Wiring VHO endcaps question. need help-

[Swim74]

NEW QUESTION.......Wiring VHO endcaps question. need help-

Hey gang-
So I got my new (used) ballast and endcaps in the mail today. Quickly I have realized that there must be some trick to wiring the new endcaps in....

I've searched and found nothing yet...

can anyone help me with a brief explanation of how to get the wires into a replacement endcap?? it seems like there is a right way to do this, I just cannot figure it out.

thanks,
Mark

 

[ScottM]

do you have the old wires out? do you have a brand or a link to your style end cap?
do you need a diagram?

 

[Swim74]

the old wires came out easy because the bulb arched and fried/melted my old end cap. so now I have the new one and I dont know how to get the wires back in. it seems like the end cap can come apart somehow so you can get the wires in. I am talking about the bare end of the wires.

as far as the diagram goes, I really only need to replace the one I melted...

when you wire these things up, how do you get the bare end of the wire securely into the end cap I guess is a better way to ask the question.

thanks Scott

 

[PenMan]

All of the VHO end caps that I have use a push in style mounting hole. You push the wires into a square slot. You need to use a screwdriver or awl to release them again. Mine go in throught the base of the socket. They are all mounted in hoods so it is hard to get a picture.

 

[Jim Tansey]

The ones I have the stripped wire is simply inserted in a hole located at the base of the end cap. The cap is designed with an internal tab to retain the wire, usually you will find a small slot located near the hole, if you insert a small screwdriver in it it will release the wire.

Jim

 

[Swim74]

Hey I got it!! that sure was easy! nice design on those things. I did not think it would be that simple.

thanks everyone for the descriptions, I just did what you said.

 

[NateHanson]

Just a word of warning. I think those slip in connections should only be used with solid copper wire, not stranded. They really don't hold stranded very well. You can probably get a crimp on terminal for stranded wire that will fit up in there, or at least make sure you get the stranded stuff well mashed in there and it won't pull out if you do use stranded.

Nate

 

[Swim74]

thanks Nate, fortunately its the solid wire.

anybody ever put the ballast in the hood? thats what I was thinking of doing as I build this.

retrofitting 4 110watt VHO's plus ballast, plus 2 65watt PC plus ballast, plus 2 computer fans.

I am little worried about heat, but then again its 570 watts of flourescent, not MH...

we'll see how it goes.

 

[NateHanson]

My VHO ballast (magnetic Advance) gets super hot.

 

[Swim74]

on a 660 ballast, do you HAVE to have four bulbs in for it to turn on? I have 3 right now, so essentially one set of end caps that are empty, and the lights are not turning on??? They want to turn on, like one will light for like a second, and then nothing.

I am still in the troubleshooting phase here...hoping its not my new (used) ballast, or wiring job.

so, will it light up with just 3 bulbs in a 4 bulb set up? If yes then I know I have ballast/harness/wiring issues.

thanks again!

 

[ScottM]

no it won't.
the 660 is a dual circut.depending on how you wired it, it might fire on one circut but chances are you'll need all 4 bulbs.

if only a few bulbs are lighting for a second and then going out, thats a good sign, but it normally means a bulb is out or a wire is loose.
don't keep "tripping" it or you'll have to send it back to icecap to have it reset.
heres a good way to check your endcaps

http://www.icecapinc.com/pdf/contest.pdf

if you need a hand let me know.

oh and don't mount the ballast in the hood.
try to keep the ballast as far away from water and heat as possible.

 

[wrassefan]

You can run 3 bulbs on an IC660. Here's a link to the schematic for 2, 3, or 4 bulb setup. HTH.

http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/products/LIIC-660.shtml?E+scstore

Ooops!! Link above doesn't work. I should have checked first. IC website has all the schematics.

Here's the 3 lamp one:
http://www.icecapinc.com/660-3.htm

 

[Swim74]

wow! again I thank you guys. you're saving me tons of headaches down the road here.

much obliged