Wiring question - Quick release

[jasonstr8up]

I need to find a way to wire a quick release for my MH's. I have my ballasts mounted to my stand, so any time I need to take my canopy off I have to cut the wires that go from my ballast to the MH's. Is their any kind of connection that I can unplug? It's the two wires that go to the lights from the ballast. Has anyone done something like this? What & where can I buy this?

 

[SeanT]

What I did was buy two sets of male and female plugs.
Like the kinds on extension cords (heavy duty 3-prong) at Hme Depot.
I wired the halides into those and whenver I need to take the hood off I just "unplug" the ballasts from the sockets.

hth,
Sean

 

[mcox33]

I put the male end of the socket at the back of the hood, with the male prongs available through the hole. I then wired the female to the cord coming out of my ballast. when I want to remove the hood I just unplug everything. MH, PC's, moolights, fans and led's.

It works great.

 

[jasonstr8up]

Thanks......but do any of you guys have a pic? I dont understand The ballast has (2) wires going to the light. Did you take the extention cord cut the ends of then splice the extention in between the ballast and the lights?

 

[jasonstr8up]

No one has any pic's?

 

[examiner]

Yes, you can take an extension cord, cut if off, splice it in and plug/unplug like you are thinking.

The only thing I'm worried about here is the lack of a 3rd wire (ground) going up to your socket/reflector. I believe that's standard operating procedure?

 

[jasonstr8up]

I was never told to ground the socket/reflector??? Should I do that?

 

[examiner]

Extremely highly recommended. Every commercial pre-wired setup you buy will be grounded that way.

 

[jasonstr8up]

What do I have to do? The ballast is grounded, but how do you ground the reflector? Hook what up to what. Please tell me how to wire it. I don't have another wire coming of the reflector or the socket. I have the retro kit from Hellolights. They never said anything about grounding the reflecters. I wonder why?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[examiner]

Hmmm, well it's just running a wire from a screw on your reflector, and tie that into the ground plug on your 3 prong connnection. Do the same with a wire from the ground screw on your ballast to the other end of your quick connect.

I'll bump you up and hopefully someone else will chime in and give you an opinion.

 

[mcox33]

Okay my B I L is an electrician. he said you did not need to worry about it.

mine is wired black wire to brass screw and white wire to silver screw from the socket to the switch on the switch black wire goes to white wire and the white wire goes to the black wire. (They are reversed on the switch, don't ask me why I don't have a clue! I just know they don't work if not done this way) now from the switch I wired into my male plug end. (the one that would go into the wall) I wired the white wire to the brass screw and the black wire to the silver screw.

Then coming from the ballast that cord is wired black wire to brass screw and white wire to silver screw and the other wire goes to the green screw. (The green is the ground.)

I haven't had any problems and I haven't been shocked. BIN said the socket does not have to be grounded as there was no way to hook a wire into it. I suppose if you are running the wire straight from the ballast with now disconnects in between then you would have the ground wire on the ballast cord that needs to end somewhere so then you would need to ground it to your reflector.

Hope this makes sense, and helps you.

 

[jasonstr8up]

bump