Replacing Standard Fluorescent Lighting in an S2000 Topbox w/CC Lites.

[Foster]

It not the strain on the PS that I would worry about.
I would be careful about how much current you pull through the traces on the motherboard.
The 13V, 25V and respective Grounds from the Power Dist Board or the door (both available there as well) comes from the main supply via the motherboard.
 

[cowboygames]

That's why I was thinking the aux 110v outlets that are prevelant in the bottom of the cabinets would be the best bet. Just plug and go.

[stayouttadabunker]

I agree with you guys...I'd do a bypass by the motherboard and try to use
the existing ballast wiring already in place - just switch Molexes and walwarts PS's.

[Foster]

IGT by design has both the top box and topper Fluorescent light ballasts powered from the Power Dist Board.

[cruisepl]

I finished this little project tonight and wanted to share with all of you what I did. I had 3 goals in mind when I started

First I would like to reduce my electric bill.. As of tonight I have 17 machines running 24 hours a day. Most of my machines are IGT S2000 or IGames with toppers attached. I count 53 flourescent bulbs.
Second goal is to reduce some of the heat coming off the machines, I have already placed LEDs in all my buttons but wanted to reduce the heat a liitle more if I could
Last I wanted to reduce the amount of light coming off all the machines.

Bunker got me started and alot of you chimed in, for that I am thankful. I decided to try one machine as a test to see how things went before changing over all 17 machines. The project machine is a S2000 3 reel Wild Thing with a topper. Light kit is Logisys CCL 300mm white kit (2)

First step was to turn off the machine remove the flourescent bulbs then disconnect the ballasts for all the flourescent lamps..1 in the topper 1 in the top box 1 in the belly and 1 for the reels. Next I had to remove the yellow and black wires from the molex as Bunker described in reply 1

I decided to start at the top and work my way down. Placement of the CCL was dictated by the length of the wires coming out of the blue box (transformer of some sort I think) and going to each light. I placed the first transformer in the bottom portion of the topper and wire tied the light in place.

Here are pics of the box the kit came in. The kit can also be seen here
  http://cgi.ebay.com/12-DUAL-WHITE-COLD-CATHODE-LIGHT-KIT-MOD-CASE-BRIGHT-/380281735477?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588a8ec935

The second pic is the transformer and light in the topper

[cruisepl]

Next step was to place the light in the top box. Like I said before the wire length dictated how to mount the lights so I decided the best way would be to let the light hang vertically in the top box. The last step in the installation of the first kit was to take the yellow and black wires previously removed from the molex and plug them into the power distribution box in the top of the machine

[cruisepl]

Next I moved on to the lower half of the machine with a second light kit.  I put one light in place of the reel glass lamp and one in the belly. Then ran all the wires up to the power distribution box in the top of the machine.  The problem I ran into is that the wires between the lights and tranformer are short and I will have to remember to disconnect them before opening the belly glass door. Other than this little problem things came out pretty good.

[cruisepl]

The last thing to do was clean things up a little with some wire ties and velcro, replace the reels (sorry I left out the part about removing them to give me more room), replace the topper front and top glass then turn the machine on and hope it all works.  In reality I laid all the parts for both kits in the top box and plugged them in to make sure everything worked before I started. Anyway when I turned the machine back on there was no smoke, fire, funny smells or wierd noises so I guess I did it right.

Its hard to tell from the last pic but the amount of light given off by the four tubes is alot dimmer than the flourescents. They are alot cooler to touch also. Two of my overall goals have been met now its on to changing out the other machines to see if the third goal of lowering the electric bill can be met. 

[stayouttadabunker]

I told you they were going to be a little dimmer.
They don't have as much "candlepower" as the standard fluorescent tubes.
However, you can't really tell and they do look good!

I have an idea for the short belly glass wires...when you get a chance...cut them and add about 6 inches of wire!
Tape them up good or use some shrink tubing and you won't
have to worry about pulling and breaking the wires when you open the belly door.

How in the world did you attach these tubes for the belly glass area? 
Plastic ties?

[cowboygames]

Or a few butt connectors would work well too. When I get done fooling with the remote control units coming from Hong Kong I might jump into these light replacements just for sh$ts and grins. Where did you end up taping for the power to these Cruisepl?

[cruisepl]

I told you they were going to be a little dimmer.
They don't have as much "candlepower" as the standard fluorescent tubes.
However, you can't really tell and they do look good!

I have an idea for the short belly glass wires...when you get a chance...cut them and add about 6 inches of wire!
Tape them up good or use some shrink tubing and you won't
have to worry about pulling and breaking the wires when you open the belly door.

How in the world did you attach these tubes for the belly glass area? 
Plastic ties?

Im really happy with the way they turned out, the "candlepower" looks perfect in my opinion. Its dim but cast enough light to see without casting a bunch of light out into the room

I had thought about splicing in some longer wire, I even went out to the workshop and looked but did not have any 16 ga (I think) Im pretty sure I will get a spool and make the modiification when I do the rest of the machines

Tubes in belly glass are easy when I removed the flourescent tube there are a few little slots that I just wire tied the tube to.

[reho33]

I would think that the final cost-benefit analysis has got to be better money wise vs. the florescent tubes. Actually, the CCFL's  are the same thing, different approach.

[stayouttadabunker]

I would think that the final cost-benefit analysis has got to be better money wise vs. the florescent tubes. Actually, the CCFL's  are the same thing, different approach.

lol...especially when you have "17 machines running 24 hours a day"   

[cruisepl]

Or a few butt connectors would work well too. When I get done fooling with the remote control units coming from Hong Kong I might jump into these light replacements just for sh$ts and grins. Where did you end up taping for the power to these Cruisepl?

