need assistance making flourecent fixture from scratch

2217 Views 1 Reply 2 Participants Last post by marxlaws, Jan 11, 2005

nunzilla

Discussion Starter · Dec 31, 2004

First let me say I'm no electrician, my experience in this sort of thing is limited to installing hardwire fixtures from IKEA and the like. But any way I'm building the light for an aquarium. I needed at least 2 bulbs over the tank, but there are no such fixtures avaliable in the size i require (at least not any that I'm willing to pay for

) So far i have purchased a single ballast for both t8 and t12 bulbs, 4 endcaps, 2 starters and a lampcord. the trouble I'm having is placing the starters. because I want the flexability of using both types of bulbs, I bought a "push start" type ballast that needs to have starters added. so i guess what I'm asking for is the placement of the starters on a circut diagram.

also the ballast says it and the reflector need to be grounded. But my other single lights aren't grounded (2 prong plug), do i need to ground them, if so do i just solder a wire to the grounded wire of a three prong plug?

thanks for any advice from Bolton's hidden fishhead :cheesygri

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marxlaws

· #2 · Jan 11, 2005

nunzilla said:
First let me say I'm no electrician, my experience in this sort of thing is limited to installing hardwire fixtures from IKEA and the like. But any way I'm building the light for an aquarium. I needed at least 2 bulbs over the tank, but there are no such fixtures avaliable in the size i require (at least not any that I'm willing to pay for ) So far i have purchased a single ballast for both t8 and t12 bulbs, 4 endcaps, 2 starters and a lampcord. the trouble I'm having is placing the starters. because I want the flexability of using both types of bulbs, I bought a "push start" type ballast that needs to have starters added. so i guess what I'm asking for is the placement of the starters on a circut diagram.

also the ballast says it and the reflector need to be grounded. But my other single lights aren't grounded (2 prong plug), do i need to ground them, if so do i just solder a wire to the grounded wire of a three prong plug?

thanks for any advice from Bolton's hidden fishhead :cheesygri

i mean this in the nicest way;really, dont do it, water and electricity and inexperience dont mix. i would never tell you how to wire said light because i would feel responsible in even a small way. so my advice is save a little cash up and get the ul listed fixure.

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