Can a fluorescent ballast be remote mounted?

[signcrafter]

I have a 4ft fluorescent two lamp fixture that I would like to make into an under hood light. The problem is it's to heavy to use as is with the ballast in. So my thought was to mount the ballast in an electrical box witha plug cord on it and also a 15 or so foot cord going from the ballast box to the light fixture. Is there any issue with mounting the ballast 15' away from the bulbs? I would also use some of the shatterproof bulb covers so I don't smash a bulb and send shards of glass all over an engine!

 

[pattenp]

I don't see why that wouldn't work. Just make sure you have a ground wire to the ballast case and to the fixture.

 

[signcrafter]

Sounds good. I'm going to go ahead and try this and see how it works out. Thanks

 

[nehog]

Use wire rated at 600 volts. The voltage output from a ballast is (much) greater than line voltage, especially when starting..

 

[signcrafter]

Use wire rated at 600 volts. The voltage output from a ballast is (much) greater than line voltage, especially when starting..

I was going to go to home depot and see if they had some 16-6 conductor wire. I'll have to check the ratings of the wire. Also read somewhere to use 90 degree rated wire, I think that was the temp.

 

[sberry]

You can buy a light designed for this reasonable, probably for the cost of parts and certainly for less fooling around for something makeshift.

 

[Gary S]

If it is heavy, that will be due to the ballast being the old transformer ballast. Dump that fixture in the trash and get a new one with the electronic ballast which weighs so little that you won't know it is in there. A new lightweight fixture won't cost you hardly more than the wire to try to modify what you have now.

 

[signcrafter]

You can buy a light designed for this reasonable, probably for the cost of parts and certainly for less fooling around for something makeshift.

All the underhood lights I have seen are around 100 bucks plus. I have the fluorescent light. The only parts I need are wire to go from ballast to bulbs and two shatter proof bulb covers which are 3 bucks a piece. So 6 bucks plus wire which if worst comes to worst I have a few spools of 14 gauge wire I can use. Just want to make sure the ballast can be remotely mounted and also use the right wire.

I wish I had the money to buy all the tools I want from a store but the simple fact is I'm just a home mechanic and don't have a ton of money and also can't always justify spending 100 plus bucks on a light that will get used a few times a year.

 

[signcrafter]

If it is heavy, that will be due to the ballast being the old transformer ballast. Dump that fixture in the trash and get a new one with the electronic ballast which weighs so little that you won't know it is in there. A new lightweight fixture won't cost you hardly more than the wire to try to modify what you have now.

I'll have to look into that. Yes my old one is the heavy black brick ballast. If the electric ballast is that lite I would just have to make a mount to go on the hood. Thanks

 

[signcrafter]

If it is heavy, that will be due to the ballast being the old transformer ballast. Dump that fixture in the trash and get a new one with the electronic ballast which weighs so little that you won't know it is in there. A new lightweight fixture won't cost you hardly more than the wire to try to modify what you have now.

Thanks for the info! I just went downstairs and I actually have an electronic ballast 4ft light I bought from menards a while ago when they had a rebate on them. You're right they are super lite compared to the brick ballast! Guess I wasted an hour or so of my time yesterday working on the homemade version. Now I just need to make some kind of mount to hand on the hood.

Thanks again.

 

[pattenp]

I wouldn't say you wasted an hour. Figuring out how to do things like this is half the fun even if you don't save a lot of money.

 

[signcrafter]

I wouldn't say you wasted an hour. Figuring out how to do things like this is half the fun even if you don't save a lot of money.

True. I did cut up the old shop light so I wasted that.

 

[RECox286]

Sometimes, fooling around is more fun than going to the store. No ?

At least I think so.

Uncle Bob

 

[7th Kahuna]

Sometimes, fooling around is more fun than going to the store. No ?

At least I think so.

Uncle Bob

I would agree!

Doesn't really matter now but OP's question reminded me of an old movie theater I saw once. They had a utility closet filled with labeled ballasts serving lights throughout public areas of the theater. Not sure why they did it that way though I suspect that it may allowed them to control the waste heat easier.