help with wiring
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11304
Printed Date: August 02 2026 at 12:04pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: help with wiring
Posted By: juan
Subject: help with wiring
Date Posted: March 28 2006 at 9:06pm
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I just got a 250w M58 MH ballast, Its a black box with 4 wires sticking out, one red, one white and two black(one of them with yellow bands). does somebody out there has experience wiring that can give some advice. thanks
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Replies:
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: March 28 2006 at 9:16pm
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Open the box and look at the ballast. There should be a label on the ballast itself. If not, tell us where the wires lead or call me for help. I'm pretty sure that the white and black go to the power plug and the red and black/yellow go to the bulb. The box should be grounded with a green wire leading from the power plug. Is there a green wire? ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: juan
Date Posted: March 28 2006 at 9:28pm
| no green, and there is a label on top its just confusing shows two ballasts going to one bulb, and the black/yellow is for227v current(just found out) |
Posted By: juan
Date Posted: March 28 2006 at 9:33pm
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Mark, I will take the ballast with me when I visit you on saturday(for frags,remember? ) maybe that will be better.
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: March 28 2006 at 9:37pm
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I look forward to your visit. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: jglover
Date Posted: March 30 2006 at 1:32pm
| The black and white go to the power you need to set your own ground just attatch the green wire (that will be on you plug cord) to the box anywhere. The red and yellow go to the bulb (usually doesn't matter which goes where so long as they both go to the bulb. |
Posted By: RockStarFish
Date Posted: March 30 2006 at 3:27pm
| I have one of those the way I wierd mine with the diagram on the ballastI ran the white to the white on the socket and the red to the other one on the socket then you hook up the one side of the cord to the red and the other you hook up to the black (fromthe ballast) to the other wire from the power cord |
Posted By: Redrock
Date Posted: April 13 2006 at 11:54pm
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Sorry I don't mean to step on your thread Juan, I hope this is a good place to bring this subject up. As a greenie I need help with MUCH. But specifically and for now I am looking for an inexpensive supplier for VHO and MH ballasts. I am going to build a housing for my lighting and I can NOT BELIEVE HOW MUCH THIS STUFF COSTS!! Also I have read that electronic ballasts for MH are unreliable and cause "noise" on radio and TV signals. Any truth? I would appreciate opinions, facts, links, etc. Thanks Rod |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: April 14 2006 at 5:30am
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Good ballasts for running VHO are the http://www.fulham.com - www.fulham.com Workhorse ballast available in SLC at Commercial Lighting Supply and the ARO ballast available at Marine Aquatics in Sandy. Both are electronic and much more effective and effecient than the old "magnetic" types. ARO also makes an electronic MH ballast that seems to work well. Also available at Marine Aquatics. For other new MH ballasts whether the old reliable magnetic type or electronic, I'd check with Commercial Lighting Supply again. Second to this MB, Ebay is a good place to look when you have determined exactly what you want.
------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: jglover
Date Posted: April 14 2006 at 11:05am
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I had a 250 W MH electronic ARO ballast 5 feet from my tv and computer that never caused any snow or interference they have always worked fine for me and I never considered them "unreliable." I bought all my stuff from hellolights.com and have been completely satisfied. For VHO I would scond mark on the workhorse(WH) I run a WH 7 and its been perfect for 2 years now. they are all very easy to setup and do the job quite well. |
Posted By: Redrock
Date Posted: April 14 2006 at 12:25pm
| Thanks for the replies Mark and JG. I am still out on the choice for ballasts but I know that added energy use is becomming less attractive as I start to add up the total wattage requirements. I am guessing an increase of around $45 to $60 per month in my power bill to operate a 150 gal (+-) system. Does this sound in the ball park? |