Just bought this... MH Retrofit :)

[dennis_said]

Okay, I just went and got me this:

http://www.hellolights.com/25methalretk.html

I checked here...

http://www.advancetransformer.com/ecatalog/HID_LookUp.asp

But got stumped when it came to catalog number, so I went w/ filling in all the slots.. but was lost at "NUMBER of TAPS"

What does that mean?

And if by chance does anybody have the catalog number for this? :)

[maximus89]

I am almost certain that a tap would be a voltage. Like 120,208,277 ect... so you can run a ballast on different voltages not all bussinesses are running on 120v. Remeber to cap of the other taps so they dont ark out.

[dennis_said]

Ah thanks,

but when I was checking under the TAP selections they were like ONE or DUAL or TRIPLE or QUAD or 5-tap? Or something.. dunno which is which... for my ballast at least :(

[dennis_said]

Just got the whole package, I think I'm in way over my head here guys =T anybody have the direct link to instructions online? :)

[boogs]

"Taps" refers to the supply voltage for operating the ballast. Tri-tap traditionally has, 120, 220 and 347 volt taps - you choose your supply voltage (120 for residential)

Scott

[dennis_said]

Ah thanks,

I'm just about to get to work on my magnetic ballast... what makes them so much more difficult than ELECTRONIC ballasts?

And how much more difficult is it? (hellolights said, "Have a certified electrician install this unit) and it freaked me out!

[clamster]

[i] (hellolights said, "Have a certified electrician install this unit) and it freaked me out! [/B]

Standard C-Y-A legalese.

[dennis_said]

So any college business student emphasizing in marketing can do it? :)

[maximus89]

Ballast:
1.Two yellow wires are common
2.Black/yellow(120)v to white out of wall receptacle
3.red/hook to one of the blue leads on the capacitor other blue to one of the mogul sockets wires
4.black(277)v
5.violet(240)v
6.orange(208)v
7if you are not using 4,5,6 make sure and cap off
8. Wire one of the yellows to your mogul and the other to the black on the wall receptacle

[dennis_said]

Hey Maximus for 3 and 8 the ones that go to the Mongul... I have a WHITE and BLACK wire coming out of the mongul... which goes where?

[maximus89]

The ballast:
1.has two yellows one goes to the mogul doesnt matter witch the other goes to the black one in the wall recepticle
The capacitor:
2.has two blue leads hook one to the red coming from the ballast to one blue doesnt matter witch the other to the other lead on the mogul

[maximus89]

I dont know witch is the polarizied side of the plug is if you notice that a wall recepticle has a large slot and one not so large I am thinking that the large one is the white but I am hoping someone will bail me out on this one I know that they will work either way but I am no electrical engineer so the downfalls of wiring it wrong I have yet to see or I am one lucky sob. I have wired them both ways with no ill effect my dishwasher will only work one way strange! Just keep this in mind the wiring is not very hard I would use solder and shrink wrap but wire nuts are good I put two sheaths of shrink wrap just to be safe and I havent had any problems so far n.o.w if you need anything else just say so!!:p

[clamster]

NEMA convention: Black color is "hot" ; white is "neutral";
"hot" is the smaller plug while "neutral" is bigger ...

Your assumption is correct ...

... provided who ever wired up your home did it correctly...

http://www.quail.com/locator/nema.htm#15

[clamster]

http://www.quail.com/locator/

You guys notice that the US is one of those FEW countries that chose 60Hz for AC? Mr. Westinghouse lost this one... 60 Hz ... too close to the frequency of the human heart for comfort isn't it?

[dennis_said]

The lamp is up and working :)

Thanks maximus for the help, and ESPECIALLY thankful to Clamster who pretty much led me through the ENTIRE process :D