Pilot light issue

[bgood]

Hi I have a Mission Tweed that is about 5-6 years old. It's in perfect working order BUT. After being on for a while the pilot bulb begins to flicker. If I press down it will start to glow steady again. I don't know if it's heat or vibration that is causing it. I've put a meter on the pilot light connections to ensure that when it goes out or it flickers I have not lost the voltage. The voltage is steady at 6.7v.

I bought some replacement bulbs a while back - does anyone know if some of these aftermarket "Fender" replacement bulbs are flakey or if the pilot light unit can be picky with what bulbs are put in it?

I'm preparing to sell the amp and want to have this working as it should but don't really know what else to try. If I was keeping it I would just live with it.

Advice appreciated.

[Jazz P Bass]

Often times the solder connection at the very bottom of the lamp 'flattens' over time.
That can result in an intermittant connection.
Try putting a small bead of solder on the end of the base.

[Tom Phillips]

If you unscrew the jewel a little when the flicker begins does it solve the problem? Some bulbs are longer than others and they all expand a little as they heat up. If the bulb pushes against the inside of the jewel then it can make the outside shell contact flaky. If this is your problem then one fix is to bend the bulb holder bracket slightly to move the whole socket assembly further back.
Regards,
Tom

[bgood]

Thanks guys. I did notice that the bulb that was in the amp had a smaller solder blob at the bottom than the others in the package I bought. I switched it out and have had the amp on with no issue for a while. The Jewel is off. I think I have plenty of clearance but I'll test that too just to be sure.

Thank you!

[Enzo]

I used to service pinball machines, and believe me they have hundreds of little 6v bulb sockets. SOme thoughts:

These are mini-bayonette based lamps. The socket is usually constructed by a central sort of rivet that serves as the center contact up in the socket, then down through layers of insulator and the solder tabs. SImple metal touching metal is the contact. If any dirt or oxidation gets between layers, you can lose the circuit. SO I grasp the barrel of the holder, then grasp the solder tabs and see if I can "rotate" them a little one way or another, that will often refresh contact.

The mini-bayonette base of the bulb has two little things sticking out the sides. The holder then has two little L or J shaped slots on the sides for these little pins to ride in, that is how the lamp locks in place. With the bulb out, look at that J slot. It creates a tiny tab on either side of the holder barrel. Take your needle nose and slightly bend those tabs inwards towards the center. Now they will rub against the base of the lamp better and make good contact with that part of the base.