-
ICMag with help from Landrace Warden and The Vault is running a NEW contest in November! You can check it here. Prizes are seeds & forum premium access. Come join in!
Wiring TG11 Socket Remote CFL lamps
- Thread starter Hydro-Soil
- Start date
[email protected]
New member
hey ok i saw the other post about the 1a 1b etc.etc. for the 4 slots..
should i use 18awg wire for it or 12awg
and the ballast has multiple reds for each of the sockets but only the one yellow...so should i connect 2 wires from the yellow side of the socket together and connect that to the yellow?
i just want to make sure i am doing this right before i burn out the bulbs.
so each of the yellow sides of the sockets would go to a mutual 1 wirecap with the yellow wire from the ballast tied to that
"One red wire to each socket. (Split to 2 wires before going into one side of the socket) <- i understand that
One wire from each socket (connected to 2 wires on the opposite side of the socket) going to the one yellow. <- this is what i am asking for clarification on
Power comes in through the red leads to the lamps and goes back to the ballast through the yellow leads.
The black and white leads are for the power plug.
(Lamp cord or other 2-pronged)"
should i use 18awg wire for it or 12awg
and the ballast has multiple reds for each of the sockets but only the one yellow...so should i connect 2 wires from the yellow side of the socket together and connect that to the yellow?
i just want to make sure i am doing this right before i burn out the bulbs.
so each of the yellow sides of the sockets would go to a mutual 1 wirecap with the yellow wire from the ballast tied to that
"One red wire to each socket. (Split to 2 wires before going into one side of the socket) <- i understand that
One wire from each socket (connected to 2 wires on the opposite side of the socket) going to the one yellow. <- this is what i am asking for clarification on
Power comes in through the red leads to the lamps and goes back to the ballast through the yellow leads.
The black and white leads are for the power plug.
(Lamp cord or other 2-pronged)"
Tanuvan
Member
hey ok i saw the other post about the 1a 1b etc.etc. for the 4 slots..
should i use 18awg wire for it or 12awg
and the ballast has multiple reds for each of the sockets but only the one yellow...so should i connect 2 wires from the yellow side of the socket together and connect that to the yellow?
i just want to make sure i am doing this right before i burn out the bulbs.
so each of the yellow sides of the sockets would go to a mutual 1 wirecap with the yellow wire from the ballast tied to that
"One red wire to each socket. (Split to 2 wires before going into one side of the socket) <- i understand that
One wire from each socket (connected to 2 wires on the opposite side of the socket) going to the one yellow. <- this is what i am asking for clarification on
Power comes in through the red leads to the lamps and goes back to the ballast through the yellow leads.
The black and white leads are for the power plug.
Yep that was my post you saw. I had those same sockets. I didn't like them so I got the kind with the quick release button...they are easier to wire as well...
Now to your questions...
The ballast wires themselves are 18G so you should be fine with that.
As to the yellow wire...if you refer to the Fulham docs...(if you have that brand) you just create a Y for as many yellows as you need. They should all come off the main yellow wire.
I hope that helps some. It's hard to explain, but the diagrams help a good bit. Since Hydro-Soil used red wires because he was out of yellow, it makes his pictures a lil hard to follow. However, if you pay close attention and look at what his wires are doing you can see how the yellow wires form a Y.
knna
Member
Hi All,
Thanks for the valuable info in this thread - for my confirmation, is this the right way to wire to euro connectors?
Many thanks,
mjconfid
Right onyup big thanks to knna from me also. You write really well and english isnt your first language! You were principally the one who inspired me to install pll's in my computer case. Months ago I must have read nearly all your posts across many forums. I don't think we would be seeing so many pll grows in the micro forum if it weren't for you. You changed the world in a small but significant way and that must be a good feeling
thedoormouse
New member
Hey, I just joined ICMag because I was hoping someone could offer me some advice. I've been trying to wire up this Fulham Workhouse 8 ballast with 3 55w lamps but I've had no luck at all. I followed your guide and I've redone the wiring a couple times but all I can get is a very slight glow out of the bulbs.
The weird thing is, if I take one of the spare red power wires and touch it to the metal reflector, the lamps light up...I dono man it's weird.
