Pop bumper lamp socket

[PhantomGirl_]

Ok, so I noticed on my POTO that one of the pop bumper lights was going out every so often/wouldn't always light up. I was changing the bracket under the playfield, because two of the three were about to fall off, and I broke the wire to the lamp socket. The "good" news is that it was the one already on the fritz. The socket itself was cracked so that may have been the problem in the first place. Now I am looking to replace it but I cannot seem to find the kind of socket I need. Will any of the 555 lamp holders or sockets with wired leads work for me? They don't screw in like mine does...or I have seen ones that do but they hold different bulbs so that doesn't seem right. Or, is there any additional site I should look at to find parts?

Any help would be appreciated.

Nakia

 

[mwong168]

Hi Nakia,

I just checked the manual for POTO and that manual is not complete there but my guess would be this is what you are looking for from Pinball Life if you are going to replace your pop bumper lamp socket.

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=299

Here is the other pop bumper lamp socket on Pinball Life but used in Bally/Wiliams games only.

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1245

Have a look at your game and see if the existing resemble the first one. Good luck!

-Mike

 

[DRANO]

I hate doing pop lamp sockets.
Easily the worst part of a restoration (especially if the game has more than 3)

If your game does use the flat type that Mike posted 2nd, there is always a chance that the wire lead is coming into contact with some metal (bracket maybe?) under the playfield and this could be the cause of your lamp issues.
On Bally Williams games, anytime the wire lead came close to any metal, they would slip some clear tubing over it before it got stapled down. The version with insulated wire won't have that issue.

In any case, it's very important that when you install a new one, that you watch the path the wire has to travel very carefully and ensure no contact between it and the metal pop bracket is possible.

Good luck.

 

[PhantomGirl_]

I marked the path or where it was supposed to go with small pieces of coordinating electrical tape; all I have to do is match the colours.

Anyway, Kyle helped me out with all if it and told me what to order/get/do; but thank you for the quick response! I appreciate it. I was too eager to have an answer and could wait an hour to see Kyle at work and ask. I guess that's what having a female in this hobby is like...SORRY!

thanks guys

 

[FastEd]

I thought I would revive this topic since, I'm in a similar situation.

I need to replace some pop bumper lamp sockets in my ToM and was wondering if I should get the solid wire type or the insulated wire type. I'm guessing the insulated wire type (even though it says it is for stern)?

Just wondering if there would be any clearance issues. I'll also be looking at LED's bulbs as well.

 

[Menace]

The insulated type fit no problem, unless they have changed the OD on the insulation. The only problem is that i no longer looks factory, but it's more robust.

D

 

[dnewman]

I always wondered why they used non-insulated flat metal for these leads, and not regular insulated wire. I began to understand when I tried a socket with the insulated wire... they don't stand up straight in the pop bumper! The flat metal leads has the structural rigidity to keep the socket upright.

That said, I can't imagine it would have been that difficult for them to design the pop bumper cup better and have some sort of channel to accommodate the insulated wire variety.

 

[mwong168]

That said, I can't imagine it would have been that difficult for them to design the pop bumper cup better and have some sort of channel to accommodate the insulated wire variety.

Pinball Life has this product that can help the insulated sockets stand up right and centered, it is called:

Nordman's Sparkly Pop Bumper Enhancement Thingy

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=3069

FastEd, I would just use the original flat metal pop bumper sockets in your TOM. You can thread some thin rubber tubing or heat shrink to minimize the exposed metal tabs under the playfield to avoid accidental shorts. Hopefully you took pictures of the underside and just route the metal tabs the same way as it came from factory.

 

[FastEd]

Thanks for the reply guys! Much appreciated.

I can't use the original lamp sockets as they were cracked and split into a couple of pieces.

I might get a few of each type to see how they work. I can see the pros and cons of both.

 

[FastEd]

Haha, I misread your post mwong. Yeah, I'm leaning towards using the original flat metal lamp sockets.

I guess I have to staple these in before I populate the underside of the playfield or invest in one of those long nose staple guns...

Yup, have a ton of pictures!

 

[mwong168]

Haha, I misread your post mwong. Yeah, I'm leaning towards using the original flat metal lamp sockets.

I guess I have to staple these in before I populate the underside of the playfield or invest in one of those long nose staple guns...

Yup, have a ton of pictures!

You could re-use the original if you carefully remove it from the playfield but why bother since it is only $2.50-3.00 for a brand new one. Besides the existing ones in your game are probably 20+ years old and become very brittle over the years from previous owners/operators bending/pushing on them while switching bulbs/leds. It would really suck if after you are done populating your playfield and one of the legs on the pop bumper light socket breaks

I would just follow your pictures of the underside populated to see how the leads were bent and stapled before to avoid it coming into contact with other wires.

 

[a.stebel]

Every shop job I have done, I have used B/W flat metal lamp socket and then cut off leads after bends and solider on insulated wire. Lamp stands straight in pop bumper and no wire shorts below.

 

[Menace]

I use the insulated ones for repairs out in the wild. When I have a game in my shop, I use the original style as I have all the tools necessary on hand to do the replacement correctly. (pneumatic stapler is a must)

D