IGT Fortune II button bulb replacement

[Keats]

7/1/24
Well I have the machine running pretty good now. However, a few of the bulbs finally gave out. I'm sure that they are original from 1984.

I'm not really sure how to go about removing the bulb sockets (if that's what I have to do ) without risking breaking the plastic. It's 40 years old now and has been subjected to heat from the bulbs for a lot of years. I suppose that after all this time the plastic is brittle.

So, on my newer machines, I was able to use a sharp pointed pick tool (Harbor Freight pick set) and just pop the button faces off and it gave me access to the bulbs below them.
Is this how the bulbs on a Fortune II should be accessed? I sure don't want to break a button trying to get to the bulb below it.

I did not see anything on the forum about how to do this. Maybe someone can give me a tip to avoid damaging any of the parts.

Thanks,

Keats
Arizona.

[Chris-socal]

I use my pocket knife, press into the side, tilt up. This pushes the locking bump inward/away from the housing. I think the ones that lock are almost always on the sides, not top and bottom. I don't have an F2 right now but I have used the same technique on every machine I have ever owned and the lenses pop up.
I think you have to pop the lens covers off even if you go through all the steps of removing the entire button. I could be wrong but I don't think you can replace the bulbs through the bottom. Maybe someone will correct me but it seems like a lot of work.
You might have to get creative to get the bulbs out.  Some of the F1's and early IGT's use those tiny bulbs. Someone said to use a piece of airline tubing from an aquarium, sometimes you can pop them up using a plastic tool...depends on how many spilled cocktails are locking the bulb in. LOL


Chris

[Keats]

7/2/24

From the front "Outside" of the door, I tried the very sharp pick and was able to pull the button cover loose on one side. I then went to the other side and used the pick to pull that side up and loose. I got the button cover off and found a tiny press in bulb in the socket.

It has exposed wires on either side of the bulb base that make contact with the socket when pushed in completely.
I had to use a pair of needle nose pliers to grasp the bulb and gently pull the bulb loose, being careful not to crush the glass.

I then ran a continuity test on the bulb and it was good. It simply does not light up like it should.

I now have all but two bulbs lighting up. The Bet One and Bet Maximum buttons will not light up no matter what I do. I should mention that they had been working a week ago and the bulbs are not burned out. They simply will not light up. I checked the wires leading to the sockets with the door open and everything is in place and nothing is broken etc.

I suppose that I can live with it this way. I do wish everything worked like it should but it may be something on the MPU and I do not want to get into that area if I can help it.
I guess I'll just leave everything alone and chalk it up to being 40 years old....

Thanks again

Keats
Arizona

[Chris-socal]

I can't remember, does a F2 use a bulb controller board mounted on the interior side of the machine? If so, each of those bulbs has a transistor dedicated to it.  You can usually look at the wire color and follow it to that board and then trace it to the transistor that controls that bulb. However, the transistors usually only burn out if the wires break off and short to the frame somewhere. Have you checked voltage to the wires that go into the bottom of the button? You need to work backwards from the socket until you find where there is voltage.
Another way to test if the wires and socket are properly connected is to turn the machine off and apply low voltage to the wires that go to that bulb.
I think the bulbs are T1 3/4 (6.3V) so you can use a 3-pack of alkaline batteries, or it will probably even light if you have a 3.6 lithium battery around. You could test that bulb you pulled to verify.

Chris