IMPORTANT! These SPIKE 2 Speaker Light Kits use +5VDC, high current light strips. They are not compatible with aftermarket accessory power supplies and are not meant to hook into a game's circuit boards. This SPIKE 2 Speaker Light Kit includes its own power transformer, which automatically switches on and off with the game's power.

This is a high-power mod that uses 100VAC - 240VAC. Please follow the install instructions and be sure to UNPLUG YOUR GAME before doing anything else.

THE POWER CONNECTION FOR THIS TYPE OF LIGHT KIT IS IN THE BACKBOX. IT IS NOT INSIDE THE CABINET OF THE GAME. THERE IS NO REASON TO LIFT THE PLAYFIELD OR EVEN OPEN THE COIN DOOR WHEN INSTALLING THIS TYPE OF LIGHT KIT.

Here are some tips and things to know before beginning the light frame install:

IF you are installing "lower panel" designs, that mount on the inside of the lower part of the speaker panel, you will have to REMOVE the clear spacer slats that are on the back lower part of the panel (on top of the hinges) from the factory. This is done so the design can take the place of the spacer slats thickness. If the spacer slats are not removed with the lower panel designs installed, the mount will be too thick and your speaker panel will not close properly. The top clear spacer slats should stay in place. The designs are intended to be used with the black side facing out (but you can do what you want) and these can be mounted either in front of the speaker foam or behind the speaker foam. I prefer the designs behind it as it gives them a more obscured, destroyed, burnt look. If you are not using the lower panel designs leave all four of the clear spacer slats in place on the panel as they originally were. For pictures and more information on the Lower Panel Designs, please CLICK HERE.

Speaking of speaker foam.....I recommend using it with these light kits.

On the left side, you can see what the typical LE type install would look like without the foam. On the right side is the same speaker setup with the speaker foam (and plastic canvas) installed. You see much more of the flame effect with the foam (and plastic canvas) in place. I do sell the speaker foam, but it should have been included with all pro and premium SPIKE 2 games (and some LE games). The left side with the 5.25" speaker showing looks fine, but I prefer the right. This is just a judgment call on which you prefer and how you like things.

Speaking of PLASTIC CANVAS.....I HIGHLY SUGGEST USING IT if you are using the speaker foam. I HIGHLY recommend AGAINST USING IT if you are NOT using the speaker foam. The plastic canvas helps to spread the light from the walls and bottom of the light frames to the middle area where there are no light strips. This greatly increases the flame effect.

As far as my recommendations go, the top of the list is makeing sure you are using the speaker foam if you are using the factory 4" speaker plates. No one wants to see those off-center speaker holes with the stupid looking bars running through them. If you are determined to not use the foam AND use 4" speakers.....buy a set of my 4" SPIKE 2 speaker plates. At least they center the 4" speaker hole in the middle of the grill area and have the crappy looking bars removed from the speaker holes. They are available on the accessories page.

Here are some other things you should be aware of before moving on to the frame installation:

The light frames will be positioned the same as in the install instructions, with the thin wall of the frame and magnet-backed light strip toward the LCD screen BUT, with the Flaimin' Frames the light strip connection end will be coming out of the top, outer corner of the frames instead of how they are pictured in the frame installation PDF.

Make sure the speaker panel is pushed in toward the backbox when you are tightening down the bottom hex posts. This is also mentioned in the frame install PDF as it is very important when it comes to ensuring the speaker panel will close as smoothly as possible after the installation.

Be mindful when putting down the magnet-backed light strips on the frame after you have put in the screws to hold the LCD screen in place. There are gaps in the magnets where the screw heads should go. It may help to put a slight bend between the 2 bulbs where the screw heads will land. No matter what is done, the screw heads will bump the light strip out a bit, but with some care, you can make sure the magnets on both sides of the screws are down against the light frames instead of ramping off of them and causing a bigger gap than is needed. A little bit of care when putting the magnets down on the frames may prevent having to remove the speaker plates and tap them down again to have them look as they should.

