DIY Florescent Light Fixture (Wiring Difficulties)

ShawnS · 07-02-2012, 11:10 PM

I recently found a 15w, T12, single bulbed Florescent Light Fixture in my basement, and i wanted to put it in my 10 gallon hood. The parts all fit, (except for the ballast which will go on top i guess) except somewhere along the disassembling and reassembling process I put the wrong wires together. As proven by me blowing a fuse when i went to plug it in.

Here's how I have it currently:

Yellow - 15w Ballast
Blue - 1 end of the bulb connecter
Red - Other end of the bulb connecter
Teal - On/Off switch
Purple - Power Cord
Orange - Just extra wiring i had to use to extend the other connecter.

So what is actually suppose to go where?

livingword26 · 07-02-2012, 11:43 PM

I'm no expert, but a on/off switch with 4 wires, on a single t-12 fixture to me seems odd. And I have never seen bulb connectors like that.

livingword26 · 07-02-2012, 11:51 PM

do you have an Ohm meter?

livingword26 · 07-03-2012, 12:11 AM

If you are able to check it with an ohm meter, then I think that there should be 2 separate circuits. If the circuits are different than shown here, then it could flip a breaker.

[IMG]

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ShawnS · 07-03-2012, 12:11 AM

I do not have an Ohm meter, and it was working before i messed with it so the parts will work i just dont know in what order.

**Hoppy** · 07-03-2012, 02:27 AM

If you ask this in the DIY forum I'm sure someone will be able to answer it. That's where the DIYers and experimenters tend to go.

**HolyAngel** · 07-03-2012, 03:02 AM

Yellow from the ballast is usually for the "negative/ground" end of the bulb.
Red/blue are usually power lines, you may need both on one end of te bulb or just one if the ballast will drive 2 bulbs and the yellow goes to both bulb ends on the other side.

White/black from the ballast is power for the ballast. You can put a switch on the black line to turn on/off the ballast without unplugging.

There should also be a diagram on the ballast itself that shows you how to wire it. Or google the model number. Hope that helps.

**HolyAngel** · 07-03-2012, 03:10 AM

Any possibility of a pic that shows all the wiring starting from the ballast?

ShawnS · 07-04-2012, 01:09 AM

Sorry for my lack of replies, I've been working on the fixture.

IT WORKS!

I ended up buying a new ballast at a local hardware store and rewiring the whole thing based on the diagram on the new ballast.

07-02-2012, 11:10 PM	#1
ShawnS Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wellsville, NY Posts: 112	DIY Florescent Light Fixture (Wiring Difficulties) I recently found a 15w, T12, single bulbed Florescent Light Fixture in my basement, and i wanted to put it in my 10 gallon hood. The parts all fit, (except for the ballast which will go on top i guess) except somewhere along the disassembling and reassembling process I put the wrong wires together. As proven by me blowing a fuse when i went to plug it in. Here's how I have it currently: Yellow - 15w Ballast Blue - 1 end of the bulb connecter Red - Other end of the bulb connecter Teal - On/Off switch Purple - Power Cord Orange - Just extra wiring i had to use to extend the other connecter. So what is actually suppose to go where?

07-02-2012, 11:43 PM	#2
livingword26 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 978	I'm no expert, but a on/off switch with 4 wires, on a single t-12 fixture to me seems odd. And I have never seen bulb connectors like that. __________________ 29 gallon, Fluval 306. Aquatop PF25-UV Power Filter, 1x39 watt T5HO 7" above tank. P.F. Sand, Pressurized CO2, 5 Glowlight Tetra's, 3 Halequin Rasborah's, 3 neons, 2 Oto's, 5 Cherry Shrimp, 4 Amano Shrimp.

07-02-2012, 11:51 PM	#3
livingword26 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 978	do you have an Ohm meter? __________________ 29 gallon, Fluval 306. Aquatop PF25-UV Power Filter, 1x39 watt T5HO 7" above tank. P.F. Sand, Pressurized CO2, 5 Glowlight Tetra's, 3 Halequin Rasborah's, 3 neons, 2 Oto's, 5 Cherry Shrimp, 4 Amano Shrimp.

07-03-2012, 12:11 AM	#4
livingword26 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 978	If you are able to check it with an ohm meter, then I think that there should be 2 separate circuits. If the circuits are different than shown here, then it could flip a breaker. [IMG][/IMG] __________________ 29 gallon, Fluval 306. Aquatop PF25-UV Power Filter, 1x39 watt T5HO 7" above tank. P.F. Sand, Pressurized CO2, 5 Glowlight Tetra's, 3 Halequin Rasborah's, 3 neons, 2 Oto's, 5 Cherry Shrimp, 4 Amano Shrimp.

07-03-2012, 02:27 AM	#6
Hoppy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (57/100%) Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 17,286	If you ask this in the DIY forum I'm sure someone will be able to answer it. That's where the DIYers and experimenters tend to go. __________________ Hoppy

07-03-2012, 03:02 AM	#7
HolyAngel Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (24/100%) Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: springfield, IL Posts: 2,604	Yellow from the ballast is usually for the "negative/ground" end of the bulb. Red/blue are usually power lines, you may need both on one end of te bulb or just one if the ballast will drive 2 bulbs and the yellow goes to both bulb ends on the other side. White/black from the ballast is power for the ballast. You can put a switch on the black line to turn on/off the ballast without unplugging. There should also be a diagram on the ballast itself that shows you how to wire it. Or google the model number. Hope that helps. __________________ SunSun Pimp # 42 My 29G Planted 5G Betta Haven 20L Shrimp Breeder

07-03-2012, 03:10 AM	#8
HolyAngel Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (24/100%) Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: springfield, IL Posts: 2,604	Any possibility of a pic that shows all the wiring starting from the ballast? __________________ SunSun Pimp # 42 My 29G Planted 5G Betta Haven 20L Shrimp Breeder

07-04-2012, 01:09 AM	#9
ShawnS Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wellsville, NY Posts: 112	Sorry for my lack of replies, I've been working on the fixture. IT WORKS! I ended up buying a new ballast at a local hardware store and rewiring the whole thing based on the diagram on the new ballast.

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