Did you like to play your pins in the dark? If you do then you might find certain games harder to see and play as a result. Well I am going to show you how to fix this literally in approximately 5-10 mins depending how many spot lights you decide to add to light up your game. The game from my collection that I am going to be doing this to is The Shadow.
You can get these playfield accent spotlight assemblies from Pinball Life for $2.95/each. I believe this is a Stern part but don't worry it won't make your Bally/Williams game feel cheap :lol:
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1542
These can take a #555 incandescent bulb or LED of your choice. I think I am going to go with incandescent since my Shadow is not completely tricked out in LEDs. I am going to be attaching two spot lights in the traditional spots above the slings where you see on most Sterns. No drilling or hacking of any plastic is required and this is completely reversible. I will aim it once the game is turned on but for now this is what it looks like over the left sling shot. I fed the wire down the a whole where there is enough clearance and doesn't interfere with a switch or mechanism.
This next step here is completely optional but if you are unsure or doing this for the first time and want to test and see if it works you can use some gator clips to piggy back off an existing general illumination (aka GI) assuming you want the spot light to be on continuously. You can also tap into an existing flasher as well if you wish for the spot light to only be on or triggered when that flasher is.
Be very careful and check to make sure no exposed connections or gator clips are not touching each other, coil, metal, etc... This could cause a short and most likely just blow a fuse but better to safe then sorry and just double check before turning the game on.
** Note the bulb I have pictured above is a white ABLAZE 4-SMD-LED #555, Pinball Life part # abl_fucking_bright_wedge
Here is the link in case anyone wants to give them a try. I use them in my Tron spot lights and they look and work great.
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2560
Now I cut and strip any excess wire leading to the GI socket. I fire up my Tenma soldering station and flow a bit of solder on each tab of the GI socket and tin the ends of the wires from the spot light. Then I quickly soldering the wire to each tab of the GI socket and make sure it is secure and I'm done.
Now do the exact same thing to the right side and here is what it should look like when you are done.
Before
After
I replaced the white ABLAZE 4-SMD-LED #555 with a #555 incandescent bulb for both spotlights. It just didn't look right to have the top and bottom halves of the playfield lit in a warm yellow and the middle white. The previous owner also put some frosted white LEDs for the GI under the slings and I put back #44 incandescent bulbs to keep the same warm yellow from each spotlight. I can now play The Shadow properly in the dark, if anyone has any questions feel free to send me a PM or post it here and I will do my best to answer it.
Enjoy!
-Mike
You can get these playfield accent spotlight assemblies from Pinball Life for $2.95/each. I believe this is a Stern part but don't worry it won't make your Bally/Williams game feel cheap :lol:
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1542
These can take a #555 incandescent bulb or LED of your choice. I think I am going to go with incandescent since my Shadow is not completely tricked out in LEDs. I am going to be attaching two spot lights in the traditional spots above the slings where you see on most Sterns. No drilling or hacking of any plastic is required and this is completely reversible. I will aim it once the game is turned on but for now this is what it looks like over the left sling shot. I fed the wire down the a whole where there is enough clearance and doesn't interfere with a switch or mechanism.
This next step here is completely optional but if you are unsure or doing this for the first time and want to test and see if it works you can use some gator clips to piggy back off an existing general illumination (aka GI) assuming you want the spot light to be on continuously. You can also tap into an existing flasher as well if you wish for the spot light to only be on or triggered when that flasher is.
Be very careful and check to make sure no exposed connections or gator clips are not touching each other, coil, metal, etc... This could cause a short and most likely just blow a fuse but better to safe then sorry and just double check before turning the game on.
** Note the bulb I have pictured above is a white ABLAZE 4-SMD-LED #555, Pinball Life part # abl_fucking_bright_wedge
Here is the link in case anyone wants to give them a try. I use them in my Tron spot lights and they look and work great.
http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2560
Now I cut and strip any excess wire leading to the GI socket. I fire up my Tenma soldering station and flow a bit of solder on each tab of the GI socket and tin the ends of the wires from the spot light. Then I quickly soldering the wire to each tab of the GI socket and make sure it is secure and I'm done.
Now do the exact same thing to the right side and here is what it should look like when you are done.
Before
After
I replaced the white ABLAZE 4-SMD-LED #555 with a #555 incandescent bulb for both spotlights. It just didn't look right to have the top and bottom halves of the playfield lit in a warm yellow and the middle white. The previous owner also put some frosted white LEDs for the GI under the slings and I put back #44 incandescent bulbs to keep the same warm yellow from each spotlight. I can now play The Shadow properly in the dark, if anyone has any questions feel free to send me a PM or post it here and I will do my best to answer it.
Enjoy!
-Mike
