converting tron

[Jodo]

Minor thread hijack - but relevant

What about the fluorescent tubes themselves if you are looking to source replacements from UK stockists once you have fitted the 110v 50hz ballasts? In the sense that UK vendors tend simply to state '15W T8 18"' and either make no mention of voltage or, confusingly, state 220 - 240v for the tube value.

Does the tube care what voltage the ballasts are, as long as the starter is rated correctly, i.e. 110v 18W T8?

Will the luminescence rating be the same / 'correct' on a UK sourced tube running on 110v ballast and starter?

 

[edwoodjnr]

Tron Lives!

I went to Maplin today and bought a pack of the fuses
recommended by Nad and a 300W stepdown just to see if the Airlink
transformer was the problem (even though another 500w Airlink is fine in
my other Atari cab). The fuses from Maplin are rated at 3.15A.

So
I didn't try the new transformer and popped in one of the Maplin fuses
with one flourescent tube connected, the fuse didn't blow. Next I
added another and another until I had all 4 lit! Before the fuse was
blowing between 30 seconds and 5 minutes, this evenning Tron was fine
for an hour fully lit. Before finishing I swapped the flourescent tube
starters with new ones since I had installed new 50hz ballasts.

The 300W transformer is now unneeded and will be returned as I haven't taken it out of the box.

Here is a pic of my gameroom with all the games fully lit

 

[Jodo]

1) YAY!

2) What are the starters rated at please?

3) So it was the fuse value that was wrong?

 

[leslie]

Dont dare use that Maplin 300w transformer in your Tron machine its not big enough and it will burn out (as it did on two of mine) i also changed the ballasts (for the new German ones )on my Tron a few days ago , it worked great for a few hours then blew its fuse again, will change bulbs and starters to see if that helps.

 

[edwoodjnr]

I guess it was the fuse rating. I went through 13 of my 20 3A fuses I got shipped from the USA from Mouser.

I got the starters at the same time as the ballasts. Here is the link

http://www.jukebox-world.de/en/Lamps-Accessories/Starter-Ballasts/Starter-FS-2.html

 

[david_orton_2000]

What games do you have there now?
Is that a Tempest next to SW?
then Marble Madness or Crystal Castles?

 

[Judder]

I fitted a new 50hz ballast to the flourescent light behind the translite and it came on no problem.

Hey Gavin - forgot to say

Can you post up a couple of pictures of the new 50hz ballasts - ideally of all the writing on the front - so I can see if I can match them over here going forwards?

Thanks!

 

[edwoodjnr]

Ok willdo later, they are slightly deeper in size to the US ballasts that means that the cover over the lower blue flourescent won't attach but it isn't a problem. They come with a heat resistant pad that I fitted although they don't get hot.

Dave the current line up is:

Gyruss, Robotron, Star Wars, Tempest, Crystal Castles and Tron. Just one more to be complete....

 

[Hurray Banana]

Great line up there

 

[Equites]

Just one more to be complete....

Which is??

 

[edwoodjnr]

My profile pic is a big clue

... yes I know they are rare here and in the US

 

[edwoodjnr]

Here is a (rotated) pic of the ballast that came from Stamann Musikboxen:

The writing says:

MEISTA
model SB 20/120/50
(1) F14T8, F15/T8, F14-20T12
120V - 50Hz - 0.35A

 

[leslie]

I have the same ballasts and 15 watt bulbs , still blowing fuses after an hour! can it possibly be the starters ?

 

[edwoodjnr]

Did you try the Maplin fuses?

Not sure if it is the starters but over on KLOV whenever they change ballasts the advice is always to change the starter but I guess for them it isn't a conversion but a dodgy ballast