DIY 400 watt Metal Halide

Discussion in 'I made this!' started by dngspot, Aug 20, 2007.

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  1. dngspot

    dngspot Spaghetti Worm

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    I wanted to add more light to my 210g. The tank was originally supplied by 640 watts of diy vho.
    The first thing I did was build a light bar. This was to hold both the metal halide and vho bulbs. It was built from two pieces of 1x3 inch pine. One was placed on edge in the middle of the other and then clamped. I then used drywall screws to attach the two. Now I had a beam. I then placed a couple of 3/4x2 inch rails on the ends of the rail, these are used as both slides for the light bar and mount for the vho's. The bar is built to slide back and forward in my canopy. I then took 1 inch tall blocks and attached them to the rail; these are the mounts for the vho sockets. The three 400watt MH reflectors where mounted to the underside of the beam. I made brackets for the moguls from aluminum 1.5X1.5 angle; it was as simple as drilling holes for the mogul screws and wire. Each of the angles where installed with #8 rod nuts, found at Home Depot in the fastener isle, used as 3/4 inch stand offs. The stand offs are located between the reflector and angle bracket. There are two wires on each mogul socket; each is attached to a seperate common extension cord, the cheap $1.99 from Wal-Mart. I cut the socket end off and soldered the exposed wire; I used wire nuts to attach the mogul wire to the extension cord. To fasten the cords to the beam I used a common staple gun. Each of the cords will attach to another cord coming from the ballast. Keep each of the wires in pole make sure that the white wires go to the common side of the extension cord and the black wire goes to the hot side of the extension cord.
    Here is the only pic of the light bar.
    [​IMG]

    The ballast and moguls came from 1000bulbs.com.
    Here are the links,
    MH400/MT - 400 Watt - Multi-Tap - Metal Halide - ISB - Sola Basic E-871-W-411 Light Bulb The ballast
    Mogul Base HID Socket Light Bulb The mogul socket

    The ballasts are not difficult at all. I will give detail on how to wire them, and then show a pic of my installation.
    The ballast must be mounted with the capacitors in a box. Metal is the preferred material, these things get hot. I would also suggest a small fan. cut a hole on both sides of the box, one for vent and the other for the fan. Boxes can be found at Home Depot or for a better selection go to an electrical supply house and ask the guys for a J-Box. One can be had for under $15.00. I mounted the ballast with #8 rod nuts, stand offs, under the ballast and a 3 inch sheet metal screws and nuts. The capacitors come with a band to mount them; I mounted them to one of the screws that hold the ballast to the box. The wiring can be daunting to some, but it is very easy. On the ballast you will find two "com" wires and other wires listed "120V" "208V" "240V" and "277V". You will also find that the capacitor is prewired to the ballast, one wire is coming from the capacitor meant for the mogul. Take another extension cord and cut in half and strip the ends. The end with the plug, connect the "120V" wire to one side and one of the "com" wires to the other. I would recommend that you connect them hot and common side of the cord, just to keep things poled. This cord will go to a 120v wall socket. Back to the light bar, the wires that were black and white, the black wire connects to the wire on the capacitor and the white wire connects to the other "com" wire. Use the other end of the extension cord for this. Now plug the cords from the ballast to the light then plug in the other cord to the wall socket.
    You now have a cheap diy 400watt MH.

    My setup uses relays to dedicated 15 amp circuits. The ballasts are located on the other side of the wall in my garage. I also mounted my vho ballasts in the garage. The fan in the box is also wired to one of the ballast relays. The canopy fans are wired to the relays that turn on my vho's. The vho's and MH's are wired to timers and switches.
    Here are the pics.
    The ballast.
    [​IMG]
    I used an old service shut off box. It had a knife switch in it. I gutted the box and painted it, then mounted the ballast. The little black thing on the lower right is a 3 inch 120v fan, another 3 inch hole is cut in the top, above the top ballast. Both fan and hole have finger guards.
    [​IMG]
    This little grey box is the point that the MH, VHO and canopy fans, wires plug into.
    [​IMG]
    Here is a pic of the light in action.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2008
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  3. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    You did run 18/3 wire from the ballast to the mogul boxes didn't you ? then you ground the fixtures to the green ground wire then that should be connected to the metal heat sink sheet you mounted the ballast to then the ballast should be grounded to the panel ground buss bar .. And they look like universal advance ballast and you could wire them on 240 V more light and less heat and less amperage draw.. Just a thought less amps equal less heat and operating cost .. But you really need to get the grounds to the lamps and ballast to the panel Box ..
     
  4. dngspot

    dngspot Spaghetti Worm

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    They have two common wires and one 240v wire. I do not see how you could run these on two leggs of 120v. I think these ballast are made for industrial applications that have single wire 240v.
    Operating cost do not change from 240v to 120v.
    Yes all is grounded.
     
