Need idiots instructions for wiring tridonic ballast

[Ges1]

Hi, I'm having a bit of trouble with some wiring.

I just purchased a tridonic ballasts, and I want to create a new light fixture.

I bought a twin strip light, and removed the ballast, and I intend to replace it with the electronic ballast, as well as convert it to mains power.

However, I have no idea what I'm doing, but am confident if told what to do, that I can do it safely. I have all the equipment I need.

I've stripped the light down, removed the starters, and now I'm left with the tridonic ballast, the bulb sockets, a blue wire, a brown wire, and some mains cable.

I know what everything does, but I don't want ot make any assumptions, as I don't understand wiring diagrams.

Of the two pictures on display, would anyone mind telling me what goes where? I want to attach two tube lights to the ballast, along with the electricial cabling that will plug into the mains.

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• Ges1
• 3 Sep 2011
• 1

On this picture, I guess the brown and blue wire go in here, but which holes? Since I'm running two bulbs, do I just put two brown wires and two blue wire in the same holes? if so, which ones?

Similarly

Untitled

• Ges1
• 3 Sep 2011
• 1

Which wire goes where? Do I wrap the earth around the hole in the metal, and what do I do with the green and yellow tubing the electrician supplied me with for the earth wire?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Christhescott]

You say you have a twin flourescent fitting, that ballast is only for a single.

On the right of the ballast, there are four terminals, you will see a small wiring diagram that represents the flourescent tube, two wires will go to either end of the lamp as it shows.

On the left is where the 240volt supply goes in, it doesnt matter which way round. I suggest you sleeve the earth and crimp it and bolt it and the ballast onto the fitting.

 

[Ges1]

Hi Chris, thanks for the reply.

I posted the wrong ballast, I just realised this is the one I have:

http://www.controlkings.com/tridonic-atco-t8/22176107.html

Is that a different matter? My main issue is the blue and the brown wires that go from the ballast to the lamp sockets. It doesn't matter what way round they are, or is that just for the 240v connection?

 

[holmslaw]

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[Ges1]

This wouldn't be the most technical or dangerous thing I've done in my life. With all due respect, it's basically just stripping a wire and poking it in a hole. I'm in a garage with a single electrical point and no fire hazards around me of any kind.

I don't know what voltage it was originally, it was one that goes into the ceiling, so 230v, I guess. I want to just strip the ballast out, put a new one in and run it through a plug socket.

I've seen this done hundreds of times in my field of work, and I now want to do it myself.

I understand that by admitting my complete ignorance towards the actual mechanics of this job, I open myself up to people suggesting I walk away, but having the bits in front of me, it's quite clear that this is not a particularly difficult job.

I've stripped all wires to their appropriate lengths, and just need to know which holes to put them in. Then I'm going to put the light back together and turn it on. If there's something more to it than that which I am missing, then I will gladly walk away.

However, I won't be throwing anything in the bin.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Ges1]

It's coll man, I wasn't offended, I realise that I'm doing something potentially dangerous. No problems at all. Just want to know what wires to stick where though. I like I say, if there's something Im missing, let me know, because I will leave it if there's more to it than that.

 

[holmslaw]

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[RF Lighting]

Why not just but a high frequency fluorescent fitting? its all done for you then.

 

[Ges1]

Because I can't find one that contains 4 bulbs. I'm building a specialist unit for a specialist job.

Christthescott, thanks man. I didn't really understand your post at first, as I didn't actually have the ballast in front of me. Now I have it, it all made perfect sense. Connected it and everything worked perfectly. Much appreciated, thanks again.

 

[RF Lighting]

Buy two then.

 

[Ges1]

Buying two doesn't solve my problem, since I need them to be mains powered, and need the bulbs to be identically spaced, but further apart than they are in a traditional bay. I also need the bays to be a different shape than a traditional bay. I again need the bays to be coated in a different material that will allow for a uniform dispersion of light that will stay true to the diffused value from end to end. Standard electronic ballasts also come with warm lights, and I need particular daylight bulbs.

If I bought two, I'd just have twice the amount of unneeded parts, and twice as many plug sockets in use.

No, I promise you this was the best way.

Google "Kino Flo", and you'll understand what I'm building.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

... convert it to mains power ...

Buying two doesn't solve my problem, since I need them to be mains powered ...

You keep saying that.

They are mains powered - they need a 230V supply.

What on earth are you on about?

 

[Ges1]

The lights came with a terminal block on the end, I want to put a plug where the terminal block is and plug it into an outlet.

See, the problem is that I'm a photographer, not an electrician, so I don't really know the correct terminology. That gives people like you a great opportunity to pretend I'm saying something so utterly mystifying and stupid that you just can't begin to fathom my idiocy, when in reality, what I'm saying is really quite simple.

It's like when someone doesn't speak great English, you just kind of adapt to their limited lexicon, rather than lording it over them like some kind of arrogant melon-headed prick.

Has this all gone in one ear and out the other?