Removing Ballasts ?

[Awibrandy]

I have an older Odessa MH/PC light fixture. Ballast are in the unit, which makes the fixture way to heavy for me to even turn over by myself never mind removing it for maintenance.
I have no help around here. I have to beg, and wait untill one of the men in the house makes themselves available. For instance, I've had the new bulbs sitting here for 2 or more weeks waiting to be installed, but no one will help me.
Which brings me to my question.
I want to know if, and how can I make the internal ballast external ones?

I am hoping that by making the ballast external the fixture will be light enough for me to take down, or atleast be able to turn it over.

 

[KathyC]

Awilda, that light weighs about 50 pounds including the ballasts. No idea what each ballast weighs but I don't know that it's going to be easy enough for you to move without the ballasts that it would be worth all of the work to make them remote.

It's 6 foot - right?

Maybe one of the guys here would volunteer to come help you out?

 

[Awibrandy]

Thanks Kat!
I know! Yes it is 6' long. This thing is a huge PITA. At least with the old 6' Hamilton I was able to flip it over. This one although smaller it is way heavier.

 

[Lunareclipse]

Ask one of these people to come over and help you. I'm sure one of these guys can do it.

 

[Awibrandy]

Ask one of these people to come over and help you. I'm sure one of these guys can do it.

Thanks Luna!
I don't want to ask the guys here because they have helped me sooooooooooooooooooooo muchhhhhhhhhhh alreadyyyyyyyyyyyy.
Besides, I change out the bulbs every year, and it is not fair to be asking for someone to come out to help me every time.lol So if there is a way that I can make it lighter, and therefor easier to manage I would like to go that route.

 

[mfarris2]

Awibrandy,
The problem you are going to have have taking internal ballast out might not make it worth the trouble. It can be done. In the past I have use 12ga. extension cord wire and regular plugs as a quick disconnect. But you will probably find that your internal ballast and starters are not water proof. You will need to mount the ballast in some sort of hobby box. And then you will have the heat problem. (They were using the fixture as a big heat sink with probable fans.) So you will have to add fans to your hobby box. It might be cheaper and most probable easier to replace the men in your life. Ha Ha. If you get enough offers of help from reefers in your area,......the men you have might wake up and realize this is important to you.

 

[Awibrandy]

Awibrandy,
The problem you are going to have have taking internal ballast out might not make it worth the trouble. It can be done. In the past I have use 12ga. extension cord wire and regular plugs as a quick disconnect. But you will probably find that your internal ballast and starters are not water proof. You will need to mount the ballast in some sort of hobby box. And then you will have the heat problem. (They were using the fixture as a big heat sink with probable fans.) So you will have to add fans to your hobby box. It might be cheaper and most probable easier to replace the men in your life. Ha Ha. If you get enough offers of help from reefers in your area,......the men you have might wake up and realize this is important to you.

mfarris, let me start by saying this: I want the fish in your avatar.:inlove:

Ahhhh, LOL I don't think it will be easier to replace the the men in my life as they are my sons. Cheaper? Most definitely.LOL
I guess I am just destined to be a "NAG" as most men consider us woman to be anyway.:fishhit:
Or will need to replace the light fixture sooner then later.

Thanks for the advice! Much appreciated..