ODNO wiring...

[Rolo]

This post branches off "ballast recommendation" in lighting. I went to HD and bought a 2 lamp 32watt GE ballast and now need help in wiring ODNO. The ballast has 5 wires total - 2 are for power(black and white), 2 are blue and 1 is red. This is for two 15 watt fluorescents.

Of the four total endcaps, two endcaps are wired too each other. By doing this the ballast will "see" only one 30W bulb. Two endcaps remain and one will recieve the red line.

The last endcap will be connected too both blue leads to this for ODNO, right? With one blue lead it will be regular NO, right?

In more detail of connecting, (assuming what I said above is correct) do I simply connect both blue leads too the endcap directly, OR, do I first conect the leads to each other with a wire twist, than wire them to the endcap. This is illustraded by the 1st attachment. The difference is in picture 1 the blue leads never directly touch each other, in picture 2 they do touch.

BTW, if it helps the 2bdst attachment is the displayed proper way to wire the ballast for NO.

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Number 2 is partially correct. You also need to splice the connections between the two bulbs. Like this...

[Scorpion]

Sam,

Since you are the mechanically inclined person here, can you tell me the reason/purpose/logic for splicing between the two bulbs? (I don't get why you must do this) Can you just run a wire from one bulb to the other?

[GulfCoastAquarian]

The reason for splicing the two wires is to short circuit the filament that is required for starting fluorescent tubes in a magnetic ballast/starter type setup. Here's a pretty easy to understand explanation of how a fluorescent tube works with the filament to preheat the gases.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question337.htm

[Scorpion]

Thanks. That is one neat link.

[Rolo]

Thanks alot for the help sam! I was wondering if you can explain why picture 2 is correct over picture 1. Basically, why do the blue leads need to touch first before they are routed to the endcap?

Oh, BTW, the ballast is entirely electronic - I don't think you can ODNO with magnetic or hybrids - so do I still have to splice the wires connecting the two bulbs?

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Read that link I sent, Rolo. It shows that there are small heating filaments between the pins on each end to start the bulb. With an electronic ballast, you don't use the filaments so you short circuit the filament by connecting the wires on the outside. It will work fine without shorting the pins, but there could be a slight potential between the two power feeds that could continually heat up that filament and cause premature blackening of the fluorescent tube ends.

[Rolo]

Ok, I understand now. Just to make sure I do this right - when short circuiting the two connected endcap, all four pins are connected to the other three in some way, right? Is this ok, connecting two pins of the same bulb together together?

Lastly, I simply don't know what grounding is. How do you do it? The HD guy told me that the ballasts and endcaps must be mounted to metal - I guess dealing with grounding?

I really want to make sure I get everything right now than never. Thanks for your help!

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Most endcaps with four connections are designed such that each pin has two connections. So the two holes on the left are connected and the two holes on the right are connected. Putting a jumper between the inside two connects the pins (shorting the filament). That leaves the outside two pins for you to connect your power feeds.
Make sure you understand how it works! I recommend you post pictures of your setup or at least a diagram before you plug it in. Better to be safe than sorry! Electricity is not something to toy around with.
The HD guy might be old school - the endcaps or bulbs or reflector do not need to be grounded for electronic ballasts. Just run a wire around one of your mounting screws so it contacts the metal case of the ballast and connect that to the ground prong on your power cord.

[Rolo]

Sam, is this what you mean - the attachment only shows what I would do for two endcaps (both connected to 1 red wire) in a properly wired NO setup. Do I do this for all 4 endcaps weather ODNO or NO?

I wan’t sure what what you meant by:

“just run a wire around one of your mounting screws so it contacts the metal case of the ballast and connect that to the ground prong on your power cord.”

Only the ground prong part I didn't understand. Are you talking about the round prong on three pronged plugs? So do I actually have a wire thats connected between the metal of the ballast and the metal of the prong?

Tomorrow I'll put up a completed, detailed diagram of my entire set up so anyone can give me the go ahead.

[chinaboy1021]

great diagrams guys. i might give ODNO another try.

btw, how do you know if its ODed or not? before i used a 2 bulb electric ballast connected to 1 bulb. no noticeable difference.

[Rolo]

Well did you connect more than 1 wire lead to the bulb? When I ODed one 15W bulb just to see it work, it didn't weem that much brighter, but there was a little difference. Plus if you feel the difference in heat, you will know!

[GulfCoastAquarian]

If you connect two leads to a single buble, that is 2x ODNO and should provide about 50% more brightness. It might not be easy to notice 50% to the naked eye, but like Rolo said, heat might tell the story and the plants definitely will.

[chinaboy1021]

what happened to the diagrams? i plan on ODNOing and thought the diagrams really helped.

[Rolo]

The forum has reached its limit in attachments. It now cost a $10 membership to post them now which I'm not going to buy...if you give me your e-mail I'll send them to ya.