changing ballast plz help

[dontknowmuch]

ok so rather than ship the whole unit back I just opted for them to send me a ballast. They said I should be able to handle this, but they didn't realize who they were dealing with. Any how could someone plz explain to me the basics of this. Do I have to unscrew all these screws to get to the ballast?..here is a link to the exact item I have. hxxp://www.htgsupply.com/Product-HTG-Supply-4-Foot-4-Lamp-High-Output-T5-Fluorescent-Grow-Light.asp#

 

[dontknowmuch]

omg so I just accessed the ballast. There is like a dozen or more wires in here!!! The lady on the phone said no problem just a couple of screws and I should be good to go. blah I just gonna pack this all up and ship it back!! what a headache.. and in the meantime I gotta veg with cfl's roooaaaaaaar!!!!

 

[pcduck]

I would send the whole unit back if the link you provided is correct.

Never heard of to many problems with t-5's, but I also have not taken one a part either.

 

[dontknowmuch]

From what I have read I was thinking the ballast was going bad.. It was smelling like ashphalt/tar? very strong odor. I was going to send the whole thing back at first, But the girl on the phone convinced me on how easy it would be to just replace the ballast.

I guess that should have been my first question for all of you. Do you think a gassy/tary/asphalt smell from t5's would be a sign of the ballast going bad or is that what happens when the bulbs get older?

 

[Growdude]

From what I have read I was thinking the ballast was going bad.. It was smelling like ashphalt/tar? very strong odor. I was going to send the whole thing back at first, But the girl on the phone convinced me on how easy it would be to just replace the ballast.

I guess that should have been my first question for all of you. Do you think a gassy/tary/asphalt smell from t5's would be a sign of the ballast going bad or is that what happens when the bulbs get older?

Bad smell could mean a overheating ballast.
There really isnt much more to them other than the sockets.

If you can match colors and use wire strippers and wire nuts changing the ballast is easy, one screw holds it in most likely.

 

[dontknowmuch]

ok so each socket has two of the same colored wires for each one. so lets say two blue from ballast to two blue to sockets, they are both just solid blue so does it matter which blue to blue I connect?

 

[Growdude]

ok so each socket has two of the same colored wires for each one. so lets say two blue from ballast to two blue to sockets, they are both just solid blue so does it matter which blue to blue I connect?

No