So I turned on my machines just before and my Metallica's lights started to flicker. I heard a sizzling noise and then saw smoke coming out of the transformer that is screwed to the cabinet bottom. Any idea what caused this? Could a fuse have blown? The only thing that I did before the incident was change out the LED light tube in the backbox with one from Marco Pinball.

The game was working perfectly fine this morning.

I took the LED out and also tried putting the old one back in... still the same problem.

Then I unplugged everything from the transformer and turned the machine on - it started to make the buzzing sound and I could tell it was going to smoke again. I added an image of the three connections I unplugged from the transformer.

I'm guessing my transformer just went bad?

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Yeah I've never had a transformer go bad before. I pulled the transformer out and I don't see any issues with it cosmetically. Not sure what happened. I got the Marco Pinball LED because it comes highly rated and I just updated my TWD from fluorescent to LED tube.

Just stinks that it's a $300-$400 fix.

My Metallica came with an LED tube from the factory. There is no starter or ballast.

Here are a few pics. The bulb is the original that came in the machine.

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Replaced the transformer and put the previous LED tube back in and everything is running great again. Live and learn I guess.

I bought new ones from Marco for my TWD (I recently removed the starter and bypassed the ballast) and figured I would put the same kind in my MET.

New transformer.