Raw MH Ballast Wiring

[doco]

I think this really belongs in Growroom Setup but I don't seem to be able to post my diagram in that forum so here it is:

I picked up a raw MH ballast with capacitor and I'm ready to wire it up. Can you guys look at this diagram and confirm or correct what I have in mind? Don't wanna smoke a new bulb or my house if I can help it.

doco Reviewed by doco on 12-30-2006. Raw MH Ballast Wiring I think this really belongs in Growroom Setup but I don't seem to be able to post my diagram in that forum so here it is: I picked up a raw MH ballast with capacitor and I'm ready to wire it up. Can you guys look at this diagram and confirm or correct what I have in mind? Don't wanna smoke a new bulb or my house if I can help it. Rating: 5

[doco]

Also, if I wanted to put a fuse in it, where would I do it and what value to use?

[smokinbomb]

look here there are some other wireing diagrams you can compair to
http://www.onlinepot.org/grow/wiringlights.htm


good luck-Bomb

[doco]

Thanks Bomb! Ive seen that onlinepot diagram 10 times and it never registered that I have the black & white wires crossed in my diagram. Exactly the information I needed.

NOTE TO READERS: My hand drawn diagram above is incorrect and possibly dangerous - the black & white wires from the wall outlet need to be swapped white goes to common (yellow on my ballast), black to 120v tap on the transformer (black & yellow wire on my transformer).

In the interest of safety, a MOD may want to delete this thread of mine altogether. I would hate to have someone use my diagram and have catastrophic results.

[BobBong]

I got your email, feel free to repost the diagram with the proper wiring.

[mc-blaze21]

is this balast made from scratch?

[doco]

Here is the corrected Metal Halide 400 watt Type M59 ballast wiring schematic. In the first diagram above I had the black & white leads from the wall crossed.

And yes, McBlaze, this is made from raw parts: I got the GE ballast/capacitor off ebay for $30 delivered and the ballast box from BGHydro for $25, a power cord and a cord to the MH lamp was maybe $10 - net result: 400 watt MH Ballast for $65 and a little research to help keep from becoming a statistic.

[smokinbomb]

good job i would buy that in a store after you figured out the wireing how long did it take to assemble?

-Bomb

[doco]

Well I actually researched it for several days because electricity scares the piss outta me-I was zapped pretty good when when i was young.

Anyway, once I had the concept down it took me 5 minutes to drill and mount the ballast in the cabinet and 5 minutes to nut the proper wires together - it's fast & easy once you know what goes where.

One innovation I implemented was to use a heavy 14/3 extension cord as my lamp cord. I cut it in half and wired the cut ends to the ballast and cooltube...now I just plug the two together once I have the ballast remotely located, nice & easy