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Hooking up a balast 101
- Thread starter F R e N c H 3 z
- Start date
uphwiz
jimmy
ground it and then wait , that will make it a little safer,
wow your up early also,
you could pick up a supply of the wire nuts they come in multi packs for different size wires , if your out to day , but didnt Av8tor say he was sending you something, might want to wait on that as well (if you can wait ,I could not )LOL
wow your up early also,
you could pick up a supply of the wire nuts they come in multi packs for different size wires , if your out to day , but didnt Av8tor say he was sending you something, might want to wait on that as well (if you can wait ,I could not )LOL
Im in lab today so cant do much till late this afternoon or this evening. But he's going to go by lowes and get what he needs today.
and yes french, if you use the wire nuts the yellow connectors will have to be removed.
Basically slide the romex box adapter over the extension cord first (remove the round nut from it first). Slide the wires through the access plate next, and then slide the round nut over the wire. Now trim back the wires to approx 1/2" or so. We don't want too much bare wire or it will protrude past the wire nut and be unsafe.
Next, hold all the ends of the wires to be connected together with the ends even. Some will tell you to twist the wires together prior to screwing the wire nut down. I prefer not too, let the nut do the twisting.
Place the wire nut over the bare end of the wires and start twisting in a clockwise rotation until it gets good and tight.
Now, tug on each wire just to make sure they are secure, sometimes you will miss one in the process or just barely catch it. Always verify with a good tug on each, don't forget to do this.
Repeat this for each group of wires... the blacks and the whites in your case.
Also make sure there are no loose strands protruding from the nut that could short out on something.
Now, makings sure you have enough slack, slide the romex adapter down into the knock out hole and tighten it to the cable and to the access plate
Confusing I know, but it will be so clear after you do it just once...
Ill take pics tonight for ya
B
---------- Post added at 08:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 AM ----------
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and yes french, if you use the wire nuts the yellow connectors will have to be removed.
Basically slide the romex box adapter over the extension cord first (remove the round nut from it first). Slide the wires through the access plate next, and then slide the round nut over the wire. Now trim back the wires to approx 1/2" or so. We don't want too much bare wire or it will protrude past the wire nut and be unsafe.
Next, hold all the ends of the wires to be connected together with the ends even. Some will tell you to twist the wires together prior to screwing the wire nut down. I prefer not too, let the nut do the twisting.
Place the wire nut over the bare end of the wires and start twisting in a clockwise rotation until it gets good and tight.
Now, tug on each wire just to make sure they are secure, sometimes you will miss one in the process or just barely catch it. Always verify with a good tug on each, don't forget to do this.
Repeat this for each group of wires... the blacks and the whites in your case.
Also make sure there are no loose strands protruding from the nut that could short out on something.
Now, makings sure you have enough slack, slide the romex adapter down into the knock out hole and tighten it to the cable and to the access plate
Confusing I know, but it will be so clear after you do it just once...
Ill take pics tonight for ya
B
---------- Post added at 08:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 AM ----------
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Ok so work happened to send me over by Lowes so I stopped by and got the appropriate wire nuts and romex adapter.
Last question now is: When I strip the cables from those plugs, one has 2 cables (black/white) and the other plug has 3 cables (black/white/grey with red swirls).
That grey cable, is that my ground wire? Should I connect the green wire and the grey wire with a wire nut? Or is that a big no no?
Last question now is: When I strip the cables from those plugs, one has 2 cables (black/white) and the other plug has 3 cables (black/white/grey with red swirls).
That grey cable, is that my ground wire? Should I connect the green wire and the grey wire with a wire nut? Or is that a big no no?
French,
The gray with red swirls is probably for emergency lighting, occupancy sensor, dimmer (yes, some are dimmable now) or some other accessory. It will definitely not be a ground. But what it is I cant tell you, but if you look on the label of the ballast it goes too, it will have a schematic.
Those lights do have an emergency light connection (I THINK)... but verify, you may want to just tape that one off... I just cant tell ya without looking at the schematic.
My gut tells me you wont use it, but verify mate.
Now that you have the romex connector, does everything make more sense?
Av
The gray with red swirls is probably for emergency lighting, occupancy sensor, dimmer (yes, some are dimmable now) or some other accessory. It will definitely not be a ground. But what it is I cant tell you, but if you look on the label of the ballast it goes too, it will have a schematic.
Those lights do have an emergency light connection (I THINK)... but verify, you may want to just tape that one off... I just cant tell ya without looking at the schematic.
My gut tells me you wont use it, but verify mate.
Now that you have the romex connector, does everything make more sense?
Av
Absolutely, every is much simpler now than I was trying to make it in my original post XD Not sure why those plugs are there though...
