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Iron Man Backbox Fluorescent Tube

In my Sega Starship troopers which is basically a Stern, the fluorescent was broken.
I bought a replacement starter and ballast, and just got the same size tube from screwfix for £5.
It didn’t work -
But only because someone had modified the supply to the ballast to be 240v from the primary side of the machine transformer so it basically fried the new ballast.
I put the wires back as they should be from the factory so now supplying 110v and another new ballast and starter.
Used the new £5 tube from screwfix and bingo, worked fine.
So in Ironman unless it’s been modified, you will have a 110v ballast and starter.
Simply get the same length tube from screwfix for around £5 and happy days.
 
If I go down the LED route how do I "bypass the ballast" bearing in mind the starter, and I presume the replacement starter, plugs into said ballast?
 
Beowulfz07 said:
In my Sega Starship troopers which is basically a Stern, the fluorescent was broken.
I bought a replacement starter and ballast, and just got the same size tube from screwfix for £5.
It didn’t work -
But only because someone had modified the supply to the ballast to be 240v from the primary side of the machine transformer so it basically fried the new ballast.
I put the wires back as they should be from the factory so now supplying 110v and another new ballast and starter.
Used the new £5 tube from screwfix and bingo, worked fine.
So in Ironman unless it’s been modified, you will have a 110v ballast and starter.
Simply get the same length tube from screwfix for around £5 and happy days.
Click to expand...
This is what I wanted to hear :) :)

It seems to be the path of least faff so I'm going to give it a whizz. I'll only report back if I haven't burnt the house down.
 
Andy_B said:
That looks really good. I might treat myself to the compleye kit. Much as I usually detest mods, this looks like it really enhances the game.
Click to expand...
I’ve got one in a box going spare, plus the LED strip I used and some white mount board if you fancy the drive over to York/Selby. May even have the right bolts. The main downside is you block off access to the fuses and fuse LEDs.
 
You can use any freely available tube of the right length. The important bit is to have the starter and ballast match the voltage and frequency. You need an fs-2 starter for 110v operation and the ballast fitted should be ok for 110v. Some fitted ballasts are rated for 60hz. These overheat when UK 50Hz is applied and then go short circuit causing the tube to blow. So a replacement ballast should be rated for 110v at 50Hz.
Both parts available in my shop but the ballast isn’t cheap.
 
pinballmania said:
You can use any freely available tube of the right length. The important bit is to have the starter and ballast match the voltage and frequency. You need an fs-2 starter for 110v operation and the ballast fitted should be ok for 110v. Some fitted ballasts are rated for 60hz. These overheat when UK 50Hz is applied and then go short circuit causing the tube to blow. So a replacement ballast should be rated for 110v at 50Hz.
Both parts available in my shop but the ballast isn’t cheap.
Click to expand...
So its going to be a straight swap. Sweet!
 
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