I Need Help Wiring My New Lumatek 250w-400w Ballast!
- Thread starter sjj80
- Start date
slief
RC Sponsor
You got a good deal. If you had an electrical box, then you would have been golden or a cheap ballast. You have a nice ballast with a nice plug. Its worth the extra effort and it seems like you are up for the challenge now which is a good thing.
You dont really need to use ring terminals on the back of the mogul. Of course its best too but if you twist the wire really well and bend it into a circle, you can get it to hold well. The key is to wrap the wire around the screw clockwise. That way when you tighten the screws, it pulls the end of the wire towards the screws center instead of pushing it away. This will insure that the wire is crimped between the screws head and the moguls contact surface. If you want to use ring terminals they are available at home depot or radio shack. You can use a pliers or vice grip to crimp them but its always best to use a crimp tool which are also cheap. Just test your crimp by pulling on the wire.
You dont really need to use ring terminals on the back of the mogul. Of course its best too but if you twist the wire really well and bend it into a circle, you can get it to hold well. The key is to wrap the wire around the screw clockwise. That way when you tighten the screws, it pulls the end of the wire towards the screws center instead of pushing it away. This will insure that the wire is crimped between the screws head and the moguls contact surface. If you want to use ring terminals they are available at home depot or radio shack. You can use a pliers or vice grip to crimp them but its always best to use a crimp tool which are also cheap. Just test your crimp by pulling on the wire.
slief
RC Sponsor
I just saw your pics. I took one of the inside of my mogul to help you with the screws but clearly you are on the right track.
You will need to cut these wires and pull the white cable through the back of the mogul to get it out.
If you look at the back of the socket where the white cable first comes out of the mogul, you will see a plastic sleeve that protects the cable as it goes into the metal behind the mogul. That is the thing that will need to be squeezed to get it out. Once you get the wires out even if you have to dig them out of that plastic piece slide that sleeve/grommet over the black wire with the male end of it facting the exposed wires at the end of the black cable.
Slide the cable in without sliding the grommet forward. This will give you slack to attach the wires to the mogul. Once they are attached pull the cable to remove the excess and screw the mogul back togther. Once it all done, the fun begins with the grommet. Sometimes it helps to remove the black insulation from the wires so the grommet can fit through the body of the mogul bracket.
You will need to cut these wires and pull the white cable through the back of the mogul to get it out.
If you look at the back of the socket where the white cable first comes out of the mogul, you will see a plastic sleeve that protects the cable as it goes into the metal behind the mogul. That is the thing that will need to be squeezed to get it out. Once you get the wires out even if you have to dig them out of that plastic piece slide that sleeve/grommet over the black wire with the male end of it facting the exposed wires at the end of the black cable.
Slide the cable in without sliding the grommet forward. This will give you slack to attach the wires to the mogul. Once they are attached pull the cable to remove the excess and screw the mogul back togther. Once it all done, the fun begins with the grommet. Sometimes it helps to remove the black insulation from the wires so the grommet can fit through the body of the mogul bracket.
slief
RC Sponsor
I would work on the wire part. You need to twist it better and then make a tight horse shoe out of it before you put it under the screw. It will help if you strip a tiny bit more off of the wire.
Also, the black wire should be under the screw, not the green one. Danger Will Robinson!! :spin2: The green one with the ring should be attached to the body of the mogul mount.
Also, the black wire should be under the screw, not the green one. Danger Will Robinson!! :spin2: The green one with the ring should be attached to the body of the mogul mount.
That's not how it came apart tho, here's a pic of the other mogul that i have not unscrewed yet, the black wire is attached to the mogul which i thought was weird, is that right?
slief
RC Sponsor
You will either need to remove some of the copper wire or head to radio shack or home depot, lowes etc and get some ring terminals and do it right. You might want to bring the screw along so you get the right size ring diameter. They come in red, blue and yellow. That is for the wire thickness. Red shoud be fine. Don't forget to remove that green wire from the mogul. The black wire goes there! The green will get grounded to your fixture regardless of how the wires were before though I would love to see a better picture of the original wires (all 3) as they are attached to the mogul.
What if i took the ringed wires off the white wire, attach them with wire nuts and then secure them in the open space inside the mogul? That way i have the rings under the screws, would that work?
Also the green wire and white wire came screwed into the mogul and the black on the outside, that's why i did that, but i guess it's wrong and i definitely want to get it right.
Also the green wire and white wire came screwed into the mogul and the black on the outside, that's why i did that, but i guess it's wrong and i definitely want to get it right.
slief
RC Sponsor
That will work fine. Its still not ideal but its better than having wire nuts holding spliced wires hanging between the mogal and wall outlet.
In my opinion, if your mogul was wired that way, its a very good thing you took it apart!! That flies right in the face of everything I think I know about ac wiring. I am surprised nobody else has chimed in on that!
slief
RC Sponsor
I think Walmart has the terminals in the electrical section.
Math.. I feel your pain. I have trouble focusing period and anything to do with math is not my strong suit unless it figuring out profit margins. Good luck with your test!!
Great to hear!! Im glad I could help and I'm especially glad you had the patients to see it through! Take a picture when your all done! I want to see your tank!
Best Regards,
Scott
Scarlett
Reefobsession
New member
Nice work!!