I'll take a look at the schematic on the ballast and let you know. I'll post a pic once everything is all fixed and hazard proof. Hopefully this time I'll get a passing grade haha
Thanks a lot for all your help, I really cant stress that enough.
I'll take a look at the schematic on the ballast and let you know. I'll post a pic once everything is all fixed and hazard proof. Hopefully this time I'll get a passing grade haha
Thanks a lot for all your help, I really cant stress that enough.
excellent, and no more scotch tape this time either k 
use good electrical tape mate, I like 3M brand personally... just not dollar store stuff
sounds like you have it all under control now
Edit: French, one statement you made gives me the impression that the gray with red tracer was connected in with a white wire at the original yellow connector, if that is the case then just repeat that with your wire nuts.... that may be the default connection if you dont have an external emergency lighting control circuit.
hope that didnt muddy the water again
either way, the schematic should tell you what to do with it
Av
use good electrical tape mate, I like 3M brand personally... just not dollar store stuff
sounds like you have it all under control now
Edit: French, one statement you made gives me the impression that the gray with red tracer was connected in with a white wire at the original yellow connector, if that is the case then just repeat that with your wire nuts.... that may be the default connection if you dont have an external emergency lighting control circuit.
hope that didnt muddy the water again
either way, the schematic should tell you what to do with it
Av
Ahh Well I wish I would have read the edit before I finished, no matter though I did just that once I figured it out haha. It was actually connected with that black. I left it out at first and plugged everything in and 2 bulbs didnt light up but when I put it in with the black it worked.
I've got 3 blacks (2 from ballasts, 1 from extension cord) and 1 grey wired with a wire nut and 3 whites (2 from ballasts and 1 from extension) wired with a wire nut. The ground wire from the extension cord is attached to the access plate using the green screw on the back. Here is the finished outside look. ( I was too into what I was doing to remember to snap pics of the wiring completed before I put everything back in but if for safety it's needs to be done (double check) then no problemo it can be done.
I've got 3 blacks (2 from ballasts, 1 from extension cord) and 1 grey wired with a wire nut and 3 whites (2 from ballasts and 1 from extension) wired with a wire nut. The ground wire from the extension cord is attached to the access plate using the green screw on the back. Here is the finished outside look. ( I was too into what I was doing to remember to snap pics of the wiring completed before I put everything back in but if for safety it's needs to be done (double check) then no problemo it can be done.
uphwiz
jimmy
Thanks all, a little elbow grease to reconfigure and A TON of help and voila! Really couldnt have done it without Av8tor, but I gotta say I'm really pleased with the final result. Let's hope it works for a while!
The lamps certainly make the room MUCH brighter and so far about 5 degrees F warmer overall. Which is fine since I only have lowlanders and intermediates. I try not to look directly into the lights
The lamps certainly make the room MUCH brighter and so far about 5 degrees F warmer overall. Which is fine since I only have lowlanders and intermediates. I try not to look directly into the lights
series.... nooooooooooooo
parallel... yes
hehehehe, youre welcome... now you can help the next person
Butch
---------- Post added at 10:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:37 PM ----------
One final suggestion, the next time you go to change bulbs.... put some car wax on the reflector.
It will prevent oxidation and keep it nice and shiney for many years to come... just test your wax on a small area before you apply it to the entire surface.
Butch
parallel... yes
hehehehe, youre welcome... now you can help the next person
Butch
---------- Post added at 10:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:37 PM ----------
One final suggestion, the next time you go to change bulbs.... put some car wax on the reflector.
It will prevent oxidation and keep it nice and shiney for many years to come... just test your wax on a small area before you apply it to the entire surface.
Butch
So here's a little update, the fixture hangs real well and has been working out great. Had to move the lowland trunc back a bit because it was starting to get burnt by the lights. I moved the rack over and added a small portion of the other plastic rack and made a miny table out of it. Worked out perfectly.
With 31,000 lumens I figured I'd take a couple small Sarrs out of dormancy and get in the mood for Spring They love it so far.
With 31,000 lumens I figured I'd take a couple small Sarrs out of dormancy and get in the mood for Spring
They love it so far.
photos
removed the knockout
Added adapter
threaded power cable
Sniped and striped power cable and wired from the ballast
connections made wire nuts and a twist
white to white, black to black, green to ground, grey with red (tracer) to white. then put back inside housing. tighten adapter on power cord
Polish reflector with good car wax
install bulbs and test
removed the knockout
Added adapter
threaded power cable
Sniped and striped power cable and wired from the ballast
connections made wire nuts and a twist
white to white, black to black, green to ground, grey with red (tracer) to white. then put back inside housing. tighten adapter on power cord
Polish reflector with good car wax
install bulbs and test
