Lighting problems

[BrianB]

During the intial start-up of my recently purchased VMC 117, I noticed that the Bottle Door light did not come on. I figured it was just a bad bulb. I removed the glass cover and low and behold, A burnt out bulb. I went to my local home supply store and bought the proper bulb. I also figured I would replace the starter to be on the safe side. I installed the bulb and the starter and powered the unit up......Nothing. I took a step back and did some evaluating. My unit has (2) bulbs used to iluminate the "PEPSI" sign. Each bulb has it's own dedicated starter as it should. It also has a bottle door light using (1) bulb and a starter. All (3) bulbs use the same ballast. Both bulbs in the "PEPSI" sign work like champs.

I removed the door liner and gained access to the bottle door fixture. I removed each contact and visually inspected bot and they seemed fine. I took an extra bulb I had laying around and hooked it up to the (2) contacts for the bottle door light. I applied power and KABLOOEY! Scratch 1 bulb. The only thing I could think of was an over voltage situation. I measured the juice going into the contacts and it was fine.

My question is this, could the contacts themselves be causing this problem? The only thing I didn't replace was the ballast. I see that as a single point of failure though. Meaning if the ballast was bad, all the bulbs would be shot. Would replacing the contacts solve this pesky problem? Any help with this matter would be greatly appreciated.

[johnieG]

Assuming the test lamp was the same size, sounds like a shorted ballast, it's going to have to be replaced, I suggest you double check the wiring, it would be very odd that all three lamps would use the same ballast, that would mean that they'd have to be wired in series, I have gone over all my schematic's for all of my lightup sign machine (with bottle door lamps) & none of them have a common/shared ballast between the two circuts..

[BrianB]

Thank you for the response. Yes, I did use the same size bulb as a test subject. The thing is, unless Vendorlator hid the other two ballast' used for the light up sign, I'm completely baffled at how they obtain power. I know that on regular fixtures they have ballast' that can handle upwards of (4) bulbs per ballast. The only ballast that is visible is one located in the upper left hand side of the coin door, right below the starter socket. I will do some troubleshooting. Any other help would be great, Thanks JohnnieG.

Well heres a shot in the dark " shoplights" that are 10.00 at HD lowes etc DONT HAVE A BALLEST, I ripped one appart before to do something different with it and BOOM " WHere the heck is the ballest".................maybe in your case........ there isnt one I personally would just go out buy a small flouresent light fixture for undercounter lighting etc and gut that for your needs, if all else fails '>

[glassbottlesrule]

On vendo, and I am sure its the same on Vendolater the ballast  behind the coin door is for the bottle door light.  The ballasts for the sign lights are in the sign behind the peice of metal the bulds insert into.

[BrianB]

After further investigation, And a little bit of cursing my own stupidity, I found the other (2) ballast' located behind the mounting plate the bulbs are mounted on. So, I will order a new ballast and hopefully that will cure my problem. Thanks again for the help!

[dr galaga]

Instead of ordering one why don't you try to get one at your local Menards/Lowes/Home Depot?  I was able to find a ballast for my Vendo at the local Menards.

[BrianB]

That sounds alot better than ordering. Is the one you purchased from Menards the same size (Form, Fit and Function) or is it just one that is rated to do the same thing?

[dr galaga]

The one I bought was about 1/2 an inch bigger, but the way my machine is set up it was real easy to drill a new hole for the other mounting hole.