Got an 24g DX install problem... [ nanotuners 2 x 36w PC Retro Kit ]

[ashburn]

http://nanotuners.nanocustoms.com/nanotune...fb5f407d1f08575

 

ok just got this kit and torn out my hood to the guts, and i just found out that those 2 ballasts are not going to fit in the hood or the ext stock jbj ballast box..

 

so chris, what should i do now? just stuck the new ballast in the hood with the lights and jack the lines from the extist light power sources?

[Chronicles]

Go to radio shack and buy a project box, or home depot and get an electrical junction box, buy some wire while you're there and run it to the lights. Use a 3 pronged computer cord to go from the wall to the ballast.

[ashburn]

*faints*

 

this is a dangous hobby...

[Web Guy]

The box from radio is easy to find and can be used in many different ways. Chronicles, draw him up a wireing diagram!

[ccjung]

Hey ashburn:

 

The 2x36w is usually intended for more advanced "DIYrs", usually someone who knows what they are doing, and simply need parts.

 

Most who are doing this will mount the ballast outside of the hood on the back, or will rewire the leads from the ballast (by adding more wire).

 

This probably wont help, but here are the instructions for the 3.36 "KIT" that is offered: www.nanocustoms.com/catalog/pdf/336.pdf.

 

The 2x36 is more of a "This is what you CANT buy at your LFS", basically for the advanced DIYr.

 

If all else fails, give me a call. Im generally very patient and can try to talk you through if you get stuck.

 

Sorry for any inconvenience,

 

Chris

 

ps. I am also going to put a "disclaimer" that the DIY retros are for more advanced DIY'rs

[ccjung]

Also.. This isnt to pass responsibility, but RevKev6 (member here) just did a retro as well. Maybe he has some pointers.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Chris

[ashburn]

yeah i didnt relize what im getting myself into, LOL. Instead of going to radio shack, im making my own box from a old CD-R case and try my best. The only question i have now is how do i wire up the ballasts in the box.. any one can draw up a diagram?

 

i plan to put the stock large ballast and the 2 small ballasts that came with the reto kits into, also there's another thing in there that seems to be function as a fuse?

 

thanks everyone for the help!

[revkev6]

hey ashburn, do you have any experience wiring or soldering anything? If you don't do you know anyone who does, because that will be a big help right from the start. this is what I did and I suggest you do as well, it will give you much more flexability in your lighting. keep everything seperated. go to home depot, Ace hardware, Lowes, what have you and get the following:

two of these junction boxes

 

two of these box covers

 

I couldn't find them online but with the electrical boxes there should be some stress relief supports that screw into the electrical boxes and clamp onto the wire so it won't pull on your wiring. You will need four of these.

 

I don't know how your tank is setup, but for me the wire length wasn't convenient so I extended the wires from the ballast to the light fixtures. I used solid core shielded network cable because that is what I had around, but I would guess that while you are at home depot you should get two different colors (blue and red)of 22 gauge solid core wire. make sure you get enough to go from the floor into your hood. at this point you can solder or wire nut the connections. I would suggest you solder them and cover the connections with heat shrink tubing. if you wire nut them make sure you get the blue wire nuts. for the power cable you can use any extension cord, and just cut off the female end of it(make SURE it is NOT plugged in when you do this) the two black and white wires sticking out of the ballast go to the power cord. on the other end you should have 4 wires that get connected to each light fixture. these wires have two matching colors. match them up with the color wire you bought and make sure that you keep them grouped together so that the two ballasts stay seperate from each other. (wire ties are a big help here). if you look at the light fixture there are three holes on each side of the fixture. it doesn't matter which two of the three holes you put your wires in as long as you keep the matching colors on the same side. these wires will push right into the holes and hold, so don't put them in until you are ready to assemble everything. (if you do and you want to take them apart you need a very small screwdriver to gently release them)

 

at this point you should have your reflector flatend out, using a 2x4 and a hammer. ONce you flaten it out it will be a little longer than it was before and it will slightley interfere with the rear screw holes for the splash shield. line up the splash shield with the reflectore and mark where the rear holes are and drill them out. You will have to measure the holes from the other fixtures to determine what the spacing should be for your new fixture holes. for screws I went to my local ace hardware store and found some smallish nylon nuts and bolts. I also placed my fixtures on the other side of the reflector to give me more room to run the wiring. I found I had enough room to run all of my wires out the back of the current holes in the cover but you may need to either enlarge them or make new ones. make sure all your wiring is nice and neat as that always helps to make more room and troubleshoot if you have a problem later on.

