DIY CF lighting, is polarity an issue? - Aquarium Advice

Sicklid · 11-29-2006, 09:41 PM

I am wiring a magnetic ballast from Hellolights.com, a small 13 watt magnetic job that came with no instructions. Is polarity an issue on these things? There is of course a white wire and a black one coming out of the socket, with a cord (no ground). The cord has a plain jacket on one side, and a raised stripe on the other, leading me to feel there may be a reason for it...

tropicalfish · 11-30-2006, 05:40 PM

yes it is an issue. LEDs only go one way, they are not like normal lights. On the LED, there is a flat side I think, and I THINK it indicates negative, not sure if it was hot or not, I forgot.. lol it ryhmes

Sicklid · 11-30-2006, 09:18 PM

Sorry this is compact fluorescent... 13 watt gx23 bi-pin base.

tropicalfish · 11-30-2006, 10:01 PM

Doh!
My eyes are messing up today...
Saw the temps on the forecast wrong, read this topic wrong, pulled the wrong book out of my backpack..
maybe I need more sleep lol
sorry
I would think so yes, if it were fluorescent in any way.

greenmaji · 12-03-2006, 09:07 PM

Its kind of like installing a NO tube one way and then flipping it over and installing it the other way.. if you have tabs on the bulb and socket it should matter otherwise it should still work.

tropicalfish · 12-04-2006, 12:31 AM

but its a compact fluorescent. In a CF, the ballast is in the lamp, and the ballast has a special polarity I think...

Sicklid · 12-04-2006, 06:11 PM

Well, what would happen if it is backwards, because right now the lamp is lit. Will it burn something out in the ballast?

tropicalfish · 12-04-2006, 08:36 PM

Th base should be the hot connection, and the side (screw) should be the negative.

Sicklid · 12-04-2006, 09:42 PM

Thanks for all your help so far, but there is no side screw (there are staples though! HA. They look dangerous)... hopefully this says 1000 words:

tropicalfish · 12-05-2006, 07:13 PM

well, as long as you match the black wire to the hot and the white wire to the negative, you should be just fine.

11-29-2006, 09:41 PM	#1
Sicklid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tarpon Springs FL Posts: 658 Images: 4	DIY CF lighting, is polarity an issue? I am wiring a magnetic ballast from Hellolights.com, a small 13 watt magnetic job that came with no instructions. Is polarity an issue on these things? There is of course a white wire and a black one coming out of the socket, with a cord (no ground). The cord has a plain jacket on one side, and a raised stripe on the other, leading me to feel there may be a reason for it...

11-30-2006, 05:40 PM	#2
tropicalfish Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 325	yes it is an issue. LEDs only go one way, they are not like normal lights. On the LED, there is a flat side I think, and I THINK it indicates negative, not sure if it was hot or not, I forgot.. lol it ryhmes __________________ --- 75 Gallon Rena FilStar xP3, Aquarium Systems Visi-Therm 200W (2), Coralife 48" Aqualight 260W 6700K --- 10 Gallon Hexagon Hagen AquaClear 30, Visi-Therm Deluxe 50, DIY CF 20W 6500K CF, Hagen Natural CO2 System :: Bloodfin Tetra (1), Red-eye Tetra (3), Black Skirt Tetra (3), Harlequin Rasbora (6), Platy (1), Otocinclus Catfish (1) :: Rotala Indica, Hygrophila Difformis (Wisteria), Cabomba Carolinia ---

11-30-2006, 10:01 PM	#4
tropicalfish Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 325	Doh! My eyes are messing up today... Saw the temps on the forecast wrong, read this topic wrong, pulled the wrong book out of my backpack.. maybe I need more sleep lol sorry I would think so yes, if it were fluorescent in any way. __________________ --- 75 Gallon Rena FilStar xP3, Aquarium Systems Visi-Therm 200W (2), Coralife 48" Aqualight 260W 6700K --- 10 Gallon Hexagon Hagen AquaClear 30, Visi-Therm Deluxe 50, DIY CF 20W 6500K CF, Hagen Natural CO2 System :: Bloodfin Tetra (1), Red-eye Tetra (3), Black Skirt Tetra (3), Harlequin Rasbora (6), Platy (1), Otocinclus Catfish (1) :: Rotala Indica, Hygrophila Difformis (Wisteria), Cabomba Carolinia ---

12-04-2006, 12:31 AM	#6
tropicalfish Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 325	but its a compact fluorescent. In a CF, the ballast is in the lamp, and the ballast has a special polarity I think... __________________ --- 75 Gallon Rena FilStar xP3, Aquarium Systems Visi-Therm 200W (2), Coralife 48" Aqualight 260W 6700K --- 10 Gallon Hexagon Hagen AquaClear 30, Visi-Therm Deluxe 50, DIY CF 20W 6500K CF, Hagen Natural CO2 System :: Bloodfin Tetra (1), Red-eye Tetra (3), Black Skirt Tetra (3), Harlequin Rasbora (6), Platy (1), Otocinclus Catfish (1) :: Rotala Indica, Hygrophila Difformis (Wisteria), Cabomba Carolinia ---

12-04-2006, 08:36 PM	#8
tropicalfish Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 325	Th base should be the hot connection, and the side (screw) should be the negative. __________________ --- 75 Gallon Rena FilStar xP3, Aquarium Systems Visi-Therm 200W (2), Coralife 48" Aqualight 260W 6700K --- 10 Gallon Hexagon Hagen AquaClear 30, Visi-Therm Deluxe 50, DIY CF 20W 6500K CF, Hagen Natural CO2 System :: Bloodfin Tetra (1), Red-eye Tetra (3), Black Skirt Tetra (3), Harlequin Rasbora (6), Platy (1), Otocinclus Catfish (1) :: Rotala Indica, Hygrophila Difformis (Wisteria), Cabomba Carolinia ---

11-30-2006, 09:18 PM	#3
Sicklid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tarpon Springs FL Posts: 658 Images: 4	Sorry this is compact fluorescent... 13 watt gx23 bi-pin base.

12-03-2006, 09:07 PM	#5
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	Its kind of like installing a NO tube one way and then flipping it over and installing it the other way.. if you have tabs on the bulb and socket it should matter otherwise it should still work.

12-04-2006, 06:11 PM	#7
Sicklid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tarpon Springs FL Posts: 658 Images: 4	Well, what would happen if it is backwards, because right now the lamp is lit. Will it burn something out in the ballast?

12-05-2006, 07:13 PM	#10
tropicalfish Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 325	well, as long as you match the black wire to the hot and the white wire to the negative, you should be just fine. __________________ --- 75 Gallon Rena FilStar xP3, Aquarium Systems Visi-Therm 200W (2), Coralife 48" Aqualight 260W 6700K --- 10 Gallon Hexagon Hagen AquaClear 30, Visi-Therm Deluxe 50, DIY CF 20W 6500K CF, Hagen Natural CO2 System :: Bloodfin Tetra (1), Red-eye Tetra (3), Black Skirt Tetra (3), Harlequin Rasbora (6), Platy (1), Otocinclus Catfish (1) :: Rotala Indica, Hygrophila Difformis (Wisteria), Cabomba Carolinia ---

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