Switching Plugs or much harder?

[subfloral]

ok, so i've got an extra light that a buddy of mine dropped off that he isn't using... currently i have one 1k light and the one my buddy loaned me is also 1k.... i could definitely use the light and as soon as possible... so i went to go hook it up and to my horror was some strange hideous malformation of a plug... it looked like a normal plug except that one of the prongs was perpendicular to the other one... can i replace it with a normal plug?... (i doubt it will be that easy, with my luck)... or does this ballast need a different flavor of electricity... will i need to run a whole to breaker or whatever?

 

[NiteTiger]

Sounds like the ballast is wired for 240v, instead of 120. If that's the case, no, swapping the plug won't work. Ask your buddy if it is 240v (220v), if you don't feel comfortable enough to take it apart and check for yourself

 

[MTF-Sandman]

Yup...it's a 220/240v plug. If the ballast is a multitap, you can switch the hot lead inside the ballast and then change the plug if you need to use 120v.

 

[stonewall]

Sounds more like a 20 amp 120 vac plug.

 

[notjonesinNEmor]

Look at the pics and let us know which it is.






The last is a 220/250v plug. The other 2 are 110/120 plugs.

 

[MTF-Sandman]

I've never seen a ballast that runs 120v use a 20a plug...it's simply extra money for the manufacturer that they don't need to spend since the device only requires a 15a. My 220v AC does use a 5-20 though...the sideways lug to prevent it from being plugged into a 15a receptacle.

Edit: After doublechecking, I lied...my AC uses a 6-15p outlet, but the receptical is a 6-20

 

[stonewall]

yes yes, but let's be certain. There is the possibility, and we should not overlook it.

toke it easy

 

[subfloral]

it looks like the last picture there... with the horizontal prong on the left with the ground down... what does this mean?.... how exactly do i replace a hot lead?... anyways... sorry to be so vauge there, no camera and i was away from home... thanks alot for the help though

 

[subfloral]

so how do i tell if the ballast is a multi-tap and if i can replace the hot lead or whatever it's called?

 

[MTF-Sandman]

so how do i tell if the ballast is a multi-tap and if i can replace the hot lead or whatever it's called?

Open the ballast case and look to see if there's some wires marked 120v, 207v, 240v & 277v.

What make/model is the ballast?

 

[subfloral]

cool... thanks so much for the help... it is much appreciated... i don't have any idea what brand the ballast is... it looks old though... the only print on the entire thing says to use only 1000w high pressure sodium type s(something) and under that it says 120v 95A 60Hz... i opened the thing up and there is a whole bundle of wires in there... the one that is hooked up to the plug says 240v on it... there is also a 120v and a 300v and a bunch of other ones... can i use the same cord and just switch the one wire and the plug at the end, or should i get a new cord and plug all together?

 

[MTF-Sandman]

I think you're in luck. You should be able to just hook up the 120v lead instead of the 240v and change out the male 6-20 plug for a standard 5-15p plug. If you decide to replace the entire power cord, make sure to get a heavy duty extension cord that is rated for 15a so that it will never be the weak link.

If you just buy the plug to put on the end of the cable, the widest blade is the common (normally white), the narrower one is the hot (normally black) and the round one is the ground (normally green or bare).

 

[subfloral]

cool! thanks alot for the help... very much appreciated!... got the light up and running last night...