Did you replace 9090 Power Meter bulbs ?

[thesuau]

I am trying to replace one Power Meter bulb. Inside each meter, it has 2 bulbs (left and right). If you replaced these particular bulb before, can you tell me how you can access the bulb? It is not like the function light bulbs can be accessed easily from the top once the top wood case is removed.

By the way what is the spec of this power meter bulb?

Thanks

 

[motorstereo]

I recently went through the same thing with my 9090db. I did the led upgrade on all but those damn meter lights. Looks as though a ciruit board or 2 has to come out and I don't want to attempt something that I'm probably not capable of. I just left my old ones in there and will learn to live with the yellowish tint the originals give off.
I do believe they're 6 volt bulbs. Good luck in getting at them.

 

[CDFixer]

If you remove the tuner module you can get to the meter lamps from the top. It is still not an easy job. Another way is to remove the face plate, then remove the meter cover and separate the meters from the small plate holding them together (they are taped to the bracket), then each meter can be fed through the opening and the lamps replaced, still a PITA

 

[thesuau]

I did the led upgrade on all but those damn meter lights. I do believe they're 6 volt bulbs.

What is your experience of the new LED function lights? How do you like the LED in compare with the regular one? What is the size (3 mm, 4mm, or 5mm) of LED you used? Volts? Amps? Because I only noticed LED comes with 3V in store.

When you say "6 volt bulbs", do you mean function light or meter light?

 

[EchoWars]

What is your experience of the new LED function lights? How do you like the LED in compare with the regular one? What is the size (3 mm, 4mm, or 5mm) of LED you used? Volts? Amps? Because I only noticed LED comes with 3V in store.

Here we go again...LED's are NOT incandescent lamps, they are semiconductors.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=146544

Post #7

The original power meter lamps are 5V 60mA. I don't recall the exact size, but 3mm is about right.

 

[thesuau]

Another way is to remove the face plate, then remove the meter cover and separate the meters from the small plate holding them together (they are taped to the bracket), then each meter can be fed through the opening and the lamps replaced, still a PITA

Hi, CDFixer
Thanks for offering your experience and expertise. Looks like access from the face plate is a better approach since I already have the face plate off. Indeed the holding plate is taped with meter after I removed the screws from the holding plate. I can see the bulb is inserted from the back of the meter housing. But the bulb back wires are very short and tight that you can't pull the wires forward thru the opening to work on. Did I miss anything this far?

 

[thesuau]

Thanks EchoWars,
Thanks for offering your valuable knowledge and expertise every single time.
Now I understand what LED is all about.

OK, I have 5V/115ma/3mm bulb and 3V/55ma/3mm handy, can any of these two substitute it? If yes, what are the draw backs?

 

[bobforapples]

I'd imagine the 3v would burn out quickly and the 5v would be too dim. Dgwojo has the correct ones for cheap.

 

[EchoWars]

Those lamps suk to replace, and thus make a wonderful excuse to dump the incandescents and move to LED's.

 

[gklainer]

Hi, CDFixer
Thanks for offering your experience and expertise. Looks like access from the face plate is a better approach since I already have the face plate off. Indeed the holding plate is taped with meter after I removed the screws from the holding plate. I can see the bulb is inserted from the back of the meter housing. But the bulb back wires are very short and tight that you can't pull the wires forward thru the opening to work on. Did I miss anything this far?

Hi Thesuau.

I recently replaced mine with bulbs from DGWojo. I had the face plate off too and there isn't much slack in the wires. I desoldered all of the wires to get the meters out. I replaced the lamps and then used new wires that had more slack in them to gain easier access in the future.

Gary

 

[motorstereo]

Those lamps suk to replace, and thus make a wonderful excuse to dump the incandescents and move to LED's.

If you say they suk to replace then mine are staying original until they burn out. I did lots of looking on an easy way to get at them. Their placement looks like they put there with the purpose to torture the poor sap trying to replace them.

 

[dgwojo]

I've never worked on any of these models but a kind customer sent me these pics of his 8080db, we went with 6.3v/50ma/3mm, all had to be replaced to match properly, Dave.

 

[kdillinger]

I replaced the lamps in my 8080DB meters, pretty similar to 9090DB, with LED's. It was definitely the right choice. I like the look, I like the fact I only have to do it once. I personnally didn't think it was too difficult once I got the board off of the meter. I bought the LED's for the whole receiver as a kit, and was worth every penny.

