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How dangerous is wiring and all that stuff? How can I minimize the chance of frying?
(Contributed By Dandaweedman)- READ THIS OR WE'LL BREAK YOUR KNEES

Home Electrical Safety Tips
Here are some checks you can make in your home today to ensure electrical safety:

Outlets - Check for outlets that have loose-fitting plugs, which can overheat and lead to fire. Replace any missing or broken wall plates.

Cords - Make sure cords are in good condition?not frayed or cracked. Make sure they are placed out of traffic areas. Cords should never be nailed or stapled to the wall, baseboard or to another object. Do not place cords under carpets or rugs or rest any furniture on them.

Extension Cords - Check to see that cords are not overloaded. Additionally, extension cords should only be used on a temporary basis; they are not intended as permanent household wiring.

Plugs - Make sure your plugs fit your outlets. Never remove the ground pin (the third prong) to make a three-prong fit a two-conductor outlet; this could lead to an electrical shock. NEVER FORCE A PLUG INTO AN OUTLET IF IT DOESN'T FIT. Plugs should fit securely into outlets. Avoid overloading outlets with too many appliances.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) - GFCIs can help prevent electrocution. They should be used in any area where water and electricity may come into contact. When a GFCI senses current leakage in an electrical circuit, it assumes a ground fault has occurred. It then interrupts power fast enough to help prevent serious injury from electrical shock.

Test GFCIs according to the manufacturer's instructions monthly and after major electrical storms to make sure they are working properly. Replace all GFCIs that are not working properly, but never replace a GFCI with a standard non-GFCI outlet or circuit breaker.

Do not use an appliance or device that trips a GFCI on a nonGFCI-protected circuit; instead, take the appliance to authorized repair center to be checked for faulty wiring or replace it.

Light Bulbs - Check the wattage of all bulbs in light fixtures to make sure they are the correct wattage for the size of the fixture. Replace bulbs that have higher wattage than recommended; if you don't know the correct wattage, check with the manufacturer of the fixture. Make sure bulbs are screwed in securely; loose bulbs may overheat.

Circuit Breakers/Fuses - Circuit breakers and fuses should be the correct size current rating for their circuit. If you do not know the correct size, have an electrician identify and label the size to be used. Always replace a fuse with the correctly specified size fuse.

Water and Electricity Don't Mix - Don't leave plugged-in appliances where they might fall in contact with water. If a plugged-in appliance falls into water, NEVER reach in to pull it out?even if it's turned off. First turn off the power source at the panel board and then unplug the appliance. If you have an appliance that has gotten wet, don't use it until it has been checked by a qualified repair person.

Appliances - If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse, trips a circuit breaker or if it has given you a shock, unplug it and have it repaired or replaced.

Space Heaters - Space heaters are meant to supply supplemental heat. Keep space heaters at least 3 ft. away from any combustible materials such as bedding, clothing, draperies, furniture and rugs. Do not use space heaters with extension cords; plug directly into an outlet on a relatively unburdened circuit.

Wiring - Unless you are qualified and experienced in electrical work, consider hiring a licensed electrician for electrical repairs, maintenance and installations. If you elect to perform such work, make sure you follow these safety basics:

• Never work on or around 'hot' lines.
• Always de-energize lines and equipment by disconnecting from the power source at the circuit breakers or fuses. Don't forget to test every conductor before you make contact with it.
• Never use the ground wire as the neutral or circuit-carrying conductor.
• The ground wire is not designed to carry current continuously, but briefly under an abnormal condition.
• The neutral wire is designed as a current carrier and can carry as much current as the hot wire.
• Use a strip gauge on devices to strip the proper length of insulation from wires.
• Too little risks the screw tightening on plastic insulation; too much leaves bare wires that can cause a dangerous contact.
• When using wire connectors, be sure the insulation on the wires is completely covered by the wire connector.

Why is it so important to work safely with or near electricity?

The electrical current in regular businesses and homes has enough power to cause death by electrocution. Even changing a light bulb without unplugging the lamp can be hazardous because coming in contact with the "hot" or live part of the socket could kill a person.