Check out the bottom pic in reply 31  I got power for both sets of CCLs from the power distribution box in the top of the machine.  My thinking was that since I disconnected four 25v ballasts for the flourescents I could run both CCL kits out of the top box without to much worry.

The middle row of molex connectors are all power related.
Far right is 12v and 25v coming in
next to that one you can see two black one red and one orange wire, this is the harness that runs the topper
next to that one you can see the yellow and black wires for the CCL tubes in the topper and top box
next is the yellow and black wires for the CCL tubes in the reel glass and belly

I definitely need to extend the wires when I do the other machines. It will make everything look alot cleaner and make the entire install easier.

[stayouttadabunker]

I think you're doing an excellent job cruise! 

[cowboygames]

Yeah you are,  for inventivness

[ROCKET]

 

cruisepl

just curious --- at the cost of retrofitting all the toppers and putting in LED light bulbs etc

did you do a cost anallysis to determine how long before you see a savings on your electric bill ??

I am not posting as a joke ..its a honest question ..

Rocket

[brichter]

I'd imagine you're not going to see too much energy savings as both are fluorescent lighting (the CCFL does waste less energy as heat, so there will be a small amount). The savings here will be in lowered heat in the machines, which should make components last longer.

[ROCKET]

I'd imagine you're not going to see too much energy savings as both are fluorescent lighting (the CCFL does waste less energy as heat, so there will be a small amount). The savings here will be in lowered heat in the machines, which should make components last longer.

my point was not to insult anybody --

but its pretty difficult to re--design a product once its been put into service !
that the cost effective nature comes into play BUYING COST SAVING PARTS ....

.. this concerns all items from slots to cars etc ..

the old saying well i purchased the diesel engine in my pick up truck because it goes longer than a tank of gasoline and pulls better going up hill with trailer  !!oh boy!!!

well that may be true !! but the option for the diesel engine when ordered at dealership was 4000.00 more than a gasoline engine ..

THATS WHEN THE COST EFFECTIVE NATURE COMES INTO PLAY!!
then when it comes to buying a starter for a diesel etc its 3xs the cost for diesel starter than a gasoline starter etc ..

catch my dirft ?

plus diesel fuel is  in most cases is more expensive than gasoline because of road tax etc

diesel in MASS. YESTERDAY AT PUMP
WAS $3.27 A GALLON OUCH ! -------PREM GAS AT PUMP WAS 3.10 A GALLON


modfied when we were kids --you aways rassed the guy who had his engine covered with chrome
and said does all that chrome make it go faster lol

[cowboygames]

$3.10 for premium! Holy crap! We're at $2.69 here

[cruisepl]

cruisepl

just curious --- at the cost of retrofitting all the toppers and putting in LED light bulbs etc

did you do a cost anallysis to determine how long before you see a savings on your electric bill ??

I am not posting as a joke ..its a honest question ..

Rocket

 I had three goals in mind when I started thinking about the project.  A lower electric bill would be nice if that in fact does happen but with just one machine done its not going to make any difference. The CCFL did lower the amount of light coming off the machine and lowered the heat generated by the machine. Two out of three so far is good enough.

 Another reason to make the switch and I guess you could say this is sort of a cost analysis is that each kit contains two tubes. I purchased 2 kits to do one machine with shipping came to less than $15. The CCFL tubes will last 30,000 hours, thats three and a half years. How long does a standard flourescent lamp last? In the long run Ill save money by not replacing the flourescents. Around here the cost to replace a flourescent bulb is between $7 and $10 if the local Kmart has them. If not I have to go to an electrical supply place and pay alot more. Each machine has 3 or 4 flourescents in it. Savings is pretty clear to me here.  Next step is to purchase a larger number of kits and them shipped all at once which in turn brings the cost of each kit down even more. 

Once everything is done I will have to see about the electric bill.  Probably not going to make a big difference like brichter has said but I like the results of the first machine enough to go ahead with the rest of them. If I save some electric great, if not I will still save overall by not replacing bulbs when they burn out.

[brichter]

I'd imagine you're not going to see too much energy savings as both are fluorescent lighting (the CCFL does waste less energy as heat, so there will be a small amount). The savings here will be in lowered heat in the machines, which should make components last longer.

the old saying well i purchased the diesel engine in my pick up truck because it goes longer than a tank of gasoline and pulls better going up hill with trailer  !!oh boy!!!

well that may be true !! but the option for the diesel engine when ordered at dealership was 4000.00 more than a gasoline engine ..

THATS WHEN THE COST EFFECTIVE NATURE COMES INTO PLAY!!
then when it comes to buying a starter for a diesel etc its 3xs the cost for diesel starter than a gasoline starter etc ..

plus diesel fuel is  in most cases is more expensive than gasoline because of road tax etc

diesel in MASS. YESTERDAY AT PUMP
WAS $3.27 A GALLON OUCH ! -------PREM GAS AT PUMP WAS 3.10 A GALLON
 

Yeah, but the diesel engine will go a LOT longer before you're pulling the heads off or the bottom end out, as well. Don't feel bad, your diesel is cheaper than our premium... Thanks to Feinstein and Pelosi.

[jdkmunch]

Any news on the cost Savings?

[cruisepl]

Any news on the cost Savings?

 I just switched over all my IGames as well. It will probably be a while before I can say anything about saving on the electric bill but until then, remember that these CCFL kits are about $5.00 each and last over three years when they are constantly on. Each flourescent bulb costs at least as much as a kit and will burn out much much quicker. You dont have to worry about the ballast burning up and smelling up the house either.

[brichter]

I bought a Kill-A-Watt a couple of years ago, very handy device:

http://www.killawattplus.com/?gclid=CLm2x4P1-aUCFRhzgwodtVAXnw

You could figure out how much you will save with one of these.