Quick Fix: How to replace the Ballast in a Williams Robotron arcade cabinet Marquee Light fixture 💡

[@carlosfields9937]

"Hey Charlie" So far I never had to replace a ballast it's always been the bulb or the starter. I always start with the easy things to swap out. Get lucky some times! Monday Morning Quarter Back. Lol. Thanks for sharing..

[@overtimearcade]

I’m just glad that it works! 😅

[@carlosfields9937]

@@overtimearcade I hear you

[@delsarcade]

@@overtimearcade Curiosity would have gotten the best of me and I would have popped the old one back in to see if it worked with the new starter. But since you cut the wires too short ... LoL. I learned the hard way too. Now I always leave room when cutting in case I need to put it back.

[@overtimearcade]

@@delsarcade I was more concerned about leaving enough length on the other end to connect the new ballast - I should have given myself more of a margin for error!

[@RBRetroBunker]

Nice work good to see that you did great electric work with wire nuts. I saw the Joe’s classic channel no wire nuts only tape crazy dangerous. Sweden stopped using tape on high voltage in 15years ago or longer 😊

[@overtimearcade]

I don’t mind using wire nuts for power connections, but for repairing breaks in signal wires, I prefer solder & heat shrink tubing.

[@RBRetroBunker]

@@overtimearcade yes DC voltage i use it to :)

[@overtimearcade]

@RBRetroBunker Full bridge rectifier!

[@delsarcade]

Was going to offer you a couple of the softer replacement Robotron grommets from the run that Andrew B did (I bought 10) but looks like you got that covered. 👍🏼

[@overtimearcade]

Thanks! I purchased 5 or so I think?

[@Arcadenut1]

You can test the ballast. With it disconnected, if you have your meter on Ohms, there should be about 26 Ohms between the two wires if it's good.

[@overtimearcade]

That’s great to know! I’ll test out the old one that way…

[@billcremer65]

Thanks for the video! I have non working marquee lights in both Robotron and Joust. Should be a simple fix.

[@overtimearcade]

Good luck, Bill! Be sure to check the connections/voltages, bulb, primer, and ballast -- probably in that order (unlike assuming it was the ballast like I did)! Let me know how it turns out!

[@billcremer65]

@@overtimearcade i sure will. thanks again Charlie. i have a DKJR cocktail (2 to make 1 good one) that i have to work on to repair first... then the repairs on the Robotron and Joust will follow. i believe i have a Popeye marquee light out as well... i have lots to do. love the videos! Thanks for sharing your time and talents to this beloved hobby.

[@overtimearcade]

Thanks, Bill! You’ve got some great games there! I enjoy my DKJr cocktail and I need to find a Popeye someday too!

[@bperkins]

My Joust had a bad ballast - it was reading 14 ohms and it would kill the tubes. The new one read 32 ohms.. I think as long as it is in the mid 20's+ they are fine..

[@overtimearcade]

Good info - thanks, Bob!

[@jumpingeneral]

How do you like that electric skil screwdriver? How’s the torque on tough jobs ?😎

[@overtimearcade]

I really do like it! It charges via USB, has a built-in LED flashlight for working in dim areas, and I actually appreciate that the torque is quite weak - you don’t want to damage delicate components by over tightening! (For tougher jobs, I’ve got a drill with a screw bit.) SKIL Rechargeable USB Cordless Screwdriver amzn.to/3ROoqdF

[@jumpingeneral]

@@overtimearcade thank you for the message. I’ll check that out. All the best in your projects ✌️

[@stevenwinslow78]

ALWAYS replace the starter first. It’s quick, easy and cheap to replace. Next, replace the bulb. Did it blow immediately? If so, you have a bad ballast. The starter is the most common failure part. The bulb will be the next thing to fail in your game based on the darkness you see at the ends of the tube. If you don’t replace it now it may cause your starter to die prematurely because of the stress put on it trying to start a weak bulb. Ideally, it would be best to replace the starter and the bulb at the same time for reliability and longer life. Your bulb is nearing the end of its useful life cycle. Ballasts do die but it’s rare. When they do, they usually take out the bulb with it.

[@overtimearcade]

Great info - thank you!

[@jroenning]

Could you throw a link up for the ballast you got off Amazon?

[@overtimearcade]

Yes, I include links to all the parts & tools I use in the descriptions of each video! Robertson Fluorescent Ballast for F14T12 & others amzn.to/3yfb5Uw

[@jroenning]

@@overtimearcade I missed that. Thanks!

[@TheBigExclusive]

What's happening with the cocktail machine you bought recently? The one that was left outside from the family that left the arcade machines outside for a long time.

[@overtimearcade]

Don’t worry, it’s in the project queue and I’ll be getting to it later this year. I’ve started sourcing a few parts I’ll need to restore it back to original. With so many projects in the queue (and more coming soon! 🤫), I’ll probably do a poll to find out what viewers want to see next…

[@RealziesCuts]

The problem is I need an arcade machine to work on

[@overtimearcade]

At some point soon, I really want to do a video explaining how I find great deals on project machines...

[@jeffkaczmarek3577]

Nice, the marquee light on my Baby Pac is dying, this will come in handy when I decide to deal with it.

[@overtimearcade]

Does Baby Pac have a fluorescent setup, or multiple small bulbs behind the marquee?

[@jeffkaczmarek3577]

@@overtimearcade I had it off to clean the marquee when I first got it and am pretty sure it was fluorescent. I think mine was one of the last ones off the line, serial # 10,56x and made June 23rd of 1983.

[@overtimearcade]

Very cool - such a unique game!

[@jeffkaczmarek3577]

@@overtimearcade When I first got it 2 years ago, the light worked 100%. Then it would take a few seconds to do anything, then did that flicker you talked about for 5 to 10 seconds and would work fine afterwords. Then it started coming on after an hour or two then stopped working totally but I've never had the machine on for more than 6 hours. Do you think that would point to the bulb, ballast or starter first? Thanks for any advice you could give and for making these videos.

[@overtimearcade]

@@jeffkaczmarek3577 Maybe start with a new starter? I know bad ballasts can ruin good bulbs, but I think it’s rarer for ballasts to fail, and I don’t know if they can damage starters…? In any case, all three components are relatively cheap to replace if bought online!

[@jumpingeneral]

My double dribble marquee light flickered a few seconds. Now the light is out 🫣. The bulb tests good

[@overtimearcade]

Start with the starter!

[@jumpingeneral]

@@overtimearcade I tested the starter. It says dead

[@overtimearcade]

Ballast!