  5. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    I know what you have after 40 yrs as a electrician & class A Mechanical contractor and working with and wiring several thousand of these ballast as I came through the trades Also I run the same Ballast myself.. Two common legs one goes to the lamps socket and on goes to a line leg if you wire then for 120 v Look at the 3 other capped off wires they will be marked
    120 V
    208 v
    240 v
    277 v

    And less amperage is used with higher voltage ..

    120 V 4.1 amps
    208 V 2.5 amps
    240 V 2.1 amps
    277 V 1.9 amps
    STARTING LINE CURRENT (AMPS)
    120 V = amps 2.31
    208 V = amps.3
    240 V =amps.1
    277 V =amps 0.04

    And less amps = less K/W Hrs..on the old power bill Electrical and plumbing and HVAC are not hobbies . I have the journeyman's and Master license's to prove it :) you e better off get a ground leg to the mogul base mountings.. Read the spec sheet on the ballast

    Here you go I found a old schematic in my truck wiring this ballast for different voltages

    How to wire this ballast for use on a 208V, 240V or 480V power system with two hot leads to be connected to the ballast?

    One hot supply lead is connected to the appropriately labeled ballast voltage lead. The other hot supply lead is connected to one of the ballast commons. Most ballasts have two common leads. The second common lead is connected to the lamp socket (white or shell) lead.
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2007
  6. dngspot

    dngspot Spaghetti Worm

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    I honor your position as an electrician. My understanding of ohms law, P=I X E, means that to use 400 watts twice the current is needed on a 120v than on a 240v circuit, the end result is the same amount of watts. This is where my statement is founded from.
    I did consider using these ballast as a 240v, to ease the load on my circuits, relays especially. You have done this before, hooked a live wire to one of the commons and this becomes a live leg under 240v usage? The schematic that came with the ballast show the commons connected.

    No feelings hurt I hope.
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2007
  7. Otty

    Otty Giant Squid

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    I run the same setup and use the second common for the other leg of 220v. Works just fine & Mommy likes that it saves on power.
    Your choice how u want to run it.
     
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  9. dngspot

    dngspot Spaghetti Worm

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    The folks that I got the ballast from could not tell me this. I will try it after work, but will install a amp guage between the common wire and the live 120v (second leg), just for self assurance. The change will be easy in my setup.
     
  10. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    I have no hurt feeling I was just trying to help you as for the people who sold the stuff ??? If they knew how it worked they would be on my side of the counter making a lot more money then as a salesman on their side of the counter.. No I saw what you have you take a common and connect it to a leg of a 240 then look at the remaining wires that are capped with covers one will say 208 240 277 you want to tale the Blk wire from the 240 and connect to that leg. then white wire from the 240 connects to the common on the transformer the other common goes tot either wire :white: if its coded on the socket . You also made mention of a relay in the wiring somewhere ? Why ? that causes resistance.. and just a contact to go bad :) Looks this is all just free advice.. take it or not take it for what its worth Any questions ? ask away But you double the voltage you cut the amperage draw in half .. Its amps that build the power bill.. Volts and amps are like water pressure and water volume.. totally different animals Also get that stuff grounded or you will get some tingles at best..
     
  11. dngspot

    dngspot Spaghetti Worm

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    The stuff is grounded.
    I want to thank you Tankster, my lights are now powered by a 240v circuit. I did not know how to wire the 240v with only one leg. The schematic on the side of the ballast looked as if the commons are connected. I do not like big sparks and a hot wire to a common makes them in most cases. In this application, hooking a common to a live wire works.
    As for the comparison to how electricity works like fluids, my field of expertise is hydraulics, 25 years in the field and journeyman certified. My title is Master Technician.
    The relays carry the main load. The switch panel I have will not handle any over 5 amps per switch and no more than 15 amps total. There are two panels in the pic.
    [​IMG]
     
  12. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    You don't have the M/H on a timer ? I simple feed them all on one timer Lowe's or elect supply house 60.00 or so You have a ground running to the mogul mounting boxes and to the transformers then to the panel box ? The electricity dance all over the outside of light bulbs and tubes .

    Its hard to type and explain how the common and loads and lines work LOL It is for me as I don't type :) But if you run say 12/2 romex the black and white connected to both sides of the panels Buss bar via a 240 breaker equals 240 volts Now at the end of that wire you will have 240 v Now if you use a single tap breaker and run the black wire from that then the white and the copper go to ground then you have 120 as you are just using 1/2 of the panel . The white becomes the common to ground as does the bare copper line . And on 240 the bare copper is the common to ground.. Thats why you have the large bare alum, wire at the top of the panel its the common ground in from the pole.. As for Hydraulics all I know about them is the tilt and trim on a lower unit of a boat LOL Oh and as for Ohms laws P=I X E, means that to use 400 watts that does not apply here as we are dealing with the secondary power from a transformer not like a simple 120 V incandesent bulb or heater or fan or motor that runs directly from the primary current.. And as for the amp draw on all three you could use a 10 amp breaker and have 5 amps to spare ..You are on 240 pulling about 5 amps from all three transformers . I have the same set up and my 240 VHO ballast all on the same breaker and circuit . on a 15 amp breaker Different timer
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2007