Canopy Wiring Help

scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Originally Posted by fishfreak1242
http:///forum/post/2632757
The ballast does have a prewired cord to plug into the wall. Can I just wire the green wire to one of the white or black wires? Can you make a picture of what you are talking about?
Here's the problem... nobody knows what your retro kit or it's parts look like, and frankly your description isn't helping much.
You're speaking of a green wire, but where is this wire coming from or going to?
If you can attach some pictures of your setup, this would help everyone out. This whole thread is going around in circles because we are alll having trouble picturing it (no pun intended).
Post up some pics and we should be able to help you out no problem.
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member

I almost dont want to post this diagram because it really is THAT important that you understand how and WHY you ned to ground it separate form a source line. Grounding to a line-in and that can KILL you if soemthing happens. Not shock of give you a jolt. IT TRULY CAN KILL YOU.
No offense but this is how people get hurt. You will blow it for husbands everywhere if something happens to you and your wife tells other wives how dangerous it is.
Please slow down and take your time. Like SCSI said earlier. please take a picture or FIND a picture of your retro kit so we know exactly what your talking about in terms of parts and expectations.
It is not all that complicated but it is essential for safety's sake.
-RFB
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Ahh this is all making sense now. From what it looks like, you've got the wires on your sockets connecting directly to the ballasts.
I can tell you exactly what you should do.
Figure out how much cord length you need between your ballast and your lamps. You need enough so the ballast can sit on the floor or in your cabinet, and the wires can run up to your canopy, where the lamps are located.
Go to Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Go to the electrical department, and purchase twice that length in 18/3 or 16/3 wire - the type of wire they make extension cords out of. It's usually black rubber or plastic coated. Twice the length because you have two lamps... make sense?
Remove the outer covering off the wire to expose about 4 inches of the inner wires. There will be 3 wires, black, white, and green.
On the ballast end, connect black to black, white to white, and green to green.
On the lamp end, connect the black to the black wire from the socket, the white to the white wire from the socket, and the green wire, strip about 1.5" of insulation and wrap that around one of the screws securing your reflectors to the canopy, and tighten it down, making a secure electrical connection from the green wire to the reflector.
That will ground everything, look really nice, and solve your safety issue.
A couple pointers...
-You may want to shorten those wires on the sockets if necessary.
-You may consider purchasing a crimp tool (they are inexpensive) and a couple of those ring terminals to make the job look really professional.
-On the ballast end, you may consider getting some butt splices (you'll need a crimper for these too) to make your connections, then wrap the entire splice in black electrical tape or heat shrink tubing. That'll look really sharp when you are done, and give you a nice reliable connection.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Here are pics of a butt splice, a crimping tool, and a pic from my canopy where I grounded my reflectors.
Here is my lights. I used a terminal strip, but you don't have to be that fancy. You can see the black 3 wire cord coming in, then the green wire fastened to the scr.ew mounting the reflector with a crimp terminal.


 
fishfreak1242

fishfreak1242

Active Member
Would the 18/3 or 16/3 work also for any type of fixture or is it specifically for metal halides? I am asking this because the wire that they gave me to connect my T-5 retro kit is a little short so I want to extend it a little. That really helped alot though. Thanks.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Sure it should work for that also.
18/3 is fine for both, but 16 is a little heavier gauge. 16 gauge is certainly not necessary.
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
SCSI. you just saved a life.
I was actually wondering about this cat while at work this afternoon. Im such a dang mother hen.
 
fishfreak1242

fishfreak1242

Active Member
Thanks for all of the help everyone. Im glad I asked you guys, otherwise I might have been killed already. I am going to get all of the wires and other stuff tomorrow and work on getting everything grounded and neat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top