Ira Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 I bought some ballasts and bits off Pegasus and I've got a small set wired up just to make sure I can get it to work. And was going to double check everything with Pegasus but thought I might as well post it here in case anyone else finds it helpful. I currently have it wired up like this, the wires just twisted together and the whole thing sitting on the kitchen table at the moment It works, but I'm not sure about a few things. I assume it's not possible to wire any of the components backwards? I'm using a cheap extension cord with one end cut off for the power(Cheaper than buying the bits to make one) it has a brown and blue wire and a green/yellow ground. Would the brown be the phase/line/A on the schematic wire and the blue the neutral or do I have that backwards? Does it really matter? Should I leave the ground wire unconnected to anything or is there anything I should connect it to? Once I've got these questions answered I'll solder and heatshrink all the connections and screw everything down to a piece of MDF covered with mylar to reflect the light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_from_nz Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Yes brown is the phase and blue is negative I think that is the old wireing methods my old work had it like that and off memory I worked out brown = red blue = black. yellow/green only matters if you plan on electricuting yourself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Sorry Ira, I thought you were clued up with the wiring. The circuit looks ok and is per the lable on the ballast. Would the brown be the phase/line/A on the schematic wire and the blue the neutral or do I have that backwards? Yes.. the Brown is the "positive".. or phase wire... the Blue is "negative".. or neutral. Does it really matter? It would still work if they were reversed, but the positive and negative should always be on their correct terminals in "any" circuit. The green and yellow striped wire on your cable is the earth... and can be connected directly to the casing of the ballast. If you are fitting a switch at all... then fit it between point "A" on your drawing and the first black dot (connection). HTH. Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Sorry Ira, I thought you were clued up with the wiring. I've got the general idea, just can't remember the colors and want to double checking everything before I have things more permanently wired up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Hey i did did some DIY wiring for a light fitting and sent a txt to a mate who does this kind of stuff for a living. I managed to get it completely wrong... hence his hastily txt'd reply "STOP!" Anyway didnt blow myself up. I would suggest the addition of a $15 RCD somewhere in your circutry, mines on the wall leading to the "power board" When its all wired up check your earth with amultimeter before you plug it in. Also when its all going... lightly touch the fitting with the BACK OF YOUR HAND. That way if you have accidently wired it up wrong when you get a "tingle" you wont grab the fitting as a reflex to the "tingle". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 I've had a look around for RCDs and couldn't find any at the the places I looked. My experience with RCDs hasn't been pleasant, the ones I have had the damn things keep tripping every time the lights turn off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Bizazre Ira? Mine works fine? And the lights are just on el- cheapo timers from bunnings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2005 Might as well mention I've been fiddling with the wiring and haven't actually managed to get it to work. One 15 watt bulb lights fine, but three 15 watts doesn't work right. I've tried wiring them in a series the power wire from one going to the next to the next with a starter for each. Absolutely nothing happens. That's pretty much how the wiring diagrams say to do it. I've tried with a single starter for all 3 and they blink and try to start, but don't manage to fully start. (I haven't tried just 2 yet) I've also tried wiring all the tubes in parallel with seperate starters and only one will start at a time. I wonder if sharing the starter would work, all 3 tubes going through a single starter, hmmm, probably not. So, either it's not going to work, which I've HAD something similar working before. Or I need some slightly different equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted January 16, 2005 Report Share Posted January 16, 2005 You need a ballast for each tube. You can wire some tubes in series using one ballast but you nee a special starter. It's commonly done putting two 18W tubes in series with one 36W ballast. Two S2 starters are required, one across each tube. I don't know of any other sizes done like this but maybe... I haven't heard of putting three 15W tubes in series before. Even if you could, you need the special S2 starter and a 45W ballast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2005 Update: one of the lamp holders is flakey, so forget everything I've said, who knows when it was working and not working. Warren, the ballasts are 58 watts so "should" have enough power to run three 15 watts assuming they'll light up. S2 starters...I think the ones I have are S1s? I'll have a look at them when I get home. If I have to run 6 ballasts in the end, that's fine, I can scrounge up what I need, I think. But, if I can manage to get three 15s running on a 58 then I can get away with just 2 ballasts. If it works, I'll use it, if it doesn't, I'll try something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted January 16, 2005 Report Share Posted January 16, 2005 Update: one of the lamp holders is flakey, so forget everything I've said, who knows when it was working and not working. I do... and the ballasts were put on test prior to being sent, but on an existing fitting, so the holders were not tested... but... The four rectangular white fittings were brand new... never used from Mico Wakefield.. IE: Docket # 0N061763 PRD Code. 5046002100 Balcom PT1 Tombstone Lampholder $4:00 ea. Qty 4 The tube holding clips (from the same place) cost two fifty apeice also.. you got eight. Other doubles were from an existing fitting that was stored in my (then proposed) fish room, and was working when put into storage. They are easy pull apart fittings, and possibly just need a clean as the bi-pin holders are well known for giving bad contact. The ballasts were never designed to run "three" tubes, but the 58's will run two 30watt with the correct wiring. The starters you recieved were also brand new straight from the box, of which there are still four new ones remaining... so I mention this so that you know the starters are not at fault. Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted January 16, 2005 Report Share Posted January 16, 2005 Please Note... 240volt power is VERY dangerous, and deadly if treated in the incorrect manner. Due to the above and the experiments undertaken by Ira, I would like to publicly make it known that I accept no responsibility whatsoever for any loss or damage caused by the above. Take some advice Ira... Seek the help of a professional. Bill. (VERY concerned member) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted January 16, 2005 Report Share Posted January 16, 2005 Bills right Ira. Wiring up single tubes is relativly easy but i decided not to do it. I have been discussing this flourescent light subject with a chap at the trade store we deal with (but I am not a sparky!) He is trying to sort out some tubes for me. I ended up buying prefabricataded "double flouro fitting" all i had to do was add a cord to plug it into the Power board. And as i said before i still got it wrong... But a good mate who is a sparky set me on the right path - before i blew myself up . Anyway, I was speaking to my supplier last week about another matter and my fish lights came up. He actually said to me "Mate I could tell you how to wire up two flouro's in series - but I'm not". Clearly the series connection is a bit more complex. You should see inside the double flouro fitting, it uses 2 ballasts and 2 starters in series ( i think??) I gave up trying to sort the circuitry out!! Just dont blow yourself up mate, theres some things you can get wrong and live to tell the tale, others you cant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Yeah, I should have mentioned it too. I'm so up to my armpits in this sort of thing daily you tend to forget how dangerous it can be. It's compounded in our hobby's case however as we use our lighting over water. If it's not done properly the two can be a lot worse than just playing with the lights while sitting on the bench. It's completely possible to wire the lights up and get them going fine on the bench. Then you put them in a hood over your tank. A year could go by until one day you have your hand in the tank an accidentally bump your wet arm onto some of the wiring or the earthed metal. Next thing you find yourself dead on the floor cause you got the earthing wrong. I've done it at work. Wired something up and used it for a while then you connect something else to it at there a loud bang cause you got the earthing wrong. I've had many cases where it's only been the insulation in my shoes that protected me. I tend to be a lot more carefull now. Some of the wiring over aquariums I've fixed up for people has made me shudder... (before it was fixed!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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