pls help me integrate a new light assy in my Vendo 165

[vintagegamer]

When I got our Vendo 165, and powered it up for the first time, the top light would not come on.  I swapped out the starter and the bulb, and it lit but had a slight hum to it.  Subsequent times of powering up the machine, the light would come on less and less. 

I figured maybe it would be the ballast that was on its way out as well, so I swapped in a comparable ballast and now the assy doesn't come up at all.

My family is not the type who wants this thing 100% original, we just want the blasted light to come on.  So, I'm toying with the idea of just pulling the stock assy and putting in a generic one.  It has the 2 wire cord going up into the top, and that wire is providing 115V as per my DMM so, do I just go into Home Depot and buy a generic assy?  The bulb in the current one is a 20W to give you an idea of what's in there currently.

Also, it's in our "arcade" so, I'd actually like an assy that's not quite as bright- so should I look at an assy that has a 15W bulb in it instead?

Any ideas, tips, or pics are greatly appreciated. I also would need how to integrate the new assy into the existing wire structure, since new assy's probably have 3 wires in them where the existing wiring only has 2 wires.

Thanks!

[bubba]

A few people here, myself included have used the under cabinet kitchen lights from Home Depot or Lowes.. Most of these fixtures are only 2 wire. If there is a 3rd, you can just put the ground to one of the mounting screws.

[vintagegamer]

A few people here, myself included have used the under cabinet kitchen lights from Home Depot or Lowes.. Most of these fixtures are only 2 wire. If there is a 3rd, you can just put the ground to one of the mounting screws.

Great, thank you!

[vintagegamer]

OK picked up one of these at lunch time, it's a GE 18" under cab light.  Will report in with a pic once it's installed if anyone wants to see the mod.

[vintagegamer]

Wired it in and it works great!!!  No hum anymore either!!

[bubba]

Excellent!.. glad it worked out.

[loman4ec]

If you need more brightness you can take the original housing off. I usually strip mine. I can then drill a hole under the sign and mount the switch so it can be easily turned on and off. Here is a pic.

[vintagegamer]

If you need more brightness you can take the original housing off. I usually strip mine. I can then drill a hole under the sign and mount the switch so it can be easily turned on and off. Here is a pic.

Thanks for sharing- yes mine's been on non-stop since I installed it, and I was thinking about a way to set it up so the light wouldn't be on all of the time.  But right now, I'm just happy to have the light working!  That's one thing off the list!  

[Poptop]

Looks great...

I too did not want it on all the time so I set up a push button on/off switch inside the main door for the coin unit.

I open the front and put the switch up at the top edge below the light...easy on and off!