How to Connect a Lamp

Get A CLOSE UP of the information tag, I can tell you then.

Thanks Fredski, this website cannot upload high resolution photo, so I separate the lamp and the manual into some more photos, namely
Photo A
Photo B
Photo C
Photo D

Photo E

In the nameplate of electronic ballast what is the meaning of "lambda<1.7"

It looks clear to me that Photo D shows a three way connector with the supply cable to the right of the connector.

Centre should be ground, connected to a metal tab which is part of the fitting, the outer two are live and neutral respectively, picture shows a wire going through the fitting, which will be the supply cable.

It is usually MANDATORY that metal fittings of this type be earthed.

Welcome to CR4 deltonic. If you look at photo D I agree but if you look at the actual fitting, the three way connector block is inside the plastic end cap which only has 2 white (for the end of one side of the tube) and black and blue for the supply. There is no earth cable attached from that block to the chassis of the light fitting so it would be imprudent to think it is earthed if you connect your earth bonding there!

Thanks for the welcome.

I guess then that photo D is from the "manual". I can't think why the connector block (I can't see one) should be located in the end cap. Seems illogical. Again I would say that such a fitting MUST be earthed, especially as the user will inevitably touch the metal housing when operating the switch. Without an earth, this fitting could be lethal.

Thanks for your advice!

I checked the resistance of the casing by an Ohmeter and got the following result.

It seems it has a very good insulation coating.

But for safety, I decide to earth it in this way

Is this correct?

Hi Youngken.

Paint is usually a good insulator, but not to be relied upon. Good thinking to provide an earth, though most wiring, including lighting wiring caries an earth with it, so I wonder about the wiring of your house. Thanks for your latest photo, this shows the connector clearly, somewhat different to photo D.

Moving a bit of topic as far as the lighting fitting goes, it is normal to "bond" electrical earth with gas and water pipes to ensure that all "earths" are at the same potential. (For the same reason, you will find that electric showers above a bath have their earth bonded to both the hot and cold water feeds to the bath. If avoids any possibility of fault voltages developing.)

But water pipes cannot be relied upon to provide a protective earth. What if young Ken fitted an earth lead from the luminaire to a copper water pipe that disappeared through a wall/floor/whatever, and was connected to a section which had been repaired/replaced with plastic pipe before reaching a good protective earth connection?

This scenario would be worse that leaving the metalwork of the light fitting un-earthed. A fault could potentially raise every tap in the house to mains voltage!

Using water pipes as a protective earth used to be common practice, but now (while metallic pipes must themselves be earthed) it is not permitted (at least, not in the UK - maybe it's different where you're from, or in the Ukraine).

Plumbers do not always work to the same standards as electricians. It should not be that way but, sadly, sometimes it is. (N.B. I'm not running down either discipline, but such things happen - especially when DIY comes into the equation).

[BTW - it would help all of us if you (and all other members) added some indication of your location to your profile - then we needn't speculate].

JohnDG is absolutely correct. The theory is that all metallic piping should be earthed using a bonding earth. This is not designed to replace the installation earth, rather ensure any exposed metal, pieps or taps for example are kept at earth potential. When we had nothing but metal pipes it was an easy exercise, one connection covered it all. The plumbing regulations stipulate that once a service is above ground then it must be in metallic pipe, no pvc is allowed to be used.

All great in theory however that does not take the DIYer into account and there are many instances where people have received shocks from taps etc because someone decided to replace the leaky joint with a bit of pvc.

Obviously I am only speaking for Australian conditions and regs, I don't claim to have a full understanding of other countries systems. Here both plumbers and electricians must be licensed but sadly there's nothing stopping people from having a go themselves.

Thanks

I will choose a pipe segment which going through floor slab, it is surrounded / embedded by floor concrete. I suppose it can be completely earthed.

Absolutely right John, hence my use of the word "bonding" and my question regarding wiring in the Ukraine. It used to be common practice in the UK for lighting wiring not to carry an earth, but not now and not for a long time. Best advice is to bond everything metallic and make sure there is a "real" earth somewhere.