If the plastic canvas is used with the foam, as recommended, I suggest you mount it on top of the hex posts after the light frames are in place. With the plastic canvas in the rear of the lit area, it does just as good of a job at spreading the light as it would directly behind the foam, but its grid pattern is less visible in the back.

If you have speakers that have tweeters that protrude out and are pressing into the plastic canvas when it is mounted in the rear or are having speaker foam sagging issues (which has never been a reported issue), you can mount the plastic canvas directly behind the speaker foam.

Also, if the plastic canvas is mounted in the back, that will shorten the amount of thread length that each of the hex posts has extending out when the speaker plates are put on them. This may not be an issue, but you may find it hard to get the speaker wire management clip, a washer and the nut on the bottom inner posts. If that is the case, take off the washer and/or the wire management clip.

I would also like to mention, there is no need to tighten the nuts to hold the speaker plates on to any real degree. It IS important to get the hex posts down firmly. Especially on the bottom where they are holding the speaker panel hinges in place. Having said that, there is no reason to go extreme on that either. Get the posts down tight, but do not over-tighten them.

As for the nuts to hold the speaker plates in place, as long as the speaker plates are not rattling or sliding back and forth....that is all the tighter the nuts need to be. They are nylon insert nuts on a nylon threaded post. They are not going to vibrate or work loose. Also, think about the orientation of the speaker panel at any given time. These nuts are NEVER holding the weight of the speakers and speaker plates. Either the panel is up and the nuts are just keeping the plates from sliding off of the threaded posts, or the panel is down and gravity is holding them on. You close the panel and fold the head down...again, gravity is holding them on. Then you tip the game back for transport and the panel is in its normal playing position. So in no scenario are the speaker plates hanging down with the nuts needing to support their weight.

The nylon posts were not selected as cost-saving measure, as they cost MORE than the metal ones. I also know the metals ones have even a bigger issue with the threaded tops of them being twisted off when nuts are over-tightened on them. The nylon ones will often just strip instead of breaking off. As it is, the nylon was needed as the posts can come in contact with the front of the light strips and having metal posts going across some of those components is not good. Do not over-tighten them or the nuts on top of them and they will not be an issue.

For the last of the tips, I would like to explain something that may or may not need to be done, but in any case, it's best to check and see how your game looks. After any type 11, 12 or 14 SPIKE 2 Speaker Light Kit install you may notice the speaker panel being a bit stiffer to close. This is pretty normal, but it does vary from game to game and can be made worse or better by various factors.

The most important step was already mentioned and will be mentioned again in the light frame install pdf. Make sure you have the panel pushed in toward the backbox when tightening the bottom hex posts. That is the number one thing to help ensure the panel closes as smoothly as it can.

The cause of the panel being stiffer to close is due to the light kit mount adding thickness behind the panel. Using the plastic canvas adds to this. Stern also uses different nuts on the hinges than they originally did with the earlier SPIKE 2 games. In any case, the issue is with the backbox/speaker panel hinge nuts rubbing on the bottom/back of the speaker plates when the panel is being closed. To lessen this rub...take a look at your nuts. You should loosen or tighten them a tweak as needed to MAKE SURE A FLAT PART OF THE NUT IS RUNNING ALONG WITH THE BACK OF THE SPEAKER PLATES. This will allow the speaker plate to more easily slide over the flat side of the hex nuts instead of catching one of the nut's points and causing more resistance.

This is not a Flamin Frames specific issue. It is something that has always been there with some games and the introduction of the plastic canvas and Stern changing from Keps nuts to thicker nylon insert nuts has made it more noticeable. As it is, it's just the way it is. It's not an issue and if the light kit is installed correctly and the nuts adjusted as suggested your panel will close fine, just with a bit more closing pressure needed.

THOSE WERE THE CLIFF'S NOTES TIPS. Now please follow the light frame installation guide at the link below THEN COME BACK HERE for the other electronic connections.

http://www.speakerlightkits.com/Type14_Frame_Install.pdf

Here are the other electronic connections that you will have to make. The included Y-Splitter is ONLY used if you want to use one of the two controllers' output wires. This would give a more symmetrical look as it would then have the same flaming patterns on both frames (but mirrored).