What kinds of injuries result from electrical currents?
There are four main types of injuries:

• Electrocution (fatal);
• Electric shock;
• Burns;
• Falls.

These injuries can happen in various ways:

• Direct contact with the electrical energy.
• When the electricity arcs (jumps) through a gas (such as air) to a person who is grounded (that would provide an alternative route to the ground for the electricity).
• Thermal burns including flash burns from heat generated by an electric arc, and flame burns from materials that catch on fire from heating or ignition by electrical currents.
• High voltage contact burns can burn internal tissues while leaving only very small injuries on the outside of the skin.
• Muscle contractions, or a startle reaction, can cause a person to fall from a ladder, scaffold or aerial bucket. The fall can cause serious injuries.

What are some general safety tips for working with or near electricity?

• Inspect tools, power cords, and electrical fittings for damage or wear prior to each use.
• Repair or replace damaged equipment immediately.
• Always tape cords to walls or floors when necessary.
• Nails and staples can damage cords causing fire and shock hazards.
• Use cords or equipment that is rated for the level of amperage or wattage that you are using.
• Always use the correct size fuse. Replacing a fuse with one of a larger size can cause excessive currents in the wiring and possibly start a fire.
• Be aware that unusually warm or hot outlets may be a sign that unsafe wiring conditions exists.
• Unplug any cords to these outlets and do not use until a qualified electrician has checked the wiring.
• Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) as they will interrupt the electrical circuit before a current sufficient to cause death or serious injury occurs.
• Make sure that exposed receptacle boxes are made of non-conductive materials.
• Know where the breakers and boxes are located in case of an emergency.
• Label all circuit breakers and fuse boxes clearly. Each switch should be positively identified as to which outlet or appliance it is for.
• Do not use outlets or cords that have exposed wiring.
• Do not block access to circuit breakers or fuse boxes.
• Do not touch a person or electrical apparatus in the event of an electrical accident.
• Always disconnect the current first.

What are some tips for working with power cords?

• Keep power cords clear of tools during use.
• Suspend power cords over aisles or work areas to eliminate stumbling or tripping hazards.
• Do not use light duty power cords.
• Do not tie power cords in tight knots. Knots can cause short circuits and shocks. Loop the cords or use a twist lock plug.
• Have any cord that feels more than comfortably warm checked by an electrician.

How do I wire a ballast?
(Contributed By MacGyver)

WARNING: The following procedure deals with potentially hazardous electrical components. Misuse of these components can result in severe shock and injury. Basic electrical knowledge is recommended to build a ballast. Procedures are carried out at your own risk.

Building your own ballast is a good way to save some dough. Ballast parts can be obtained at most electrical stores. It's a good idea to call around and find the best prices for parts. There can be quite a bit of variation in price from store to store. You'll probably need to buy a proper reflector at a hydro store, or build one yourself.

There are two types of HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamps that are used for growing. Metal Halide (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS). Generally MH lamps are used to grow the plants to the desired size and HPS are used to flower them, although either one can do the other's job with similar results.

HID Ballasts become very hot when operating. Therefore it is important to have a vented box, and components that are rated for high heat. The gauge of the wire (thickness) should be 14AWG, don't use anything thinner. 600volt rating is recommended. Always use wire with a ground (the green wire)

The minimum wire temperature rating should be 90º C, use 105º C if you can find it and the ballast connections should be made within a separate component box attached to the main ballast box. You can also not have a box, but I recommend one to protect the ballast from water and dust.

Your wire connectors should be rated for Aluminum/Aluminum and Aluminum/Copper connections. I use Mariette ACS #63 (brown) Using wire connectors rated for copper only can be hazardous.

For grow light's, you'll usually want a remote ballast, meaning a wire runs from the ballast to the lamp socket, instead of the lamp socket being connected straight to the ballast box.

Building your own HPS

HPS ballasts have 3 parts. A transformer, an ignitor and a capacitor. The capacitor has two contacts sticking up from it, the ignitor has three wires coming out of it, and the transformer is a big heavy lump of iron with 7 or 8 wires coming out of it.

