Direct wire fluoros

[HighonthePrize]

I recently purchased a t5 ballast, unaware that it was designed to be directly wired to the circuit. Being that I'm not an electrician, I asked someone at Lowe's how to put a cord with a male plug on it. They told me I would start something on fire if I tried.

Did I just spend $150 on a light I cant use?

 

[bartender187]

I am rather confused in what your asking.. But I recently purchased 2 - 24inch from Home Depot... they didnt come with cords... just 2 wires out of each one. Just purchase a 15amp cord, or butcher up a spare extension cord.... Black to black, white to white, green to the green screw on the inside of the flouro unit... purchase some wire nuts that are the appropriate size for your wire gauge.

 

[Guest]

What an asshloe lowes specialist,get what called a "pigtail"its a length of cord usually 6 ft long witha male plug on 1 end,three wires on the other.You need 1 romex connector and two small wire nuts.Come in through the "knockout" on the end of the fixture tapping with a hammer and screwdriver until its puched out.attach romex connector and locknut.Go through romex connector with wire and tighten connector,make sure it tightens on the plastic sheath not on the wires themselves.The green wire goes under ground screw,make hook clockwise and it will tighten clockwise.The white wire from the fixture goes under a wirenut with the white from the pigtail,and the black from the fixture to the black of the pigtail.It sounds like a lot but its simple as hell,I hate incompetent workers that cant explain how to wire a simple flo fixrure sheesh!

 

[HighonthePrize]

Thanks ballastman! I actually had you in mind when I wrote this! I've noticed you're very knowledgeable in this area, much more so than the lowes staff! I think I'll go to casa de pot to get that stuff.

 

[Guest]

No problem just let me know if you run into any problems,its very simple really.I didnt mention this but get a pigtaial with #14 AWG size wire,12 would be overkill and you dont want to go smaller than 14.Just tell the guy you want a 14/2 with ground pigtail

 

[HighonthePrize]

instead of having 1 white, 1 black, and 1 green wire from the fixture, i have 2 green wires, and 2 green wires with a stripe.

 

[Guest]

WHAAaaaa,O this isnt a simpsons episode..Thats fruckin weird,the green wire with a yellow stripe is your ground,the rest confounds me.What size type flo are we talking about here?Whats it say on the ballast?

 

[HighonthePrize]

Okay, I was wrong about the wires they are all green with yellow. The light is an 8 bulb 4ft t5. Here are some pics.

 

[Guest]

Man this new hard drive sucks weenie,I cant blow up the pics.There should only be 3 wires to hook into one will be green or green with yellow stripes,this is the ground.One SHOULD be white or gray and one should be black red or any other color but white and green.Damn bro this is usually too simple, a black white and green are whats on all the flo's I've ever seen,there could be a slight variation like the ground may have a yellow stripe but white and (colored) should be the fixture's neutral and hot.