BE CAREFUL WHEN DIY LIGHTS

[jason]

I TRY TO DIY MY OWN FL LIGHTS. BOUGHT ELECTRONIC BALLAST FROM HARDWARE SHOP, AFTER DIY LIGHT UP VERY NICE, OFF IT THEN TRY TO LIGHT AGAIN EXPLODED. FOUND OUT THE STUPID BALLAST IS MAKE IN SUCH A WAY THAT LIVE AND NETRUAL WIRE IS BARE AND SO CLOSE TOGETHER INTERNALLY.

WENT BACK SHOP TO EXCHANGE A NEW BALLAST BUT WAS GIVEN A SPOILT AGAIN, BLOW MY POWER SOCKET.

NOW VERY VERY VERY SCARED

THOUGHT OF DIY MH BUT PREVIOUS INCIDENT REALLY SCARE ME OFF !!!!

[Achilles Tang]

I have used Elbiru E-ballasts for my old DIY PL light hood without any such problems.

What brand did you buy?

Can you take a pix of the contacts on the e-ballasts? How close are the contacts to each other?

[jason]

HI AT,

SORRY CAN'T REMEMBER THE BRAND NAME, I REMEMBER IT WAS WRITTEN MADE IN JAPAN BUT THE SOLDERING INSIDE IS VERY BADLY DONE, I THINK SHOULD BE FROM "C****".

YOU SEE, THERE IS A LIVE AND NEUTRAL WIRE COMING OUT FROM 2 SOLDERING PADS ONLY AROUND 3MM APART, WORST OF ALL THAT WIRE HAS AROUND 2- 3 CM OF WIRE BARE WITHOUT INSULATION.

WORST OF ALL MY WIFE WAS AROUND WHEN THE 2 EXPLOSION HAPPENDED. THE SECOND EXPLOSION, A TRANSISTOR IN THE BALLAS MELT.

ACTUALLY THOUHT OF BUYING YOUR MH LIGHT BUT COST MORE THAN THOUSAND DOLLARS CANNOT AFFORD AND IF I BUY MY WIFE WILL SURE KILL ME.

[jason]

SORRY FORGOT TO MENTION RETURN THE BALLAST TO THE SHOP ALREADY. GIVE UP

[Achilles Tang]

Sorry to hear that Jason... I hate messing with electrical stuff too. So what are you future plans now? Get another brand of e-ballasts and try again?

oh Jason... stop yelling!

Let me explain... using CAPITAL letters is the internet equivalent of shouting.

Now you know!

[jason]

Hey AT,

Now no more yelling

I am thinking of buying MH or may diy MH(scare bigger explosion)

[Dinosaur]

I TRY TO DIY MY OWN FL LIGHTS. BOUGHT ELECTRONIC BALLAST FROM HARDWARE SHOP, AFTER DIY LIGHT UP VERY NICE, OFF IT THEN TRY TO LIGHT AGAIN EXPLODED. FOUND OUT THE STUPID BALLAST IS MAKE IN SUCH A WAY THAT LIVE AND NETRUAL WIRE IS BARE AND SO CLOSE TOGETHER INTERNALLY.

WENT BACK SHOP TO EXCHANGE A NEW BALLAST BUT WAS GIVEN A SPOILT AGAIN, BLOW MY POWER SOCKET.

NOW VERY VERY VERY SCARED

THOUGHT OF DIY MH BUT PREVIOUS INCIDENT REALLY SCARE ME OFF !!!!

next time tape up the expose area of the wire so that It will not come into contact. else it will blow off........

[Achilles Tang]

Yeah I was gonna say advise that too... I mean... you already know that the leads are so close to each other... not enough insulation.

[jason]

fyi,

the wire are inside the ballast enclosed, need to open to find out and all wiring in the ballast is done by manufacturer. Just don't understand why they dun know the importantance of good insulation ???

[Norvin Ng]

I am not an electrical person but I was fortunate to be "coached" by an lighting shop. The wires used to connect directly to all ballasts should have solid cores and not those that are "hairy". A proper ballast has wire connectors that is one-way, ie, once you slot in the solid wire, its very difficult to pull it out again. You only need to remove that much wire insulator so that no bare wire is exposed. The ballast I have even indicated how much insulator to remove.

If you need to line your wires very near the ballast, you actually need to buy special heat insulator tubes (not expensive) to cover the wires as the heat may melt the wires, causing two live wires to meet and...... boom!!!! How I know? It happened to me once..... scared the ghost out of me!! Even right now when I DIY these things, I make sure I am hiding behind something as I on the switch... just to be safe....

[TanGo]

Try using wire connectors.. They will keep your wires seperated..

Anyway, I have two electronic ballast for sale.. If anyone is interested.. It is meant for FL only.. Small and lightweight.. Have been using them for the past 4mths without any problems.. Just upgraded to PL so the two ballast sitting in my tool box.. PM me..

[wolfie]

My personal experience...

I more blur den Jason... Forget (and tot dun need) to connect the earth wire to the plug... Den on the light and ...

my entire hse tripped & the socket fused! lesson learnt...

Dino mentioned abt tapin' the expose wire... Juz use normal tape can? the tape wil melt or not?

[Dinosaur]

My personal experience...

I more blur den Jason... Forget (and tot dun need) to connect the earth wire to the plug... Den on the light and ...

my entire hse tripped & the socket fused! lesson learnt...

Dino mentioned abt tapin' the expose wire... Juz use normal tape can? the tape wil melt or not?

No idea about those ‘normal’ transparent scotch tape.

Normally pple will use the colorful tape (rubber feel that can be slightly dtretch one) meant for taping wire.

[dodo]

For my case...i kena mild electricution when i try to DIY my FL Lite...now...bot a probing wire to earth any electricity leakage and insist on buy proper lite casing...will never DIY anything concerning electricity again

[BarraCudaTM]

the first thing you should do is the ground the casing and ballast, this is very important!

If the ballast is painted .. you will need to strap off the paint and make sure that the ground wire is securely attached to the unpainted surface

if there is any cases of short circuit(like live and neutral wire contect) you will trip the ELCB instead of blowing up things

[jason]

Yes, you are right in the 2 incident the ELCB tripped.

[TanGo]

the first thing you should do is the ground the casing and ballast, this is very important!

If the ballast is painted .. you will need to strap off the paint and make sure that the ground wire is securely attached to the unpainted surface

if there is any cases of short circuit(like live and neutral wire contect) you will trip the ELCB instead of blowing up things

Either that or you can use the screws that is attached to the casing for grounding.. Wrap the grounding wire to one of the screw and screw it back in place.. Then change to a 3 pin plug.