Anyway, I'm attatching a picture in the hopes that maybe someone could point out something I'm doing wrong. Any help would be very much appreciated!
Thanks.
The weird thing is, if I take one of the spare red power wires and touch it to the metal reflector, the lamps light up...I dono man it's weird.
Anyway, I'm attatching a picture in the hopes that maybe someone could point out something I'm doing wrong. Any help would be very much appreciated!
Thanks.
Attachments
Glad you're using PL-L's, sorry to hear of difficulties.... hrmmmmmm.Hey, I just joined ICMag because I was hoping someone could offer me some advice. I've been trying to wire up this Fulham Workhouse 8 ballast with 3 55w lamps but I've had no luck at all. I followed your guide and I've redone the wiring a couple times but all I can get is a very slight glow out of the bulbs.
The weird thing is, if I take one of the spare red power wires and touch it to the metal reflector, the lamps light up...I dono man it's weird.
Anyway, I'm attatching a picture in the hopes that maybe someone could point out something I'm doing wrong. Any help would be very much appreciated!
Thanks.
There are 4 pins on the end of the lamp. Each pin goes into the socket and contacts a metal contact. The double wires on each side of the socket need to be inserted into separate holes so they're touching different contacts.
I say this because it LOOKS to me (from the small picture) that you have double wires poking into single holes. No?
thedoormouse
New member
The socket I have has the hole situated vertically instead of horizontally like yours, so yeah the wires are in two different holes. I keep rechecking it and everything seems to match what you said, I really can't figure out what's wrong.
Could it be that these sockets are wired differently from yours or something?
Could it be that these sockets are wired differently from yours or something?
It's got to be. If I had an extra one I would chop it up and trace the contacts down to see.
Gahh! I'm sorry I can't help.... I have no pictures in my head to guide you with. GarrrH!
Ok... it's 2am and I've been thinking about this and might have a solution. (nah, kept me up LOL)
On your sockets you have 2 holes near the edge on each side. Then you have another two close to the middle, right? (Kinda looks like there might even be holes directly in the center but not sure)
Have you tried putting the two wires into the outer and then the next hole over instead of the two at the edge? On my sockets that would wire it wrong but I'm not so sure about yours.
Question..... does the lamp light up "Sort of" if you run your finger down the length of the tube?? That's what mine did when they were "Jumpered".
The one thing I'm sure of is that if you test it only for a few seconds each time, you're not gonna blow the things up. Here's hoping you fix it. Please post a pic of the correct wiring when you find it too. Thanks!
On your sockets you have 2 holes near the edge on each side. Then you have another two close to the middle, right? (Kinda looks like there might even be holes directly in the center but not sure)
Have you tried putting the two wires into the outer and then the next hole over instead of the two at the edge? On my sockets that would wire it wrong but I'm not so sure about yours.
Question..... does the lamp light up "Sort of" if you run your finger down the length of the tube?? That's what mine did when they were "Jumpered".
The one thing I'm sure of is that if you test it only for a few seconds each time, you're not gonna blow the things up.
Here's hoping you fix it. Please post a pic of the correct wiring when you find it too. Thanks! bonglemonade
New member
Hi everyone. First time post. thedoormouse from looking at your pics you are only running one hot lead(red wire) from your Fulham Workhouse 8 ballast to your sockets. The Fulham Workhouse 8 ballast has 6 hot leads. Twist two reds together then run to one side of the socket (kind of like overdriving them). Im building a cab as well using 3 55watt pll and a rep at store told me 3 55watts produced almost identical lumens as 4 55watts (with Fulham Workhouse 8 ballast because they are being over driven). hope this helps
SAFETY WARNING:
Please, Do not do this without thorough testing and fire prevention materials at hand. The PL-L lamps are already a T5HO lamp bent in half. Basically they're already overdriven and the plastic base gets quite hot. Over-Overdriving them will make the plastic bases dangerously hot and I don't recommend running them like that for very long at all. I definitely wouldn't walk away from the setup while it was running.