 

another thing you should probably do, is get a 3-12 volt variable dc adapter from radio shack so that you can run your fans independently of the stock lights. you will probably be adding more fans and want to keep all of them on all the time, not just when your lights are on.

 

it really is a simple process, just take your time and think it through. plan, try to make sure you have everything you need to do the job before you start. If you have everything you need and a basic knowledge of wiring this mod should take you about 2-3 hours.

 

I also have one other thought, what are you going to cool this tank with? all this heat you are adding needs to be removed somehow. I have a chiller in my tank that keeps it between 78-80 all the time. some guys run LOTS of noisy fans. is the tank currently setup? what are your temps now with the lights on and the heater off?

 

BTW

 

I am in no way an electrician, you are playing in 110 volts with salt water nearby, as always there IS the possibility of being electrocuted! I only state this writeup as how I did it not necessarily the right way. Please make sure you take your time and be careful. make sure someone else is in the house with you if you haven't ever wired anything else before.

 

 

hope this helps, if you have any questions please, feel free to ask.

[ashburn]

do you mean this ?

 

[ashburn]

wow great write up,

 

here's the current status of my tank, it's new and currently nothing there but few holes im drilling up for power head on each side and overflow in the middle, yeah im relocating the overflow to the middle.

 

as for the hood, it's gonna be a long work. but never the less, im looking forward to have this completed and take down my old stock 12g NC anyone want to buy this off me? it will be cheap sell.

[revkev6]

Originally posted by ashburn

do you mean this ?

 

 

yup exactly that. get two of them, with the covers for them. stick the power cord out one end and the ballast leads out the other. Keep in mind the heat before you stock anything!

[ashburn]

yeah, im not going to put anything in the tank until i get everything setup and test for water temp.. any insigns for thin profile scroll fans? i went to few computer stores, and most of them stock high profile fans.. which is a pos..

[revkev6]

try going to cdw or insight. they usually have a bunch of different fans with listings of their specs. I really won't be much help in that dept. as I am using stock fans atm with a chiller

[ashburn]

 

here's the tank without the hood. really.. i hope i can make it through the hood mod.

[revkev6]

that looks great ashburn, should give you some interesting current flow in the tank. my only question is what are you doing internally to make sure the water flows through the chambers? or are you not putting anything back there for filtration? I'm running 1/2 of one of the sponge filters in the first chamber with a powerhead underneath the outlet that runs my chiller. the center chamber has macro algae in it right now and the third just has the pump. it looks like you would have a hard time with any mechanical filtration using your method?

 

 

how's the lighting mods coming? did you put any thoughts into cooling it? my chiller has been working great! I put a couple inverts in last night and they are eating like crazy. astrea snails are mowing down my the algae on my LR.

[ashburn]

i have 2 pumps in champer 1 and 3, and surface overflows into champer 2, and i will put rubble live rock in champer 2 for filtration. im not planing on using the sponge, everytime when i take out the sponge from my 12g NC it makes a mess... also will thinking about installing another light for the cheto growing in the champer 2 above the filled LR.

 

as for the cooling.. the tank is in my office. room tempture is always at 75c, it will not get any hot during night since lights are off, during the day if it gets hot, i have a portable AC right next to it ready to blast out cold air to the tank glass on the side.

 

as of now nothing is ready, canpoey is a mess, wiring is still in the process, due to limited time after work etc etc.. (gotta have a life )

but the plumbing in the back is done, will move the live rock into the new tank after the starboard is cut.. im using a 1/2 arcyic glass. hope this will do the trick in the bottom. also im going BB

 

will have pic up tmw.

 

ps.. sorry for those spelling errors...

[artarmon42]

Ah, another BB-er!

[revkev6]

ashburn, if one of your pumps flows more than the other, I would put that pump in the first chamber. It will force the water to flow throw your LR rubble better. Not a bad Idea, i just hate having particles float in my tank and think it's worth having a sponge in there to clean them out. I do pull out my sponge regularly and rinse it out very well.

[ashburn]

ok here are the latest pictures..

 

 

 

 

tank is dirty (some old water from the 12g NC)

hood is not ready .. still (thank god i dont have any living thing that needs lights.. i'm using my office light for now )

flow is good, but the 3rd chamber is seriously low in water.. gotta mod the chamber 2 to add more flow into the 3rd. guess i've got too much water output than the water i can get from overflow. but i like the way it's setup now.

[ashburn]

oh ps, if you live in DC area, im selling my old 12g stock NC for 50 bucks, you pick it up, it's dirty.. but everything works. i still got livesand in a contianed catalina saltwater box. 2 pumps, bioballs (if u need it...) new sponges.

 

pm me if you are interested else i'd put it on craig's list for my local pick up.