 

[LBPete]

OK lets get all the information into one place. The original lamps are 6.3v 70mV 3mm diameter. Exact replacements are available from MCM electronics for about 25¢. The same lamp is used for the dial pointer. There is a 10Ω resistor on the little circuit board behind the meter that drops the effective voltage to around 5v.

There is no easy way to replace these bulbs. You guys that are separating e the meters from the frame to get better access, how to you re-attache the meters? I haven't found anything that works as well as the double sided tape that Sansui used so I don't mess with it. I generally replace the bulbs when I cleaning the unit and to do that effectively, I remove the faceplate, tuner assembly, and front rail of the chassis. That provides wide open access to all the controls for cleaning and gives the best access to the meters.

I find an LED conversion is actually a little easier than replacing the lamps with incandescents BUT I haven't found LEDs that match the original appearance of the incandescents. "White" LEDs have a bluish hue and "warm white" LEDs have a yellow-greenish hue. In my opinion either is a compromise. "Warm white" is closer to original look but "White" looks good if you also upgrade the Tuner dial lights to white LEDs.

I use flat topped 4.8mm LEDs with 170° dispersion. They drop right into the circuit board cutout. Wire the two LEDs for each meter in series and connect one leg to each side of the existing light circuit on the board. Change the 10Ω dropping resistor to a 1/4w 15Ω and you are done. I think I posted a picture of this conversion but my memory is not so good anymore.

I get my LEDs Here.

- Pete

 

[nosirrah]

9090/8080/7070 meter lighting

OK lets get all the information into one place. The original lamps are 6.3v 70mV 3mm diameter. Exact replacements are available from MCM electronics for about 25¢. The same lamp is used for the dial pointer. There is a 10Ω resistor on the little circuit board behind the meter that drops the effective voltage to around 5v.

There is no easy way to replace these bulbs. You guys that are separating e the meters from the frame to get better access, how to you re-attach the meters? I haven't found anything that works as well as the double sided tape that Sansui used so I don't mess with it. I generally replace the bulbs when I cleaning the unit and to do that effectively, I remove the faceplate, tuner assembly, and front rail of the chassis. That provides wide open access to all the controls for cleaning and gives the best access to the meters.

I find an LED conversion is actually a little easier than replacing the lamps with incandescents BUT I haven't found LEDs that match the original appearance of the incandescents. "White" LEDs have a bluish hue and "warm white" LEDs have a yellow-greenish hue. In my opinion either is a compromise. "Warm white" is closer to original look but "White" looks good if you also upgrade the Tuner dial lights to white LEDs.

I use flat topped 4.8mm LEDs with 170° dispersion. They drop right into the circuit board cutout. Wire the two LEDs for each meter in series and connect one leg to each side of the existing light circuit on the board. Change the 10Ω dropping resistor to a 1/4w 15Ω and you are done. I think I posted a picture of this conversion but my memory is not so good anymore.

I get my LEDs Here.

- Pete

Thank you Pete, please remind me to move this to the FAQ section when it has been viewed by the OP.
I typically just re-install incandescent bulbs, they last for a long time, never had one I changed fail yet...If they last on average 30 years, I am 55 this month, I'll be 85 and doubt I will give a shit about meter illumination.
Casey

 

[kdillinger]

I re-attached the board to the back of the meter with hot glue. So far, so good.

 

[gklainer]

I did not detach the board from the meter. I just desoldered enough of the wires to pull if forward so I had room to work on it.

Gary

 

[Oerets]

I replaced my sons 8080 lamps awhile back (BIG PITA) , used LEDs ground into fit into the holes . Hope never to replace them again...


Good luck




Barney

 

[thesuau]

Many thanks to CDFixer, kdillinger, EchoWars, gklinar, kdillinger, LBPete and dgwojo's photos.
Definetely it has to go through the top to get full access (like LBPete stated), but not from the front (as bulb back wires are very short and tight that you can't pull the wires forward thru the opening to work on).

 

[EchoWars]

The original lamps are 6.3v 70mV 3mm diameter.

Not what the 9090 manual says (but it's a Sansui manual, so take it for what it is worth).