Grounding T5HO kit reflectors

[bristle]

Hello,

I have a 4x54W T5HO retro-kit. The reflectors are zapping me a little when the unit is plugged in. Must I ground all of them or just one? Does anyone have an easy method to do this? I don't want to run wires to each reflector as I would like to be able to take them off and clean them every once in awhile.

Thanks.

[Paul_PSU]

Bristle,
I have two T5 Actinics installed in my canopy with my MH. Both T5's have individual reflectors that clip onto the bulb. I have no wires attached to my bulbs and never get shocked. I touch them all the time when I go to feed and nothing.

Paul

[silverwolf72]

You shouldn't be getting zapped at all the glass is non-conductive. Check that there is no salt spray on the lamps

[Paul_PSU]

Do you have your reflectors screwed down or touching anything inside the canopy? I was reading your original post closer. You shouldn't be grounding any of the reflectors.

[bristle]

They aren't touching anything except the glass of the tubes. They are new so there is no salt-spray to be concerned about. I have the endcaps and standoffs screwed to the wood canopy, then wired to a ballast mounted inside the canopy (but with rubber separating it from the wood). I have the ground from the wire just touching the ballast where I screwed it onto the wood.

Hmm...



What's the deal..?

[bristle]

I set it up in the linear way of the fulham workhorse 7 ballast here:

http://www.fulham.com/Find_Process.php

I don't have the little jumper wires. Could this be causing it?

[saveafish]

Well if they are touching the tubes you will get what is called phantom electricty. hanamister can explain this. but is they are touching it is a good idea to run a wire to all the reflectors and ground it to the ballast.

[PaulErik]

You can ground each reflector and you won’t feel the zap. The lamps generate a field around the lamps while operating and the metal reflectors can build a static charge from the lamps.

I’m not sure I understand how you have the ballast wired to the lamps. Each set of pins must be connected together with a jumper wire or connect two wires to each encap and then connect them together. Having only one wire connected to one pin on each end is a fire hazard and will wear out the lamp cathodes unevenly. If one of the cathodes fails the one cathode support getting power will generate enough heat to melt the endcap. The lamp will operate until the glass bulb or seal breaks/cracks.

With instant start ballasts it is extremely important to wire them up correctly. NEMA and ANSI have documents illustrating how and how not to connect these ballasts because of dangerous failures from improper installations.

[Paul_PSU]

I have mine wired according to the diagram on the ballast and the company web site, but also have my reflectors clipped to the bulbs, but I never get any shock or anything. How does everyone else hook up the reflectors. This is my first time using T5's. I just assumed you clipped the individual reflectors to the bulbs.

Paul

[PaulErik]

The norm is to just clip the reflectors to the lamps. I personally had this happen to me a few times while I used T5s and a few other people have complained about the shock from the static build up.

I just ended up using some small alligator clips and ran a wire to them from the ground wire off the power cord.

[Paul_PSU]

Paul,
Thanks, I just wanted to make sure I was putting them on correctly.

Paul

[Icefire]

It's just some statics, you could do as paul said and use small aligator clip, easy to remove

[bristle]

That's exactly the solution I was thinking of as well. Alligator clips...

I have it setup so that the red wire from the ballast goes into a wire cap and two separate little wires come out of the plastic cap and each go into either the left or right part on the bottom of the endcap.

There isn't what the call in the diagram a 'jumper' wire connecting them together, but the two little wires are touching inside the plastic wire cap.