Quoted from jordanfsl:Newbie T2 owner here, looking for advice.
I have a machine that languished for years at our office, and finally had it restored a couple of years ago by a local Pinside member. In reading all these posts, I'd definitely be interested in switching the machine over to LEDs for the decreased power usage, lower heat, and better appearance.
So I would appreciate some help on these questions:
1. I have seen some posts that reference the CoinTaker kit....looking at their website, it will be $243 plus another $20 for the premium non-ghosting LED's. A few other websites have their kits for about $40-$60 less. Is Cointaker worth the upcharge?
2. Do these kits generally replace the lights in the backbox as well?
3. Are all the lights reasonable easy to get to, and replacement doesn't require soldering?
4. Anyone wish they had done something differently when switching to LED's?
Thanks in advance!!
1. Up charge for kit depends. Do you want your t2 to look cookie cutter or unique, do you wanna dress it with flare of your own or not. Also, do you have the time to sit there and pick out each light and it's location and take a guess what it will look like and shop the right led? Are you willing to look at how other people "pimped" their t2 and mix and match? If not, and you are on a budget, buy bright cool white frosteds in bulk from pinball bulbs or pinball life or someone like that. Most people color match the inserts and sectionally color the general illumination (top side of lighting). Cool blue does very well on t2 as does red as far as colors for GI. Some people try to color match GI under the plastics too. It's all up to you, it will take time either way, and yes you are paying a sorry ass markup and no, they don't not install themselves - so you might as well color it out to your liking.
2. Full kits "should" include the back box lighting, but I would customize that as well. There are some seriously badass custom lit back glasses out there for t2. Red LEDs for t800 eyes and blinking LEDs for the hunter ships. I find the warm whites for Arnies face area in the middle to be the best. Check every page of this members club thread for kind of the genesis of where people have taken t2 led modding.
3. It's a learning experience. Have the machine off. Most GI on t2 is hard top get topside and you have to charge them from the bottom. The pop bumpers are the easiest. Go bright red, blue or color changers. No due soldering should be necessary unless you have a bad lamp receptacle which depends on the climate conditions the machine has seen.
4. Once you go LED, you never go back homie. Welcome to the club and the sickness. You are gonna blow more money than you anticipated, and yes in the end, there is satisfaction and reward. My first thing is.. Make sure your game is setup right, all coils fire, replace the flipper assemblies entirely if you are a novice. Level the machine. Check for switch errors in the test menus. Make the game play right first. Then pimp Arnies out with toys, mods and LEDs. Give him a nice mothers carnauba wax job, fresh balls, and terminate some scumbag machines!
Maple Shade, NJ
3d seizure!
