T5HO Retrofit Wiring Question(s)

[RobZilla04]

This kit is a retrofit kit from my LFS. It's not the kit commonly found online. Additionally it does not have a wiring harness. Here is the ballast:

I've wired it twice with the moisture proof caps. Neither time did the lights power on. Each time I checked and double checked all connections. My questions are 1 - does line 3 join with line 2 and 5? Meaning the wire connecting line 2 and 4 which join the bulbs together get connected to both the ballast and the link via a splice or twist wire cap. The same applies to line 4, with regard to line 1 and 6?

Also for the power, Green = Ground / Black =Load / White = Neutral. <----- Correct?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Rover88]

snip

The black 'circles' indicate that the lines are joined at that specific junction. When the lines cross and there is no black dot, it means they do not join.

Green ground, Black hot, white neutral.


And yes, line 3 joins with 2/5 AFTER they pass through the lamp, same with 4 joining 6 and 1.

 

[on the spot]

My questions are 1 - does line 3 join with line 2 and 5? Meaning the wire connecting line 2 and 4 which join the bulbs together get connected to both the ballast and the link via a splice or twist wire cap. The same applies to line 4, with regard to line 1 and 6?

No. there are no lines joined at all. line 1 to one pin, line 2 to the other pin on one end of the bulb, line 3 to BOTH bulbs but one pin, line 4 to BOTH bulbs but one pin.

Same for 5 & 6. single pins each, opposite end line 3 and 4.

Also for the power, Green = Ground / Black =Load / White = Neutral. <----- Correct?

the power is correct.

HTH

 

[RobZilla04]

Okay two conflicting answers. Last night after much internet searching and frustration, I wired in both the configurations suggested. Both times, nothing.

Does this indicated the ballast is bad?

 

[on the spot]

put just one bulb into the mix right now. line one to a single pin, line 2 to the other single pin on the same end of the bulb. the other end of the bulb line three to one pin, line 4 to the other pin.

 

[on the spot]

I don't think we conflict as much as we both chose our language poorly. I've tried to fix mine, time will tell if I succeeded.

 

[Rover88]

I don't think we conflict as much as we both chose our language poorly. I've tried to fix mine, time will tell if I succeeded.

Correct, we said the same thing in different ways. It depends on if you read it as 'terminal to terminal' or 'line to line'.


I'll describe it in terms of what you have to do. Take a wire, and put it in terminal 1. Connect that wire to one pin on the lamp. Terminal 1 is now done.

Take terminal 2, and connect it to the other pin on the same side of lamp 1.

Terminal 3, and connect it to one pin on both lamps, on the other side.

Take terminal 4, and connect it to the other pin on both lamps.

Take 5, and it goes on the free side of lamp 2.

Take 6, and it goes on the other pin of lamp 2 on the free side.


Sorry if I made it sound like baby talk, but I just wanted to clear up connections. On the Spot and I were saying the same thing in different ways.

I usually operate by thinking of the lines between terminals, not the terminal numbers.


EDIT: If this doesn't work? Something is broken. Without a multimeter and being there, hard to really piece together what it is. Do you own a multimeter?

 

[RobZilla04]

I have a multimeter but I haven't the foggiest how to use it. Ill have to wait till after work to try to wire again, however I wired exactly as both are describing.

The one thing I did not do is try just one bulb.

 

[Rover88]

I have a multimeter but I haven't the foggiest how to use it. Ill have to wait till after work to try to wire again, however I wired exactly as both are describing.

The one thing I did not do is try just one bulb.

The basics: Voltmeter is always in PARALLEL (Across the load) and ammeter is always SERIES (In the line). Never use an ohmmeter with any power applied to the circuit.

You should be able to test without power applied, using the ohmmeter. Putting it at each end of a load (Like on one side of the lamp at one pin, then the other side at the other pin) will allow you to test continuity. If you get infinity/overscale, it means that its detecting so much resistance it doesn't think there is a circuit: The lamp is burnt out.

It gets a little more complicated with the ballast due to the microelectronics inside.

 

[RobZilla04]

Based on appearance of the ballast I suspect it is used. The LFS "pieced" together the retrofit kit. The bulbs are new (doesn't mean they aren't bad). I'll take a quick run by the LFS today. Since I have the ballast with me, maybe they can swap it out.

Using the volt meter which setting should I have it on to test the opposite ends of the bulbs?

 

[Rover88]

Based on appearance of the ballast I suspect it is used. The LFS "pieced" together the retrofit kit. The bulbs are new (doesn't mean they aren't bad). I'll take a quick run by the LFS today. Since I have the ballast with me, maybe they can swap it out.

Using the volt meter which setting should I have it on to test the opposite ends of the bulbs?

You won't use a voltmeter, as you'll be doing this without any power applied. It'll just be an ohmmeter. (The resistance symbol, if your multimeter has it) Remove the wire from the pins, and just test straight across from one end of the lamp to the other.

If they swap it out and you can't get it fixed, let me know. I'll PM you

 

[RobZilla04]

Will plugging in the ballast alone with no fixtures (or wires in the fixture terminals) cause damage to the ballast?

 

[RobZilla04]

Swapped to a different ballast and now only the top bulb in the diagram is lit. I checked all connections again. Also placed both bulbs in the top position and both work.

What am i missing ?

 

[RobZilla04]

Update & Solved.

First ballast was bad. Second ballast (same as pictured above) had a bad second channel, thus only one bulb was lit. Finally got back to the LFS last evening and they found an older ballast.

The wiring diagram is wrong on the pictured ballast. Essentially the jumper connection from the ends of bulbs opposite the ballast just has to go from one left bulb terminal to the opposite right. Doesn't matter which. The remaining terminals on those bulb ends return to the ballast in their respective side (Pin 3 for top bulb / Pin 4 for bottom bulb).

Thanks and hopefully this helps someone else some day.