What's new
Pinball info

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Too cold for pinball?

Sounduser

Registered
Joined
Sep 6, 2015
Messages
278
Location
Solihull
The other night my Lw3 wouldn't turn on. It just made a funny buzzing noise. The Pia light on the board wasn't on.
I put the heater on and came back to check voltages and it worked.
 
Yeah games don't tend to do too well in the cold. This time of year I have a couple of electric fires which I turn on about 10 minutes before turning the pins on to warm the room. Never had a problem with doing this.
 
Keep her warm and she will treat you to a few games. My machines get better treated than the wife.
 
I have never had a problem but agree with DRD I always leave a machine on for 10 minutes before playing to warm the plastics so they aren't so brittle.
 
I actually ordered one of these today to deal with this issue. I have three of my games in an insulated, but unheated outbuilding. Besides risking plastic damage, metal will also corrode more rapidly in unheated/ damp conditions.

You sometimes see this in pinball garages when the black cabinet bolts rust

This heater is below 3kw when charging, so you can run it on the ring-main using a 3kw rated time clock ...

http://www.jcelectrics.com/shopp/Heating/xls18_dimplex_storage_heaters.html
 
Yes, mad i know. Much cheaper brands around. Second hand ones on ebay ....

I have tried second hand before, had problems

Can't be ****d messing about
 
If you can afford to, you should really consider having your games room permanently heated, it makes a HUGE difference to the reliability of machines in my heated and insulated cabin, compared to the unheated garage. I consider the heating bill money well spent to protect several thousand pounds worth of pinball machines.
 
I must really learn to shop about more!! :confused:

I was about to tell you about the wonderful website (Bespoke Offers from Barclycard) where you tell them what you want to buy, and they find you the cheapest price, but sadly on checking now, they have just closed for business :(

I will miss them as they were finding me everything at 20-30% less than I could myself
 
I have stated to insulate. I really need to get of my bum and finish.
It's not damp but does get cold.
Maybe have a thermostat set to 10c?
 
I have stated to insulate. I really need to get of my bum and finish.
It's not damp but does get cold.
Maybe have a thermostat set to 10c?
You're on the money there, insulate and thermostat so it doesn't freeze. Draught excluders on doors etc. And booze. Red wine I find helps keep me insulated and my eye on the ball. Until the second bottle then my game turns to sh1t. :rofl:
 
If you have a lot of older games (with real back-glasses) you want to keep the temperature a bit higher, as cycling from cold to warm is what causes them to peel and flake. I keep mine at 16degrees+

Eventually after the big shuffle of 2016, all my older games will be in the cabin together, which will be the best place for them temperature wise.

I guess 10+ will be ok if you have more modern games
 
Back
Top Bottom