LED replacements for incandescent bulbs in older gear?

Sort of a vague inquiry, but are there any specific sources that have a selection of LED replacements for gear that originally came with incandescents? Things like illuminated pushbuttons for consoles or tape machines, VU meters, etc.?

Not exactly a exact replacement for the PB, but for VU lights etc... here is a  couple ideas.  There is also one in a bridge format where the LEd's go on the DC output.

http://www.turbokeu.com/myprojects/acled.htm

http://www.discovercircuits.com/H-Corner/AC-Powered.htm

Bridge format...
http://www.instructables.com/id/Glow-leds-using-AC-current220-250V/step2/Adding-diodes/

Oh, I guess I'm talking more about the physical package than the electronics. I might be able to retrofit LEDs into the 160 buttons for our console, but if there is anyone offering LEDs in a similar packages I'll totally go with that.

I wasn't thinking you would be able to get all that stuff in a small push button package.

If you know the manufacture you can check with them. Most of the time they use additional leads for the LEd (which you wouldn't have holes for). Check with toneluck's products to get a idea of configurations differences for a non lighted to a lighted PB.


But for a tube DIY project or retro for some VU lights those would work out great.

Best off getting the correct bulb. Or a substitute. LED's light in a totally different way. Very directional. They don't give off the soft glow of an analog console. And A regular bulb has different voltage requirements BIGTIME. LED's are like 2 volts and 20 milliamps for example. A console bulb will require a massively different voltage for the bulbs.  

You could check the voltage at the bulb socket. Then look for a bulb that will fit. Check the Data sheet for that bulb for size and socket type. Then just buy a bunch.

What particular equipment needs a refit? Someone may know what bulbs are required. And even weird bulbs tend to be cheap. I even got LA2A neons on Mouser.com for cheap...

John

EAO used to offer some "slide in" LED replacement lamps, but they were expensive.
Bruno2000

Hi,

I've done a lot of bulb>led modifications to studio equipment. I do it for 3 reasons-

1. Financial cost- in the UK some of these bulbs are getting harder to find as replacements, and the cost of them is escalating with scarcity.

2. Heat- some of the gear I've modified is over 50 years old now, and heat has detrimental effects not just to the obvious items- electrolytic capacitors etc, but also to some of the plastics, glue and resins used in switches, pots, meter housings etc. LEDs run off a current source (with the source PCB mounted remotely) dissipate virtually no heat. Compare this to the heat from bulbs- especially in the older console channel strips, and LEDs will definitely increase the lifespan!

3. Current consumption- as the equipment ages, it's good to take some of the stress off the auxiliary control/indicator PSU rails. The LED mods can reduce your lamp rail supplies by a factor of 10, again with heat stress reduction. If you are building a new PSU too, it means the demands are less.

Regarding the post above about LED light quality- yes I agree, LED's have a more clinical colouring to them, but if you get a good slelction of viewing angles and wavelengths and experiment with where you place them in relation to the original lens, you can usually get a good match. You can also colour them with varnish/lacquer. I also sometimes add a small square of semi-transparent art paper to help diffuse the light better. This can be a paper/plastic film you can get from printers supply shops. You can also print/letraset on it if you are doing custom idents etc.

If you keep all the blown bulbs, you can crunch out the glass bulbs (carefully) and solder your LED plus resistor to the stumps of the connectors, then fill with hot-melt glue to help insulation and mechanical strength. Much cheaper than the ready-made LED lamp replacements.

For current source, you have a few options- a voltage regulator in series with a resistor is about as simple as you can get, but I like to use a FET-with-resistor, much easier to mount in confined places! For a big chain, I'll use the classic transistor (NPN or PNP depending on rail) with diode-bias on the base to set the emitter current. As long as you have enough volts to run a chain, know your power rating, and can rewire switches to be shorting, you're good to go!

...and it saves the penguins....



Mark