Your lamp socket should have a white wire and a black wire. The cable that you use to connect the ballast to the outlet and the lamp should have a black, white and green wire. Connections are shown as black circles; wires that simply cross are not connections.

First, you should measure out 12 to 15 feet of wire and connect the mogul socket / component box assembly to it. Black to black, white to white and the green to the ground screw.

The colors in the diagram may not be universal, save for the white black and green for positive negative and ground. Usually the wires are also marked in writing with a number or word stating where they are connected. Usually, the colors will be the same as the diagram though.

The wires coming from the transformer should be the following:

• Two yellow wires marked "common" or "com"
• A red wire, with a metal tab at the end marked "cap"
• A brown wire marked "ign"

There will usually be three or four wires for your line in. The red and black one is for 120 volt, which is likely what you will be using in a North American home. There may also be wires for 208, 240, 277 and 347 volts. They are almost always marked for the voltage. Select the voltage that the outlet you'll be plugging it into and cap off the other wires if they haven't been capped already.

The ignitor will have 3 wires marked one two and three. They are usually red yellow and brown respectively.

The connections are as follows:

• Connect your negative (black) line in to the transformer wire marked with the voltage of choice.
• Connect your positive line in to one of the yellow transformer marked 'common', it doesn't matter which one.
• Connect the transformer wire with the metal clip at the end to one of the capacitor poles, again, it doesn't matter which one. There should also be a loose red wire marked 'cap' connect this to the other capacitor pole.
  NOTE: using a rubber or wood handled instrument with a metal tip, touch both poles of the capacitor at one with the metal end to make certain there is no charge in it. It can give you a very bad shock if charged.
• Take the red ignitor wire marked 'one' , the loose capacitor wire and the black wire from the socket (i.e.: the black wire that runs to the socket's wire) and connect all three together
• Take the leftover yellow 'common' wire, the yellow ignitor wire marked 'two' and the white socket wire (i.e.: the white wire that runs to the socket's wire) and connect all three of them together.
• Take the brown wire marked 'ign' from the transformer and connect it to the remaining ignitor wire marked 'three'

For your grounds the green wire that runs from your lamp to the ballast should be attached to the ground screw in the socket box and to the ground screw on the component box attached to the main ballast box. The wire that runs from the outlet to the ballast should be grounded at the same screw in the component box on the ballast and then connected to the ground screw in a 3 prong plug. Check all your connections are secure and the ballast should be ready to go.

Building your own MH

A Metal Halide ballast contains Just two parts. The Capacitor and the Transformer, they are a bit easier to set up compared to an HPS ballast. Again, you'll want to make sure the capacitor is not carrying a charge by touching both contacts at the same time with the metal tip of a wood or rubber handled object.

The transformer should have 6 or 7 wires coming out of it:

• Two yellow wires marked 'common'
• Three or Four different colored wires, marked with various voltages
• A red wire marked 'cap'

There should also be a separate red wire marked 'lamp' with a clip on the end. This may or may not already be attached to the capacitor, if not, attach it now to either of the poles.

Connections are as follows:

• Connect the black wire from your line in to the wire marked with the voltage of your choice (North American Homes use 120 volt current in the standard outlets, the 120 volt wire is usually black and red) Cap the unused one off, if they're not already.
• Connect the white wire from your line in to either of the yellow wire marked 'common'.
• Connect the red wire marked cap to the remaining pole of the capacitor.
• Connect the other capacitor wire to the black wire running to the socket.
• Connect the remaining yellow "common" wire to the white wire running to the socket.
• Connect the ground wire that runs from the socket to the ballast at the ground screw of your socket box assembly and to the ground screw of the component box attached to the main ballast box
• Connect the ground wire from your line to the same screw on the ballast box.

Check all your connections, screw in your bulb and the light should come on. Connections in the diagram are shown as black circles; wires that just cross are not connected.

General Ballast Building - Non Electrical

Most ballasts used for a single grow lamp are enclosed in a box, and have the lamp connected via a 12 -15 foot wire.

