Golfnut Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 (edited) Can anyone verify my instructions to swap out a magnet ballast for a new electronic one? A. Cut 1 & 2 and connect to ballast blue wire. B. Cut 3 & 4 and connect to ballast blue wire. C. What do I do with 3'??? D. Cut 5 & 6 & 7 & 8 and connect all 4 to the ballast red wire. F. Connect black to black and white to white. Does this look right? THANKS!!! Edited February 2, 2006 by Golfnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midgetwaiter Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 This is how it looks to me. Cut 2 and discard. Cut 4,5,6,7 all connect to ballast red wire. cut 3 in half, join both ends of three with with one and four. Attach to ballast blue wire. _IF_ your sockets have both contacts joined the connection with 3 and 6 + 7 is redundant but souldn't hurt anything. I should add while I ahve done a lot of this stuff for myself I am not a certified electrician. Use my advice at your own risk I'm almost 100% certain it is correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vapor Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 I am not a certified electrician. Use my advice at your own risk I am not an electrician I only play one on AA Sorry, could'nt resist. But it looks right to me too. But I am also not an electrician. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfnut Posted February 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 (edited) Thanks for the reply but there are TWO BALLAST BLUE WIRES...??? You're instructions only connect one BLUE wire...?? Oh I think you mean... 1+3 (half) to one ballast blue and other 3 (half) to 4 to ballast blue... right??? Edited February 2, 2006 by Golfnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midgetwaiter Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 Yes abosultely Andrew, I don't know why I said it that way. Must have overdriving on the brain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 I swap out ballasts at the workplace on a daily basis. Here is what you need to do. easy peasy Cut #4, and insert it into the little slot of the tombstone by #1, as it is done in #3' Install electronic ballast. Red from ballast goes to #1 & #2 Blue from ballast goes to #5 & #6 Blue from ballast goes to #7 & #8 Then you splice your neutral(white), then your hot(black), and you're done. Make sure the fixture is grounded as electronic ballasts tend to be troublesome if they are not. Its always a good idea to put the neutral on first, and then the hot, As then you'd be doing two hot splices, increasing your exposure to electricity. It really doesn't matter though if you're not working on live circuits. You can do it your way as well. This way just minimizes the clutter of wires when you're putting the cover back on. cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfnut Posted February 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 THANKS DAVE!! THAT MAKES SENSE.... but I already cut everything... I have 2 to do so I'll do it your way on the 2nd one. THANKS!!! Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfnut Posted February 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Well its WORKING!!! Wow the T8 bulbs are a LOT brighter than my old T12's (because they are older). It was getting tired of replacing them all the time. The T8's should last much longer. We'll see if this translates to much improved growth of my plants... After all this ... the ballasts from the US cost $12 each and a fixture from wallmart costs $13. So $25 to do it. ... I just saw at HD yesterday they now have T8 shoplights for $29 ... oh well ... THANKS again all for your help. Regards, Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishManTy Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Brite lite in the NE sells ballasts for cheap, and bulbs. I got 2 PC ballast, 5 bulbs, and all my plugs and hangers for just over $130... I think the ballasts were $35 each, and the bulbs 7.15 each, and the plugs were like 4... The reason i got 2 ballasts was to overdrive the each bulb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Hey, no problemo The nice thing about electronic ballasts is that you can run even smaller lights on 'em The lights that I use now are the T6 Lightnight Rod flourescent lights from Pisces. Even though they are T6's, which as the general rule goes, should be lower wattage than their larger diameter counterparts, they are higher in wattage and brightness. They are also cheaper than the Hagen Power-Glo lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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