The Fulham Workhorse 8 ballast is a 220w ballast that can run 4 55w lamps. Only 1 red lead per lamp is needed as the ballast automatically determines the wattage of the lamp and provides the proper current.
bonglemonade
New member
Sorry wasnt trying to p anyone off. (There is a differnt wiring diagram for 3 x 55watt twins versus 4 x 50 watt twins) If you look at Fulham ballast chart it shows two wires from ballast going into y before being split to two wires that are going into socket (diagram 26 for 3 x 55 watts twins) I was told by Fulham rep. that none of their ballast are rated to power 4 x 55 watt twin pll lights.(although it can be done it want produce the full lumens) Here is a link to Fulham site http://www.fulham.com/ hope this helps.
Last edited:
Interesting. The light from one of the 55w in my 110w setup registers almost as bright on my light meter as a lamp connected to my 220w setup. This makes sense 'cause the 110w setup is using 5400K lamps (lower lumen output) and my 220w is using the 3000K lamps. I'd be interested to see how much 'less' lumens are put out with 4 lamps connected as it most likely isn't much of a loss at all.
These ballasts draw somewhere around 10w more than the lamps connected, they're very efficient.
Anyone with a great light meter want to hook up 3 lamps the recommended way and then the way we have them and check the lumens output?
I'm interested but don't have that much wire LOL.bonglemonade
New member
i would love to know the difference as well. i was all set to go with 4 x 55 watts but after talking with the sales rep i went with 3 x 55 watters. i made the mistake of buying the lights before i built a growbox. lol
cactusjack
Member
Anybody put a Kill-a-watt on their setup to see how many watts the things are really pulling? I have a feeling that neither the 3-tube or 4-tube setup is pulling the full 220 watts available. Sure they light, but modern universal ballasts don't always give maximum watts per tube, depending on the selected ballast and tube combination. Right now it sounds like the best setup, the one that actually pulls the most watts per tube (and therefore lumens per tube) might be the Workhorse 5 with 2 tubes.
I'd love to be in the game. Just ordered 2 x Workhorse 5 ballasts along with tubes and sockets. Unfortunately it will probably be a couple weeks before I get them and can run them through my Kill-a-watt.
I'd love to be in the game. Just ordered 2 x Workhorse 5 ballasts along with tubes and sockets. Unfortunately it will probably be a couple weeks before I get them and can run them through my Kill-a-watt.
Well, I'm an injured guy that doesn't move fast..... so I figure I'll wait fer it.
I appreciate the info and am looking at the possibility of re-wiring my existing three and getting a new workhorse 5 and another lamp for a total of 5. It won't be for a few months though so.... I hope you don't mind the wait.
LOLThanks!
thedoormouse
New member
Ok... it's 2am and I've been thinking about this and might have a solution. (nah, kept me up LOL)
On your sockets you have 2 holes near the edge on each side. Then you have another two close to the middle, right? (Kinda looks like there might even be holes directly in the center but not sure)
Have you tried putting the two wires into the outer and then the next hole over instead of the two at the edge? On my sockets that would wire it wrong but I'm not so sure about yours.
Question..... does the lamp light up "Sort of" if you run your finger down the length of the tube?? That's what mine did when they were "Jumpered".
The one thing I'm sure of is that if you test it only for a few seconds each time, you're not gonna blow the things up.
Hey, sorry it took me so long to respond, my girlfriend's mom has been staying with us the last few days so I'd put the lights on hold for a little bit.
Anyways, I cracked open one of the sockets and discovered that the holes on the side go to the contacts on the outer sides and the two holes in the middle go to the two contacts in the middle. I rewired it so each wire was touching a different contact, but still nothing!
Man, I'm just about out of ideas, I really can't figure these lights out
In response to your question, the lights light up "sort of" when you touch them, also if I touch the reflector with one of the red power wires, half of the tube lights up completely (which just confuses me even more)
Do you think I have a faulty ballast?...Or maybe there's something totally obvious I'm missing......
Thanks a lot for your help though you guys, it's good to get advice from people who know what they're talking about, rather than just feeling like I have no idea what I'm doing.
For the wiring of the lights, do the red wires go to the two contacts on one side (say, the left) and the yellow go to the right on the other?
Like: II(red)II(yellow)
Not like: I(red)I(yellow)I(red)I(yellow) or something like that?
I've pretty much run out of ideas to get these lights running...
