Instructions on ViaAqua Ballast Rewire (2 plug mod.)

[sandsrfr]

Well pictures first since they'll probably be enough (with a rough set of instructions afterwards): **Forgive the size, but I wanted them to be legible**

 

 

Step-by-Step instructions on ViaAqua Ballast Rewire

**Converting unit to 2 independant plugs for seperate timers**

 

(you will need a soldering iron because they decided to solder 2 of the connections instead of using the correct wire connector to the back of the switches):

 

1) Unscrew the end with the switches/plug you can see the power cord (3wires= positive/negative/ground) connections. The black wire (either positive or negative, doesn't

 

matter cuz it is AC-alternating current).

 

2) Inside you will see 2 wire connectors (white/clear that allow you to jumper wires together, they have a screw in the little cylinders to tighten down the wires). You

 

may need to loosen these to allow you enough room to work on this. There is a screw from the bottom (in a rubber foot) that goes in each one.

 

3) Drill another hole in the plate (just above where the other power cord goes in). Home Depot sells rubber grommets that go in a 3/8" hole and were big enough to accept

 

a similiar sized power cord as what the light already has). I used an extra 'computer' power cord for mine. Perfect length and about the same diameter cord (you can

 

probably get something like this at radio shack?)

 

4) You'll need to unsolder the 'black jumper wire' that runs from one switch to the next switch. If you can leave the wire from the power cord to the nearest switch

 

there, great, otherwise just solder it back on. You may want to get some heat shrink tubing (slip it down wire before soldering, I dunno how many times I had to unsolder

 

and resolder cuz of this, hehe) to recover up the connection, or just wrap it with some black electrical tape.

 

5) now place in your new cord,rubber grommet, and zip tie it just like the other one to prevent from pulling out.

 

6) cut the black wire to an appropriate length and solder the end to the other switch (where we took of the jumper).

 

7) Back inside the box, on the shorter of the 2 wire connectors (on the right side if looking in it) you will see that there is only one of the 2 connection points being

 

used. That is the 'white' wire from the power cord is going in one side and there are '2 blue' wires going in on the opposite side. What you need to do is unscrew the

 

blue wires and split them back appart (mine were soldered together but a wire snips split them appart easily enough). Once that is done, put one back in the original

 

spot and the other in the spot next to it.

 

*Note* You're probably seeing where we are going from here. Gonna run the other wire in and feed the white wire to the empty receptacle on that wire connector/block. and

 

we will feed the each black wire to an individual switch.

 

8) Before you place the "new cords" white wire into the unused connection point, you'll need to verify that you are connecting it with the 'blue' wire that goes to the

 

same ballast that the "new cords" black wire (actually the black wire goes to the switch and then changes color, but just follow that wire to see if it goes to the near

 

or far ballast). If you hook this up wrong, no worries, it just wont work because you'll have in incomplete circuit and you wont get any light. You should be able to

 

figure this out though.

 

9) Lastly, you need to tie the "new cords" green wire (grounding) to the existing one that has a wire connector which goes under the clear wire connector.

 

It probably took me about an hour to an hour and a half to do this. Biggest problem was getting the solder to stick, but finally it did.

 

LASTLY, I AM PROVIDING THIS MERELY AS AN IDEA HOW TO DO A MODIFICATION AND THEREFORE CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY SUCH MODIFICATION . NOTE THIS PROCEDURE WILL INDEED VOID ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES ON SUCH ITEM.

[sandsrfr]

Download from this link (right-click and save-as):

 

ViaAqua Ballast Modification.pdf

 

Download free Adobe Acrobat Reader here if you don't already have:

 

Adobe Acrobat Reader 5 (free)

[Temecula Reefer]

hey sandSrfr I just wanted to say thanks for the detailed info, I just rewired my lights and it was very easy with your instructions!!!!!

[sandsrfr]

Great!!! I was hoping everyone could make sense of it.

 

Its funny, but I think that someone mentioned they called ViaAqua and asked why they didn't do this.... They said something to the extent of it being a cost issue.... Gesshhhh, what can one more power cord cost them (50cents???)...

[scorcho]

I am about to do this mod and thought it would be helpful to point out that if you remove the 4 screws on each end the top of the ballast slides off. You may already know this but I didn't see any mention of it and thought it may make the mod a little easier.

Thanks for the excellant instructions on a great idea!

[littlec]

sandsrfr,

I too wanted to send along my thanks for posting the instructions for this mod. Everything work flawlessly!

Scorcho,

Thanks for the tip on removing the ballast cover, that made it much easier to make sure I was working on the same set of wires.

[Goliath]

Now its my turn, I will let you know how it turned out. Doesnt look to hard, but well worth it!!