REBUILDING My HPS 400w PROBLEM!!!

So I need to extend the two wires from the bulb socket that lead to the ballast. I finally took the plunge and snipped them. But inside the pvc insulation was not the usual ponytail of masses of intertwined very thin copper wires that you usually find. Inside each was a single strand of much thicker copper wire, like maybe almost a millimeter thick.

What is that and how do I extend that? Do I need to buy the same or can I extend with regular electrical cord? In dire need of help, it needs to get set up quite shortly for the little babes that are waiting in the cupboard...
Thanks a lot for any help!

Pics might help us, help you.

You can use regular electrical wire - just make sure it is heavy enough, like a 14 or better yet 12 awg. Use the twist nuts to be sure it's a secure connection.

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Originally Posted by doco

You can use regular electrical wire - just make sure it is heavy enough, like a 14 or better yet 12 awg. Use the twist nuts to be sure it's a secure connection.

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I prefer butend connectors, work better than twist nuts, more secure anyway, don't know how the electricity is in your house, but I am already worrried about a fire.

One thing I do is to feel all the cables and extension cords while they are running to see if they are getting warm - hot is dangerous, warm is pushing it. I also run a computer in this room and so I try to spread the load among various outlets in the room and I even punched a small hole through the wall to draw electricity for my mother/clone cab from the other room.

They just had a major grow bust in my area due to a fire starting when the area they tapped into to steal electricity overloaded and began a house fire - poor guy is in deep shit now and his house is damaged.