if its wired for 120v you can plug it in the wall. if its wired for 220v you gotta make a new breaker in your electrical box for it. be careful with your diy ballast tho. lots and lots of garden fires are from those ballasts if not set-up right. you best bet is to just buy one. and if someone here says "go to ebay and shop high tech garden supply." im going to punch em in the face. well not literally but shit i hate that place. i bought from my local hydro store a lumatek 600watt digital ballast with a quality sealed xtrasun reflector and a hortilux blub for $418. ive seen on hightech supply for maybe $10 cheaper but with one of there CRAP hoods and one of there generic bulbs!! go figure. there hoods are crap too!! i bought a set up from them and my second grow the hood already had discolored dark yellow around where the bulb goes. also there bulbs they give you dont last long at all. anyways to get to the point shop around and dont give into buying shit. your pocket book and future grows will appreciate it.