Stuff you'll need:

• Machine screws and matching washers. I use 8-32 screws (the numbers represent the threads and width) Get em at any hardware store, the # is always on the box or bin they are in.
• 2 rectangular or octagon component boxes and lids like these...
• Stress relief connectors - I can?t find a pic, but they fit into a knockout hole. You want the type that fits in one side, and has a threaded ring that screws on. Their purpose is to hold a wire in place so it cannot be pulled out. Don?t just tie a knot in the wire like I've seen some people do, that's just ghetto.
• You'll also need some steel strapping to secure the capacitor and ignitor.

I prefer the rectangular ones for one attached to the ballast. For the one attached to the lamp, get an octagon for a vertical lamp and a rectangle for a horizontal lamp.

There are several options of ballast box, the only big difference in them all is the work required to put them together. Boxes from a hydroponics store will already have holes in them to accommodate screws bolts and nuts that are used to secure the components inside the box. They are also vented, and often have a carrying handle. You can also buy a box from the electrical store, but they require you to drill holes and pop out the knockout holes to vent them. The cost is not much different, so the hydro store ones are probably your best bet. The only disadvantage of them is that some tend to vibrate a little more, which can result in a loud ballast. Look for boxes that have a larger number of screws and no 'loose' spots.

A ballast will always come with a mounting bracket. This is pretty simple to install, and it comes with instructions to do so anyways. Once you have that on, you?ll want to mount the transformer to the bottom of the box. Line up the holes in the bottom of the box (or drill them if needed) with the holes in the transformer bracket. Put a washer on each side, and bolt them on with your machine screws.

There should be two finger sized holes on the front of a 'dro store box, or several holes that need punching out on a regular electrical box. Pull all ballast wires except for the one that connects to the capacitor through the threaded ring of your stress relief connector, then through the hole in the box. Knock out one of the holes in the bottom of your rectangle or octagon ox, and pull the wires through that, finally, pull the wires through the other piece of the stress relief connector, and screw the connector together. Now tighten the screw on the connector to hold the wires in place.

Tighten down he screw to hold all the wires you pulled through in place. Now, strip about 5 inches off your line in and lamp out wires. Knock out two more of the tabs on the sides of the box, and use stress relief connectors in the same manner, to hold your in/out wires in place.

Now all you have to do is make the connections specified for your MH or HPS lamp, put the cover on and youre done. with the actual ballast. For the lamp, its quite simple if you have a mogul socket cap. Just pop out the hole out of the bottom of your rectangle/octagon box and attach it to the socket.

Most sockets however do not come with a cap, and these caps can be VERY hard to find in a store (you can order them online) so its possible you will have to drill two holes in the octagon box, and mount the socket that way. Be sure the socket is centered.

Now, you'll want to screw a small piece of metal bar ( 3/4" wide and 1/8" thick is perfect) across the top of the octagon box. Find the direct center of the box (the bar should cross it) and drill a equivalent to the size of the eyelet you bought the bar. Now, take the eyelet and thread it through the hole, and put a nut on the end to make sure it doesn't go anywhere. Now, your socket is done, and can easily be hung.

Wiring the plug

This is really easy. All you need to buy is a three prong plug end, available at any hardware store. Get one of a little better quality, as the really cheap ones are a pain to work with. I'll assume you can figure out how it attaches. so all you need to know is;

Black wire to the brass screw, white wire to the silver scre and green wire to the green screw. Make sure none of the wires are touching inside, and the wire insulation is right up against the screw. Close it up tight, and your power cord is ready.

Can I convert a security light into a grow light?

Small HID lamps with non remote ballasts can be converted but some knowledge of electricity and its magic is helpful, this is not necessarily recommended for the non electrically minded:

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What is Rectification?

Rectification is the deposit of vapor of the cathode material from one end of the tube to the other electrode. This weakens one electrode causing it to attain higher operating temperatures and reduce service life.

The use of lamps at the end of their serviceable life can cause rectification in the ballast circuit. This has been known to cause a burn out within the ballast box or at the wiring connection point.

What is an Electronic Ballast?

Electronic ballasts are fairly new to the scene, they work with electronic circuits rather than the traditional core and coil technology.

Theoretically the benefits should include:

• Greater efficiency
• Lower starting requirements
• Lower weight, noise and heat generation.