Build your own light by Latewood

OK, I ordered this ballast kit pre-wired from bghydro for 100 bucks plus s&h
I have some everyday residential electrical components, I am going to adapt to hold a mogul base and connect base to ballast. I am also going to attach
plug to transformer...This is the absolute cheapest way to have your own 1000watt lamp. Upon completion, I will be using a EYE Hortilux bulb...
all comments and question's are appreciated; although, I would like to get this posted without alot of clutter between directions...Thanks, hope this helps someone...keep in mind you can order lower wattage ballast than this and just use the hardware seen here, or adapt it to your own ideas. :cool:
so to start with here are the first pix...
1. This box came the other day...
2. This 1000w hps pre-wired ballast kit was inside
3. This Mogul base came too!
4. In order to mount this base to a metal box, I had to adapt the length of the mounting screws...If you notice the little black lockring on the opposite screw to the one I am forcing out...You have to use a little pressure.
5. mogul base with one screw removed...cont'd

Now with the base ready, we will work on the box...
1. screws

2.-4. a>residential metal box w/joist hanger, b>removed the hanger c> attached it to a receptacle box w/punchouts.

5. Box with joist hanger>>>Now to be known as>>>counter balance attached to the side(more on this later)...

Now you are ready to put base on recepacle box w/counterbalance.
1. Insert wires thru punchout and line up screws with pre-drilled holes...

2. add lock washer and nut; tighten...

3. Pic of base w/counter balance assembled, and other components for lighting projects(other receptacles for cfl's)...12 guage wire...the size of the wire is important; the ballast had 12g wire in and out and you shouldn't splice into smaller guage wire and plug it in...IMHO

1. Power lines from ballast...White/Common...Orange/Hot...Green/Ground to Chassis...

2. strip the wires about 3/8" and slide plug cover over the wires...

3. Attach Hot wire to copper colored screw*... attach Common wire to Silver screw* and Green wire to ground>>>tighten wire retainer on back of plug...
and the plug is finished.

4.Use the box, that the joist hanger was removed from. remove the punchouts...and...cont'd...

* generally Hotwires (can be different colors...red, orange, black...) always attach to copper screws and............. Common/white wires to Silver screws.
...check it out the next time you go by the electrical supply aisle...

1. Feed 2-12 guage wires...white and black thru some flextube...

2. Insert Hotwires and Common wires into side of box and slide flextube w/2-12g wires into box...

3. Take the Hot wire form transformer (red) and the hotwire from the ignitor (white w/red stripe twist it with black wire from flextube and put the Red wirenut on it.....................Sorry, forgot pic of White wires :o ...Use Common from transformer and yellow from ignitor, attach to white wire from flextube and put on yellow wirenut...

4. Tuck wires into box, and...

5. Junction Box is finished.

1. black hotwires and white common wires coming from the base and from the cable; by design...

2. I need to get connector for this knockout hole that cable is going thru...
There is a connector that twists on the cable and compresses/pops into hole.

3. I'm using red and yellow wirenuts, just like the other end inside junction box...twist wire nuts on cable ends and, push into box and cover...

4. Like I said, this is common supplies, so I used the same screw, nuts, as earlier(base/box) to attach metal strapping for a hanger and put it right about the middle of the whole contraption.
It seemed to balance well...I attached one to the other end also, just in case...

5. Fasten flexcable to with Zip ties to counter balance arm and hang... cont'd

Great timing, Rasta...I did not order vented ballast box(should have). In answer to your question...You can have the ballast sitting open; as long as it is in a secure place...THIS is NOT as SAFE as placing it in a metal box, but in my case, no-one is going to knock it around...I think I am going to fabricate/find a big metal box...like commercial juntion box and put all my big electronics on/in outer wall. Then I can service it easier and I won't have to worry about heat in the growroom...cont'd

1. One of these...so, open the box, be sure not to touch the glass with your fingers!!! The oil will heat up and :eek: BAM...NO FACE! :mad: ...Screw in Lamp...

2. Ignition + 000:05.587 seconds and counting... :cool:

3. Is this yellow or what? :) :) :) :)

I will be making adjustments and modification's in short order...
That is all for now, I look forward to your comments/question's about this assembly...All Jerkoff's need not reply...just kidding...roflmao

Cost approximately; 230 bucks!...Better quality than alot of pre-assembled lights out there/EYE Hortilux lamp to boot...

Time to build; 2 hours
Total project time so far...(including posting this for you all) 8hours

So, any of you, that take threads like this for granted, consider; I built this lamp for me!!!...I took pictures and posted them for Growers on this forum
that would like to have a better lighting system, but don't know where to start...Or just can't quite afford the nice system, and are afraid to order a ballast kit...
I ordered this pre-wired ballast kit and ceramic mogul base from BGHydro.com They have a live chat feature on their website and will talk you through the wiring process, if necessary, and without any charge at all...How about that for service after the sale?
electrical components came from TruValue...

Project difficulty rating...1-10 (5) (could be lower, but electricity freaks out some people), thanks for taking the time to view my HOW-TO

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1. One of these...so, open the box, be sure not to touch the glass with your fingers!!! The oil will heat up and BAM...NO FACE! ...Screw in Lamp...

2. Ignition + 000:05.587 seconds and counting...

3. Is this yellow or what?

4. flexcable connector; need to connect cable to box...(frame#8 pic.2)

5. Here is where it would go, if I weren't using my light at this time :D :D

I will be making adjustments and modification's in short order...
That is all for now, I look forward to your comments/question's about this assembly...All Jerkoff's need not reply...just kidding...roflmao

Cost approximately; 230 bucks!...Better quality than alot of pre-assembled lights out there/EYE Hortilux lamp to boot...

Time to build; 2 hours
Total project time so far...(including posting this for you all) 8hours

So, any of you, that take threads like this for granted, consider; I built this lamp for me!!!...I took pictures and posted them for Growers on this forum
that would like to have a better lighting system, but don't know where to start...Or just can't quite afford the nice system, and are afraid to order a ballast kit...
I ordered this pre-wired ballast kit and ceramic mogul base from BGHydro.com They have a live chat feature on their website and will talk you through the wiring process, if necessary, and without any charge at all...How about that for service after the sale?
electrical components came from TruValue...

Project difficulty rating...1-10 (5) (could be lower, but electricity freaks out some people), thanks for taking the time to view my HOW-TO

watch for part B to this faq as I modify/perfect this set-up; add electrical box