Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
okay I think I get it thanks JustDIY, I am now looking for a soldering iron before I leave to go back to gainesville.
LoA bulbs with mogul base... need help powering!
- Thread starter Electrobes
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Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oh what about sockets.. should I get any in particular or just any that I can find at either lowes or Home Depot?
I modified another one of your pictures.
If you get the Slyvania Quicktronic 2x32 ballast from Lowes (or the GE 232I from Home Depot)... that would give you 64 watts, pretty close to the 65 watts the bulb needs. or you try over driving the bulb with the 2x59 quicktronic and run the bulb at 120 watts.
either way, they all wire the same
you take the "HOT" leads (usually red or blue) and connect them all to one terminal of the socket and the "NEUTRAL" lead (usually yellow) and connect it to the other terminal on the socket...
then wire the ballast to the electrical supply via the black and white wires, and be sure to ground the ballast case using the green wire from your electrical cord.
If you get the Slyvania Quicktronic 2x32 ballast from Lowes (or the GE 232I from Home Depot)... that would give you 64 watts, pretty close to the 65 watts the bulb needs. or you try over driving the bulb with the 2x59 quicktronic and run the bulb at 120 watts.
either way, they all wire the same
you take the "HOT" leads (usually red or blue) and connect them all to one terminal of the socket and the "NEUTRAL" lead (usually yellow) and connect it to the other terminal on the socket...
then wire the ballast to the electrical supply via the black and white wires, and be sure to ground the ballast case using the green wire from your electrical cord.
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
what about if I want to do two sockets/two bulb set up??
well,
I'd recommend the sylvania quicktronic 4x32 or GE 432I ballast, each runs "four" bulbs at 32 watts each, so you would use two bulb wires for each LOA bulb you wanted to run, connected to each socket like in the previous picture.
or something like a fulham workhorse 7, which will drive the bulbs better as it's more powerfull than the sylvania or GE
I'd recommend the sylvania quicktronic 4x32 or GE 432I ballast, each runs "four" bulbs at 32 watts each, so you would use two bulb wires for each LOA bulb you wanted to run, connected to each socket like in the previous picture.
or something like a fulham workhorse 7, which will drive the bulbs better as it's more powerfull than the sylvania or GE
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
does lowes or HD have the workhorse? and if I were to get one how would I hook it up to the two different sockets, also should I get some specialized sockets or something or will any do? thanks! 
no, the only place I know that sells the fulham is reefgeek.com
the workhorse 7 has 4 red wires and 1 yellow wire. 2 red wires would go to each socket and then the yellow wire would go to one socket and then from there jump to the next socket.
from your picture of the LoA ballast, there is a black wire and a white wire going into that socket. so you'd connect the red workhorse wires to the black wire and the yellow workhorse wire to the white wire... use some wirenuts and ya don't have to solder!
as for sockets, just use the least expensive mogul base you can find... try to get ones with screw terminals, then you won't need to mess with wire nuts even.
the workhorse 7 has 4 red wires and 1 yellow wire. 2 red wires would go to each socket and then the yellow wire would go to one socket and then from there jump to the next socket.
from your picture of the LoA ballast, there is a black wire and a white wire going into that socket. so you'd connect the red workhorse wires to the black wire and the yellow workhorse wire to the white wire... use some wirenuts and ya don't have to solder!
as for sockets, just use the least expensive mogul base you can find... try to get ones with screw terminals, then you won't need to mess with wire nuts even.
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
awesome JustDIY thanks a lot... I will prob do the ordering tomorrow, and get the sockets tomorrow to see how they can be placed under my hood. I am glad to know that I can get rid of the LoA ballast.. heck its almost like the real things people buy online.. I mean each LoA bulb is 12 bucks... not sure how much the workhorse 7 is, and sockets.. and voila a lighting system. Granted its prob not the most efficient lighting but either way I think 130 watts for 30 bucks plus the ballast isn't so bad... especially with each bulb being ony 12 bucks if it ever needed to be replaced!
