Help with wiring HPS, PICS

RichiRich

RichiRich

Active Member
Hi everyone,

Please bear with me.

I just bought a 600w package, with everything seperate, no instructions.

I've connected the ballast to the lamp socket, but I need anyone who is good with wiring to double check for me, before I put in the bulb.

I also have 2 problems.

a) When I plug in the ballast, it makes a weird buzzing/humming noise (like a PC) and I can smell static electricity coming from it.

b) I don't know where to connect the Earth wire, coming from the lamp.


I hope I got the colour coding right...?

BROWN = Live Wire
BLUE = Neutral Wire
YELLOW/GREEN = Earth Wire

Thank you for your help,

-Rich

P.S.

The diagram is on the ballast.
 

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la9

la9

Well-Known Member
The buzzing is because it is a magnetic ballast, a lot of people will tell you they don't buzz or it isn't that bad but it is too me, that's why I use digital ballasts, now you know.

The earth ground you can just connect to the other earth ground on the nut and bolt. It is the bottom prong of an outlet, a backup nuetral is how I look at it but it's keeping the metal grounded to keep you from getting shocked so I'd complete the circuit by running it to the other earth ground as mentioned.

The static electric you smell is ozone and it's all normal so you have nothing to worry about, go fire it up.

I looked at it again and it looks like you have it wired correctly, since it is the earth ground for the lamp you might just cut it off and not worry about it, it probably isn't connected anyway unless you have some socket I havent seen. Usually the they are ceramic with one wire for the tip of the bulb and one for the threads on the bulb so there is no place for it to go unless they tied it to nuetral, I'd say you don't need to worry about it because what it is probably for is to tie one end to the earth ground on the ballast and then if you have a wire on the other end you use it for the relfector or whatever is metal around the bulb, once again to help prevent shocks or to trip the breaker if something shorts out.

Let me know if you have anymore questions.
 
RichiRich

RichiRich

Active Member
la9 said:
The buzzing is because it is a magnetic ballast, a lot of people will tell you they don't buzz or it isn't that bad but it is too me, that's why I use digital ballasts, now you know.

The earth ground you can just connect to the other earth ground on the nut and bolt. It is the bottom prong of an outlet, a backup nuetral is how I look at it but it's keeping the metal grounded to keep you from getting shocked so I'd complete the circuit by running it to the other earth ground as mentioned.

The static electric you smell is ozone and it's all normal so you have nothing to worry about, go fire it up.

I looked at it again and it looks like you have it wired correctly, since it is the earth ground for the lamp you might just cut it off and not worry about it, it probably isn't connected anyway unless you have some socket I havent seen. Usually the they are ceramic with one wire for the tip of the bulb and one for the threads on the bulb so there is no place for it to go unless they tied it to nuetral, I'd say you don't need to worry about it because what it is probably for is to tie one end to the earth ground on the ballast and then if you have a wire on the other end you use it for the relfector or whatever is metal around the bulb, once again to help prevent shocks or to trip the breaker if something shorts out.

Let me know if you have anymore questions.
Click to expand...

Hey la9, thanks you for your help.

I connected the lamp's earth wire to the same nut and bolt as the socket's earth wire. Do you think it will cause any problems?

The bulb on my 250w buzzes for a few seconds when I turn it on, but never the ballast. This one buzzes because it's magnetic? Oh well.. makes sense I guess, since the satellite speaker next to it makes weird noises whenever I turn it on.

Last thing is, did I connect the blue and brown lamp wires correctly on the ballast? Or should they be the other way round, like - and + ?

Thank you again,

-Rich
 
la9

la9

Well-Known Member
I connected the lamp's earth wire to the same nut and bolt as the socket's earth wire. Do you think it will cause any problems?

NO

They call it a magnetic ballast because it is basically a big transformer, some are louder and some are quieter but they all buzz and if they don't they will soooner or later, just normal function.

Guess I should ask, is your ballast running on 120 ? If it is 120 it makes no difference which way you have the wires it will still work. If you have a meter and want to do it right, #1 is where the hot wire goes so if you now which part of the cord is hot that is where you want to run the hot wire. If you don't have a meter we could find a way to check from the crazy way to something more sane.

If you have a newer three prong socket the left slot should be nuetral and the right slot should be your 120. The bigger slot is nuetral and the smaller one is hot and the round hole below them is your earth ground.
 
logzz

logzz

Active Member
doesn't matter which is + or - from what ive always been told Ive had some experience in wiring. It just hs to be able to make a circuit, Looks right though.
 
RichiRich

RichiRich

Active Member
Just fired it up in my room, fucking sun light, man!!!

She works like a charm, and the ballast wasn't making a peep for the first hour, but now it's humming again. Oh well, nevermind :bigjoint:

Thanks for your help!

-Rich
 
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