Power Compact lighting.. how do i retrofit 4 straight pins to work with 4 square pin

[candymancan]

So I bought a new tank and the guy gave me his Quad 65Wx2 Power Compact light.. It has a 4 Square pin connection.. The problem with this is.. I don't want 4X 6700K lights in there.. and that's all they sell for Power Compacts of this pin config... That or a 6700/10k config which I already have.. Im going to keep the 6700/10k as its plenty bright enough for me.. But I need to replace the Actinic combo... Hense why I don't want 4 white lights..

Plants need red spectrum the most. I found a website that has a duel pink 65W Power Compact bulb most likely old stock from 2008 or something.. I order one but it is a 4 straight pin light... My Ballast is 4 Square pin.. Obviously the bulbs are exactly the same just the pin config is German/Japanese. They don't sell adapters for this either..

Soo how am I going to make this work ? Can I Just cut the plug off my Ballast and Add pins to the wires seperatly and plug them into the 4 straight pin light 1 by 1 ? The last pic is an adapter I found on google images.. but I don't see where I can buy this adapter.. I think I found one on ebay but the guy wants $25 plus $10 shipping that isn't going to happen

[Brookster123]

Buy the adapter or sell the light and get something more practical for your needs.

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[candymancan]

No lol im just going to wire the pins directly to the plug.. no need for an adapter... I work on cars for a Hobby so im very handy..... spending $30 for an adapter when you can wire it yourself isn't very practical nor is selling a High output light because of a little wiring problem that can be fixed...

Uhg just forget it.. I'll do it the way I said by cutting the wires and wiring it directly.. I'll post back with pics to show you it can be done and will cost $2 for wire plugs from home depot

[Brookster123]

That's fine man, do your thing, water and jerry - rigged electrical. . Not in my house

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[candymancan]

Nothing is rigged.. Lol

you obviously a man or woman that doesn't understand how to do electrical.. Cut the plug off then put a pin on the end of each of the 4 wires.. crimp the pin in place with a pair of needle nosed pliers.. and your done.

The plugs are coverd in plastic the plugs are inside the plastic.. There is no Jurry rigging exposed wires... its no more exposed then the stock plug was lol..

[Brookster123]

I'm a man, I understand electrical, let's see the pics when you're finished. I missed the part about clean swapping the ends.

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[candymancan]

I get the light on the 30th or the 1st depending on how fast these bozos ship it.. I just need to figure out which plug is negative and positive and im golden.. I dislike wires that are all black lol makes it a little annoying having to use a mulimeter

[candymancan]

Ok i got the light today.. Cut off the square pin plug on my light fixtures ballast and I took the actual metal plugs out of the white plastic square piece I cut off. Then I crimped the wires together using butt connectors and plugged it in the straight pin light.. Walla saved myself $20 for an adapter.

Although Im not too sure about the bright pink.. The plant grow bulbs im used too are the T8's from aqueon and those are more purple ish and they don't wash out the tank.. This bright pink one even with a 6700/10k combo next to it kinda washes out the natural colors of the fish tank making everything look more well redish/pink. But im sure itll help the plants more then a 6700k would, I'll probably buy a 6700/6700 light as well in case I don't like this pink bulb down the road.

Here are pics.. as you see no wires are exposed. First pic is the straight pin I cut and wired directly.. the second pic is what my fixture came with the square pin plug that I cut off.. and obviously 3rd pic shows the lights working

[Brookster123]

Ermmm I see exposed crimps and wires?? Plastic dip and it's a green light

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[candymancan]

Originally Posted by Brookster123

Ermmm I see exposed crimps and wires?? Plastic dip and it's a green light

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Look closer dude... expand the picture.. I have clear plastic tubing covering the "EXPOSED" parts your looking at on the pins lol.. Nothing is exposed your just not opening your eyes.. Everything is covered by plastic.. I don't need to heat shrink it , the light is 6 inches above my tank, the tank has a glass top, and the fixture has a plastic cover.. and all the wires are covered.

[HN1]

As an ex-FF, I personally wouldn't be comfortable with it. Stuff happens.

[jlk]

All off topic posts have been removed. Please keep the nature of this discussion centered on the OP's original topic. Thanks!

[Brookster123]

In all honesty it will probably be ohhkay.. i wake up sometimes in the night to check my tanks, once you've had a massive failure you'll understand "the fear". Why add something to the mix that could fail? What if it gets splashed? Probably won't but what if? Plastidip is so simple and will ensure a safe, watertight connection point..

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