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
I couldn't find the ballast on reefgeek.com - how much is it.. and a WH7 will fire two of these bulbs right? If I go with the Lowes or HD method.. is there a ballast there that could even support two of these bulbs?
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
whoa I found it at reefgeek.com and won't 120 watts EACH bub blow the bulbs up????? Should I keep each bulb at 65 watts or maybe a little bit higher.. but 120 watts each?? 8O
Shouldn't I get the WH5 for the two 65 watt bulbs? Or would that be no different from getting the quicktronic or GE ballast?
Shouldn't I get the WH5 for the two 65 watt bulbs? Or would that be no different from getting the quicktronic or GE ballast?
well, the bulb only draws as much as it needs, to a point. There are ways to 'force' a bulb to take more power, like over-driving it, etc..
a wh7 would be more power than you need, yes, but it wouldn't nessecarly be severely over-powering the bulbs.
this is based on the length of the bulb and it's internal construction.
for the most expediate and inexpensive solution, I'd visit a nearby lowes and get the slyvania quicktronic 4x32 electronic ballast. It'll give ya 128 watts to light those bulbs, and it's like $25 ... then just get your mogul sockets while you're there and you'll have your lights done in time to finish t-day leftovers.
a wh7 would be more power than you need, yes, but it wouldn't nessecarly be severely over-powering the bulbs.
this is based on the length of the bulb and it's internal construction.
for the most expediate and inexpensive solution, I'd visit a nearby lowes and get the slyvania quicktronic 4x32 electronic ballast. It'll give ya 128 watts to light those bulbs, and it's like $25 ... then just get your mogul sockets while you're there and you'll have your lights done in time to finish t-day leftovers.
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
hehe thanks JustDIY... you are definately hardcore.. if I only had your talents at these things! 
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
How much is the Quicktronic 4X32 at Lowes? I can't find diddly on the website about it and its game day so the streets are pretty crowded.. so I wanna make sure the ride's worth it when I get there
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
oops nevermind I am retarded..
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
well I bought the quicktronic ballast but apparently lowes didn;t know what Mogul sockets are (my fiance did the shopping and I talked to a guy in lighting via a cellphone but he was completely clueless). So either I have to go there and find them myself, by them online, or use the LoA ones.
About the wiring of the ballast... it came with two red wires with 2 blue wires along side of it (for the lamps), two yellow wires (not sure what they do), and a black and white wire for the power. I know what wire goes where, but I am not sure how to wire it together. For instance since each bulb is 65 watt, do I simply just take a blue and a red wire and solder those two together (to get 64 watts 2X32)) and solder that to the black wire of the socket, and then solder a yellow wire to the white wire of the socket.. and then do the same steps for the other set of wires and socket?
Also where should I have the ballast located, once done with the sodering (or wirenutting)? Thanks! Oh man I need to rememebr to soder the insides of the bulbs too!... its gunna be a long day
About the wiring of the ballast... it came with two red wires with 2 blue wires along side of it (for the lamps), two yellow wires (not sure what they do), and a black and white wire for the power. I know what wire goes where, but I am not sure how to wire it together. For instance since each bulb is 65 watt, do I simply just take a blue and a red wire and solder those two together (to get 64 watts 2X32)) and solder that to the black wire of the socket, and then solder a yellow wire to the white wire of the socket.. and then do the same steps for the other set of wires and socket?
Also where should I have the ballast located, once done with the sodering (or wirenutting)? Thanks! Oh man I need to rememebr to soder the insides of the bulbs too!... its gunna be a long day
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
does anyone know who sells mogul sockets?
Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
hehe well I got lucky and didn;t throw away the sockets that came with the set up 
I'll be showing you all pics .. It doesn;t look bad..
I'll be showing you all pics .. It doesn;t look bad.. Electrobes
Aquarium Advice Addict
well I sodered one bulb and stuck the bulb in and it dimly lit the bulb.. but then I realized I forgot to do the "surgery" to the bulb.. I pray that fixes the prob
