LoA bulbs with mogul base... need help powering!

[Electrobes]

Hey everyone! Well I bought these compact flo's by Lights of America that are mogul based and are 65 watt. They are pretty cool but have one shoddy thing I ran into trouble with. I took out the "ballast" which seems to be built in and also has the mogulbase right by it, and I housed it in a wooden box, then screwed it to my newly made canopy Pic 1. This set up worked all of last night but then in the morning to test it before I left... I plugged it in and it super blew up. I think the bulb is fine but the "ballast is done.. I tried my other 4 bulbs that I bought as extra (well I bought two set ups so two are extra for only 12 bucks a pop!). They didn't work. I was wondering if it was even remotely possible to powere these bulbs in anopther way.. like possibly getting a Real ballast (that could power one or maybe even two bulbs) and also getting mogul base(s) and rewire it to the canopy.. and just have the base(s) in the tank, keeping the ballast away from the water. Thank you so much for reading everyone! Also while I am at it you get to see pics of my canopy and light when it was working!!!!

 

[Electrobes]

Oh yeah I just read the other post from a while ago! So I can supposedly use a ballast and mogul sockets.. but a) did the set up with the ballast and mogul sockets work or did it go kaboom just like mine did? b) if it did work what ballast should I buy for a single and a dual bulb set up? (want to keep options open)? and how much was it to get the ballast and socket?

Thanks for looking again everyone

 

[loganj]

If I were to try this, and I have thought about it, I would try the Sylvania Quicktronic ballasts from Lowes. I'm using them on several regular PC setups and they work great. I imagine the 2x59w would do a fine job on a pair of the LOA bulbs.

 

[justDIY]

lets see pictures of the ballast

also, try to get the mogul base of the bulb open, so I can see if there are electronics on there.

I would NOT hook a regular ballast up to the bulb without knowing what is inside the base first.

 

[loganj]

Good point.
I know very little about electronics. My method would probably be to wire it up in the front yard, get behind a tree, and throw the juice to it 8O . Probably not the best idea though.

 

[Electrobes]

poo the "ballast" is that pic where the socket is... behind it.. basically a circuit board... and I am home from college so I am not sure about the socket..

Does anyone have this set up so they can look for me ??? thanks would mean a lot - Also how much would the ballast be if it is suitable for the situation?... do they even make a ballast for a single bulb?? Thanks

 

[Electrobes]

well I sarted looking around.. what do you think of the electronic ballast by Fulham? Seems like the workhorse 3 or 4 would do the job... that is if this idea works.. so yeah anyone who has the 65 watt LoA set up please look into your socket and at the ballast and tell us what you see thanks!

 

[Electrobes]

I took pics of the socket and "ballast"! Tell what you think.. is it possible top get a fulham workhorse (which would you suggest if it is possible?) ballast and sockets and do it that way instead of using these (whats in the pics)..?

 

[justDIY]

ok, that circuit looks like a typical step-up inverter ... ac power is converted to DC, and then back into high frequency high voltage AC.

the $1000 question is - what's inside the base end of the bulb?

the quicktronic ballast logan mentioned would be your best bet for driving the bulb assuming it's able to be driven in that manner, but to err on the side of caution, you really should try to open the bottom of the bulb up and see what's inside.

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a fulham workhorse, or any other commerical / industrial ballast can not be disassembled. the ballast electronics and transformer(s) are mounted on a circuit board and then packed in a asphalt / tar mixture before being sealed into their little metal box. this keeps water out and helps dissipate heat, but it also means no tinkering or fixing.

 

[Electrobes]

what do you mean what is in the base of the bulb? I have the bulb here with me...

 

[justDIY]

inside the plastic shell between where the base ends and the bulb starts ... need to see how the bulb itself is wired to the base, inside.

 

[Electrobes]

how would you go about doing that???

 

[justDIY]

a couple of screw drivers and some patience?

I don't know how the bottom of the bulb is held together, i'm sure it's probably glued shut, so you will probably have to pry it open.

 

[Electrobes]

hey DIY I took the bulb apart and voila... le pics! So still think its possible to use a ballast and mogul sockets?

 

[Electrobes]

okay wierd it didn't post the pics... but here they are I think..

 

[justDIY]

great work!

the orange thing is a starter, which preheats the filimants prior to turning on the bulb.

the white and silver wire coming from each "end" of the bulb (imagine a long t4 bulb folded up) are your terminals.

connect each pair of wires together, and then each pair to the the hot and neutral side of a comprable wattage ballast.

with that starter in place, you will not be able to use the bulb with a normal ballast, it will need to be removed.

easiest way to do it and still maintain the nice mogul socket connection would be, take each yellow wire, and solder it together with a white/silver pair. then glue everything back together, hook up the ballast and you're all set.

 

[Electrobes]

okay I may be a slow here, but which pair of wires do you want me to connect??? I see the white, silver, and yellow wires... and then the starter. But which pair to which pair? sorry I am confused

 

[justDIY]

hope this helps:

 

[Electrobes]

??? I have the bulb in front of me opened, I just am not too sure which pair of wires to connect... "connect each pair of wires together, and then each pair to the the hot and neutral side of a comprable wattage ballast."

 

[Electrobes]

haha whoops... I didn't look at the pic blown up.. doh!