Original fluorescent tube OR LED Equivalent?

Hi Guys

Just about to replace the tube on my Rockola 461, but while searching for correct replacement, I came across dealers selling LED fluorescent tubes. Just wondered if anyone had tried these in their jukeboxes, and if they give out enough light to light up the correct areas as the title cards and front screen etc...

Thanks for any opinions

Hi Mark,

I considered this myself. My 442 had been converted to UK ballasts and tubes, and the tubes were too short to light all areas and the wiring a mess, I decided to go with USA voltage ballasts and get the correct tubes, which are still available (im also in the UK).

The problem with LED tubes is the direction of the light. The advantage of a fluorescent tube is that the light projects 360 degrees around the tube. With LEDs tubes they seem to have less coverage, sometimes 180 degrees or less. To my mind this wouldn't work very well. AFAIK you also need different powersupply / ballasts for the LED ones.

Out of interest what LED tubes were you looking at? Id be interested to see how it worked if you tried it.

If you wanted to go with traditional tubes and ballasts ("chokes" for our American cousins), its really not difficult and you could get lots of advice on here. What is the problem with your present lighting?

The problem with LED tubes is the direction of the light.

That is exactly the problem here. Only in the V-VL and K model drums could these be used. I recently ordered two cases of F25/33" (60 lamps). It might be possible to a 33" in the upper title area on a 201. At this point it is moot since there don't appear to be 33" LED subs.

Ballasts: From those I've seen the ballasts and starters must be wired out of the circuit.

One of my original 1950s diner just replaced all their front room 4-6-8ft T12 tube fixtures with LED fixtures. the light is a little harsh, but the white LEDs do mellow a bit over time. I'm personally glad they did as nearly every time I go to collect that place the owner or manager would ask if I "could please change a ballast". Visits should be a little more pleasant now.

Rob

It well may be that I'm "getting old", but I hate the LED lamps--the city replaced our street lamps with LED's a couple of years ago--now when I go out at night it's like being in a fog, for me--98 % of our house has CFL's--which are "alright", at least after warm-up--I understand that the new ones are improved in that area-??
Ron Rich

I decided to stick with the regular T8 28" 15w fluorescent for the front of the Rockola 461. Although the wattage seems low, as I cannot find any 28" T8 (1" diameter) with higher wattage I'm guessing this is correct for my machine. It was missing the light when I bought it so nothing to compare it with!
As I bought it from jukeboxparts here in UK I guess it will be correct!!! (I Hope!, as postage was almost double the price of the tube!!!! lol)

As for LED equivalent I think you may be right and that they are more directional.

If he told you it's correct id have confidence in that. Tubes can be tough to send so postal will always hit you, best to find someone local you can collect from if possible

The Tube arrived 24 hours later.. what a speedy service! It fits, and it works... Bingo!

Hi to all, I know this is kind of an old post, but I can give some feedback on the subject.
I had difficulties looking for tubes for my AMI K, specially a T12, so I used a T10 for the lower front, but since I had some trouble with the ballasts I changed the top dome to led.
The problem with ballasts was that first of all I had to order from the states 110V ones since I live in Greece and we have only 220 V here. After paying a lot for them (plus shipping), one of them failed to work correctly. It overheated and just stopped functioning, burning a couple of tubes and smelling like hell.
The main reason I wanted to change the old ballasts was the noise they were making.
After all this I decided to go to leds. So I disconnected the old ballast, took out all the fixtures, made a new plug on the bottom of the jukebox (under the carousel wheel) and plugged in a new 2 Amp 110 v transformer for the new led strip lights. I placed 2 rows of 5050 leds (50cm each) and I used a controller to connect them, since they are the RGB ones. The lumens are pretty satisfying and the title strips well visible, specially on the white color. Well I know it is not original, but I liked the result and thinking to change the controller with the music sensored one so the lights can dance with the sound.
Bottom line is, if you want to see the result check my you tube video to see for yourself. I also don't like the "not original" thing, but on the other hand I think if they had these leds back then, they would use them for sure! the color changing theme is what jukeboxes are all about too
P.S: I went a little bit more far by adding black light strips under the title page racks...
you can check it out here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1iW8WrNDwQ

Cheers,
StraycaTakis

Word of caution here---
"Black light ", EATS plastic, and almost anything else, that is white, or lite colored (pinks,yellows---) !!!
Ron Rich

Really? That's a surprise! Well it's the uv leds under the title racks above the plastic black mech cover. Haven't heard of that before. Thank you Ron.. gotta take them out in that case.
Now about the top dome leds, I just thought it will be better for the top white plastic, since the fluorescent light makes it become yellowish.

Yes--Seeburg engineering did not know that either in 1964, when they designed the PFEAU series phonos. They installed "Black Light Bulbs" in these models at first--within three months, they were getting "complaints" that the white plastic button retainers were disintegrating . They quickly changed these lamps to "Black lights" ( a slightly weaker version lamp). This did help, some, but it still ate the plastic. Their "final solution", was to change the plastic retainer plastic composition. They totally abandoned the black light concept in following models.
Ron Rich