Is smoke normal???

[Monkeyboypaul]

Playing LOTR this evening and noticed the backlight tube is on the fritz. Carry on playing and something starts to buzz in/around the backbox and then smoke starts coming out!

I’ve had a look inside and nothing obviously burnt or charred in there, but the fluorescent tube’s definitely gone.

Q: can a fluorescent bulb smoke like that when it dies?? Or could it be the ballast thing in the top right corner?

I had been looking for an excuse to put a DIY LED panel in anyway!

 

[Matt Vince]

Sounds like the choke has gone, not terminal but the tube won't work.

 

[Durzel]

I've had florescent light fittings pack in at work and emit smoke while they were giving up the ghost. I would guess if you can't see any obvious charring and the fixture is dead that this would be where it came from.

 

[chris b]

Just change the lot ballasts tube and starter or fit led backboard

 

[Monkeyboypaul]

Thanks for the advice chaps. Once the acrid smoke cleared it played perfectly again.

I’ve got a few of the backbox dimming modules from Arcade Upkeep, plus some LED strips and white mount-board, so i’ll replace the lighting with something DIY. Works really well on SM - much more even light distribution and dims when you starts the game.