Not finding quite the detail that I need for wiring up some 400w metal halide canopy lights that I have in my new shop. They have multi-tap ballasts and I want to run them at 240V. Obviously ground goes to ground. My question is on the remaining wires. I know that I cap off the unused voltage-marked wires leaving me with a 240V wire and a common wire. Do I connect both hot leads from the switch to the 240V wire and common to common, or does one hot lead go to the 240V wire and the other hot lead to the common wire on the ballast? Thanks.
Wiring help 240V metal halides
- Thread starter Jeepskate
- Start date
Schrodingers Cat
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2009
- Messages
- 161
what brand/model ?
usually it's
L1 hot to 240vac
L2 hot to N or common
the neutral wire from the dist system is not used...
DO NOT wire the 2 hots together...a 240 short...
usually it's
L1 hot to 240vac
L2 hot to N or common
the neutral wire from the dist system is not used...
DO NOT wire the 2 hots together...a 240 short...
porschedude996TT
Well-known member
The only way you are going to get 240v is by using both the L1 and the L2 from the panel. The switch needs to be a double pole where it has two lines that switch on and off. You don't use the neutral from the circuit breaker box. The neutral in the fixture connects to one of the "L's" and the 240v connects to the other "L". Otherwise you are not getting 240v...
Thats it, wire nut off the unused wires on the ballast
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
Assuming you are using a Double pole type lightswitch and have run the two hots to it from a double pole handle tied circuit breaker, yes, you run one hot to the wire marked 240 and the other hot to the wire marked common. There is no need for a neutral in this system.
Charles
Thanks guys. That's what I figured, but I wanted to be certain since I've never worked with 240V before. Yes, I have a double pole breaker installed and bought double pole light switches. Heading back down to the shop to finish wiring up the last couple of lighting receptacles (installing the lights with twist-lock pigtails on them) right now...trying to finish up & get inspected before the holiday. Thanks again.
royalton10
Well-known member
Hope you did not have to buy a 30 amp 240v light switch. I bought one for a disconnect on a heater so the disconnect would be flush with drywall. About $27 at local wiring supply house.
I am sure you are getting anxious to be done so the final inspection can be completed. Love your shop jeepskate. I am in Lancaster. Ohio; have friend in Lexington near race course.
I am sure you are getting anxious to be done so the final inspection can be completed. Love your shop jeepskate. I am in Lancaster. Ohio; have friend in Lexington near race course.
rasit
Well-known member
I am getting ready to running a similar set up and have had a few questions floating around in my head.
Without a neutral, would 14-2 (two hots and a ground) wire be sufficient if the circuit is <15amps? Already purchased 14-3 thinking 220V but would rather use it for a three-way circuit. How does a handle tied differ from a regular double pole?
Bought them off Ebay for cheaper. I buy a lot of my stuff from one seller on there (frwoodworking) that has a lot of surplus electrical items if I can wait a few days to get it. Also, I work for an e-recycler so we get stuff here that I can use sometimes and the owner also owns a surplus store that I can raid.
I'm chomping at the bit, especially with Winter looming. I just scheduled the service inspection for tomorrow so that I can get on AEP's schedule. I'm not far from the race course either; just the other side of the reservoir. You can see my shop from Lexington-Ontario Rd.
Yes, 14-2 would be sufficient. I didn't do enough research in advance and bought all 14-3 (I bought 1000' and have used almost all of it...finished off the 3rd roll last night) since I also had some 3-way circuits to run, so I spent about $40 extra all told. Handle-tied double-pole breaker has the connections for both hots and if one hot trips, the whole thing trips due to the handles being tied. If they weren't tied, you could end up zapping yourself off of the remaining hot lead if you forgot to turn the other one off before you went to investigate. The tied ones are what you see most often and I'd hazard a guess that it's probably code to use them.
For a lighting circuit the amperage would have to be less than 12 for #14 Wire. Lighting circuits are considered continuous so can only be loaded to 80%.
