hooking up ballast
 

Hey all,

Just got my 400w ballasts from venkiw and I didn't realize they weren't going to have plugs and sockets for the cords, so I was just wondering if someone could tell me how to hook this up. I am assuming I can hook a plug straight up to the input cords, although I don't know which one is positive and which ones is neg (blue or brown?). As well would HD have the sockets that the PFO quick disconnect cords hook up to? or will I have to try and hook them up directly - if so how would i do this? below is a pic thanks a bunch

Sean

http://www.missolutions.ca/~sean/ballast.jpg

It's not really positive and negative leads because we're talking AC -- one is hot and one is neutral. I think blue is the neutral. (Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong -- I think blue/brown/green is the European colour code for power leads.) Neutral goes to the wider terminal on the wall outlet plug.

For the leads to the socket, it won't matter which end is which (at least I've found it not to matter). You have a 50/50 chance if it does matter -- if the bulb does not light, try switching them.

I don't think you're going to find the quick-disconnects at HD. Worthwhile looking into, but you'll probably have to go to a specialized electronics store -- would be my guess. What you can do is get the butt end connectors from HD, stick a wire into each end, and crimp. Probably $10 for a crimping tool if you don't have one.

Doesn't look like the ballast is grounded, and I don't like the looks of that ... You should ground your fixture plus your reflector. That screw in the centre looks like a ground terminal, which should be wired to the ground terminal in the wall outlet.

Hope this helps

there is a ground...that little metal knob, but I am not sure what to do with it...maybe I should just take the whole setup to HD and let them figure it out!

I'll try and help you out, I have the 250's :biggrin:

Now what i did was I had several computer power cord lying around so i cut off the part that connect to the computer and stripped the wires. The color of the wires in the cord were brown blue green


For Wiring i ballast the wire colors were blue, brown and green , So on the imput (wall) I just matched the colors and ran the green wire too the grounding the metal knob

Now for the socket, I have the PFO socket/reflector so I attached the White and brown wires together and blue and black wire together on the output line (lamp). Green is ground So i ran that too the metal knob

I should mention on my pfo socket cord i cut off the quick disconnect end and stripped the wires inside

I have no quick disconnects, no big deal on my PFO ballast i really didn't need them

if you go toa lighting place (wholesale) you should be able to get a couple sockets for 5.00ish each. now if you look at the diagram thatis on the front of your ballast in your picture that tells you how to hook them up (little to small for me to see exactly, Maybe you can take a close up of the diagram) also if you go to home depot but a couple plugends with coards (about 8.00 each for Heavy Duity ones) and I have to see the diagram for sure but is each one of thoes ballast for 1 bulb or are there plugs on the back side? if each is for 1 bulb I am assuming that one coard is to plug into the wall and the other goes to the bulb. if this is the configuration you could ground both the wall plug and the lighting bracket to that ground lug.

Steve

Seriously? My experience with HD has been "uh, dunno man, I just work here". :neutral:

Your HD has people that talk to you?? Wow!!

the plumbing department at mine knows me by name now.. takes me 15 min extra to get out of there sometimes....

Steve

I recently noticed the plumbing department at Rona has less and less fittings while my garage has more and more. 2 more years of this and I am having the grand opening.

:mrgreen: