Originally, a pinball machine's backglass or translite was illuminated with a large number of small incandescent light bulbs.  As a fairly recent cost-cutting measure, new pinball machines have replaced these bulbs with a single fluorescent light bulb which does not have the same classic look, due primarily to the stark white light source.  This color filter kit will shift the color spectrum of the existing fluorescent lamp towards the more amber tone that a true incandescent light bulb emits.

This warming color filter set is easy to install and it makes no permanent changes to your machine.  We provide two sheets of color filter material so that you can choose between two levels of translite warming.  It will work on any pinball machine using a 24 inch T-8 or T-12 fluorescent tube in the backbox.  This includes all Stern Pinball machines with the exception of Terminator 3.  See the installation instructions below for more details.  Click here for ordering information.

The following pictures were taken with a Nikon Coolpix 5000 camera.  Exposure setting was auto mode and white balance was set to the incandescent preset.

Click on any of the pictures below for a larger view

Click on any of the pictures above for a larger view

What's in the Kit

The Pinball Pal warming kit includes a transparent polycarbonate tube which holds the color filter elements, two end caps for the tube, and two pieces of amber warming filter.  You can install one or both filters depending upon the look that you prefer.

The fluorescent lamp is not included.  You use your existing lamp with this kit.

There are no permanent changes made to your pinball machine, and you can reconfigure or remove the warming filter kit at any time, with no tools required.

Before	After

 

Installation Instructions

Installation takes just a few minutes, and requires no special skills or tools.

1. Unlock the backbox lock and remove the translite.  Put it aside in a safe place.
     
2. Carefully remove the fluorescent lamp from the backbox.  Note that some lamp sockets have a locking mechanism that must be unlatched before the lamp can be removed.  Don't force it.
     
3. Insert one or two of the filter sheets inside the transparent tube.  If you are installing both, align the seams of both filters to roughly the same position.
   
     
4. Insert the fluorescent lamp into the tube.
   
     

5. If your game uses the smaller diameter T-8 bulb, install the end caps onto each end of the transparent tube.
   If your game has the larger diameter bulb (T-12), the end caps are not necessary and may be set aside.
   
     

6. Rotate the  tube so that the color filter seam is facing the rear of the backbox and then re-install the lamp into the backbox receptacle. Replace the translite.  This completes the installation.
     

Ordering Information

Warming Color Filter Kit The kit includes: Two pieces of amber color filter material Polycarbonate tube Two end caps for the tube above Printed instruction Price: $9.95 each Quantity:

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