CSL 32W Retro Installation for 7G

[LSUtiger]

Hello. I just received my CSL retro light for my 7g AGA bow. I could use a little guidance/help with the installation to make sure I am doing things right.

 

1) Do I just take out the existing internals of the hood?

 

2) Then I take out the existing switch and put the new one in?

 

3) How do I remove the existing wire that leads through the hood to the plug? If I remove that I can put the grey wire to the ballast through there right?

 

4) How have you guys attached the reflector to the hood since it doesn't look like the screes/holes match up?

 

Also, I ordered the 7g bow online and the back of the hood behind the light was cut off just after the glass and completely separate. Is this normal?

 

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Mark

[SaltyinNJ]

Mark, I'll try to help....

 

1) Do I just take out the existing internals of the hood?

 

Yes, take everything out of the hood. It should unscrew cleanly. I left the existing switch and just wired that up to the new light.

 

2) Then I take out the existing switch and put the new one in?

See above.

 

3) How do I remove the existing wire that leads through the hood to the plug? If I remove that I can put the grey wire to the ballast through there right?

 

I just cut it. Then fed the retrofit wire through that hole before wiring it up. I used electrical tape wrapped around it inside the hood so there wouldn't be any play.

 

4) How have you guys attached the reflector to the hood since it doesn't look like the screes/holes match up?

 

You could do this a couple of ways. Some people glue, epoxy, etc. a piece of wood into the hood, then screw the reflector into that. I just drilled two new holes into the reflector and lined them up with the existing hood holes. But, it was a pain to get things lined up properly.

 

Also, I ordered the 7g bow online and the back of the hood behind the light was cut off just after the glass and completely separate. Is this normal?

Not sure what you mean here.

 

Hope I helped.

[LSUtiger]

thanks for the reply. I just wanted to double check before I messed anything up too badly.

 

As far as the aquarium hood goes, the back portion of the hood is separate from the rest of the hood....length ways. It still has the "punch out" portions where a heater or something would go attached, but the back half of the hood is separate from the front half. Does that make a little more sense? I didn't expect it to be like this, but it probably saved me the trouble of cutting thie hood myself since I have the Aquafuge hanging on the back. I was just curious if this is the way they come.

 

Mark