How to wire MH reflector to ballast? - Aquarium Advice

jamal-188 · 11-07-2003, 06:49 PM

Just got my Coralvue retro kit from DIYreef last night but don't know how to wire it up? There are three wires on the reflector a green a white and a black. Then on the reflector there are 2 red that say lamp, 1 green that says ground, 2 wires labeled input that are black and white.

11-08-2003, 01:04 AM

The two red wires should be slightly different colored, or it doesn't matter. The Black and white wires on the reflector will connect to the red wires and the green will connect together... then the input goes to the plug for the wall socket..Make sense?

justDIY · 11-08-2003, 01:10 AM

on the input wires, one of them should have a fuse!

your ballast instructions should come with a recommendation on what type of fuse to use.

my Advance m58 250watt ballast recommends a 7.5amp slow-blow fuse, which I put inline with the HOT power lead (black = hot, white = neutral)

oh, also, moving to the [acronym:410fdccea6="Do it yourself"]diy[/acronym:410fdccea6] forum as a more fitting topic for there.

jamal-188 · 11-08-2003, 09:33 AM

These ballasts didn't come with any instructions

Wouldn't it matter which red wire on the ballst goes to the black and white wires on the reflector? Won't it also matter which input wire on the ballast goes to which side of the plug that goes into my wall?

justDIY · 11-08-2003, 12:54 PM

it shouldn't matter how the bulb is connected, or the ballast for that matter, as [acronym:93df5df87b="Activated Carbon"]AC[/acronym:93df5df87b] really has no polarity.

but it does have a HOT and a NEUTRAL, hot = incoming power, neutral = returning power

if the power cord you're using to go to the wall is not color coded (most modern cords should be), then you'll want find out which prong (out of the 3) is the hot terminal.

putting in a fuse is real easy - just go to radio shack and ask for an inline fuse holder and some wire nuts, and of course the proper amp fuse for your ballast. then you just connect one end of the holder to your ballast wire and the other end to your electrical cord wire, and you're all set.

11-07-2003, 06:49 PM	#1
jamal-188 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: PA Posts: 1,809 Images: 9	How to wire MH reflector to ballast? Just got my Coralvue retro kit from DIYreef last night but don't know how to wire it up? There are three wires on the reflector a green a white and a black. Then on the reflector there are 2 red that say lamp, 1 green that says ground, 2 wires labeled input that are black and white.

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11-08-2003, 01:04 AM	#2
Guest Posts: n/a	The two red wires should be slightly different colored, or it doesn't matter. The Black and white wires on the reflector will connect to the red wires and the green will connect together... then the input goes to the plug for the wall socket..Make sense?

11-08-2003, 01:10 AM	#3
justDIY Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Earth Posts: 1,191 Images: 12	on the input wires, one of them should have a fuse! your ballast instructions should come with a recommendation on what type of fuse to use. my Advance m58 250watt ballast recommends a 7.5amp slow-blow fuse, which I put inline with the HOT power lead (black = hot, white = neutral) oh, also, moving to the [acronym:410fdccea6="Do it yourself"]diy[/acronym:410fdccea6] forum as a more fitting topic for there.

11-08-2003, 09:33 AM	#4
jamal-188 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: PA Posts: 1,809 Images: 9	These ballasts didn't come with any instructions Wouldn't it matter which red wire on the ballst goes to the black and white wires on the reflector? Won't it also matter which input wire on the ballast goes to which side of the plug that goes into my wall?

11-08-2003, 12:54 PM	#5
justDIY Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Earth Posts: 1,191 Images: 12	it shouldn't matter how the bulb is connected, or the ballast for that matter, as [acronym:93df5df87b="Activated Carbon"]AC[/acronym:93df5df87b] really has no polarity. but it does have a HOT and a NEUTRAL, hot = incoming power, neutral = returning power if the power cord you're using to go to the wall is not color coded (most modern cords should be), then you'll want find out which prong (out of the 3) is the hot terminal. putting in a fuse is real easy - just go to radio shack and ask for an inline fuse holder and some wire nuts, and of course the proper amp fuse for your ballast. then you just connect one end of the holder to your ballast wire and the other end to your electrical cord wire, and you're all set.