to the sockets. From what I've read, these are the symptoms of a failing socket. I've cleaned the sockets; that seems to help in certain cases but doesn't entirely eliminate the problem. If anyone has fixed similar sockets, I'd love to hear what you did.
The ones the bite into the bulb will do that to all bulbs eventually. You can press the tooth from the back and it will bite a little harder, but you can break the tooth. Alternatively, you can put a small blob of solder on the bulb nipple. It can push the tooth further out depending on size of the blob.
E-125-2A is the Bally part number for a #47 lite bulb. The self-nail lite sockets part number is A-1653-1
As far as I know, new replacements are not available.
Quoted from bingopodcast:The ones the bite into the bulb will do that to all bulbs eventually. You can press the tooth from the back and it will bite a little harder, but you can break the tooth. Alternatively, you can put a small blob of solder on the bulb nipple. It can push the tooth further out depending on size of the blob.
Thanks, Nick. I'll give your techniques a try before I give up on the sockets.
Moncton, NB
Those hammer in sockets are a b----!
I had some so loose, in the wood, I had to put tooth picks
in the orig holes to get the teeth of the staple socket to bite/hold.
I have a nice, small, I MEAN SMALL, wire brush that just goes in the socket
to clean up the inner surface of the socket. Then if have an even smaller
brush to clean off the tip inside the socket!
I lightly spray all of my bulbs with a contact cleaner, like MG Chemicals
Electrosolve, before I put them back in.
This will only work if you had a mechanically sound socket, no movement of the
body to the base to which it is connected.
Terry K
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