[Advice taken, profite updated.]

The color coding in the pix is unfamiliar. Your "hot" line should go to one side of the switch (which may have a terminal or wire pigtail not otherwise attached); your neutral should go to the other side of the ballast from where the other side of the switch goes. I suspect the wiring diagram printed on the ballast would show this, but I can't see it well enough.

No, you are NOT correct!

Without getting my hands on it but just looking at the photo, it looks like that white box on the left could be where you connect into! Does it open? The wierd bit is that there are two white cables sprouting out of the said box which is playing on my mind! Without being able to get a good look, that white box may have the supply connection ( black/blue) and the output to the light (white/white) or one half of the ouput to the light (looking at the diagram on the ballast!) What ever you do, don't connect it how you have in the second photo, it will short the electrics of your house, which depending on the electrical installation of your house could be catastrofic or a case of resetting a breaker!

In photo C, the wiring from the ballast to the "tombstones" that hold the lamp probably already exists in this fixture. The two wires from the upper left are to the power supply; I'm not sure if it matters which is which. One of these wires (the "hot" one) passes through the switch; the other should attach to the neutral of your supply.

In the U.S., the "hot" wire would usually be black (but possibly red or orange in some cases); the "neutral" would usually be white (maybe gray or something else in other countries). Unfortunately, international standard vary, so the U.S. scheme may not apply.

which country is abroad?

looking at your second pic, you show a blue and brown cores.. Brown is LIVE, blue is NEUTRAL.

Everyone is assuming its from the US.. tell me the country you bought it from

you got it...GA

how else could you do it?

Just keep replacing fuses till one wiring scheme worked!

Finally, I found out there is a hidden connector

But they use black color as live, blue for neutral. No earthing! That is quite strange!

Everything is OK now.Thanks everybody

It's nice when someone takes the time to come back and say thanks

By your description and picture you are using the neutral wire to switch, this is not correct. Hot wire should be running to switch.

The colour coding of the wiring doesn't appear to follow any convention,. You're right blue is usually neutral however in this case it is the switched wire and therefore should be connected to active.

Looks like the neutral (blue) has fallen out of the push fit terminal of the ballast! Push it in hard and give it a little tug just to nick it in there! Be careful though because sometimes when they strip that type of cable, they cut the cable a bit and it could snap off in the push fit terminal. better off cutting the end off and re-stripping it without damaging the inner core!

GA, Fredski. A well thought out and concise reply !

Mr. Fredski -

May I add as noted in the picture that the rated operating voltage of the ballast transformer is 220 Volts. In countries where the standard operating voltage is 220 Volts, both lines are "hot", they do not use neutral lines, it is an accepted norm that both lines be passed thru a switch for safety reasons, to completely remove or isolate the power lines.

Thank you

Take a closer look at the switch, it's a single pole. If you had taken as much time to look at the pictures as you did in an attempt to discredit me you would have noticed that.

I am in Ukraine and here always use 2 legs socket.

It fits all 2 leg plug regardless of 180 degree rotation.

So I believe the color of "hot wire" is doesn't matter.

OK that's 220 volts, 50Hz and from what I can glean from the web, domestic supply is single phase and neutral (grounded at the supply side)

So, if you are going to stick a plug on it, then it will work but if you plug it in one way, you will have power at the ballast all the time with no return leg until you switch it on! On the other hand, if you hard wire it to the house, it would be wise to have the power going to the black cable so that when you turn it off, there is no potential hazard waiting to happen!

I would use great caution with that light fitting! If your socket has no earth and the light is metal cased, you are only a loose wire away from getting electrocuted

Vsar

It may be that way in the country you came from however in Australia the operating voltage is 220v and we certainly do not consider both wires "hot". The system here is a Multiple Earthed Neutral (MEN) where neutral and earth are connected in many separate locations. Only the active wire is switched. I should also point out in reference to suggestions that this lamp appears to be "substandard" that the pictures show it in a "disassembled" state as it would have been impossible to photograph the fittings in their proper position at either end of the fitting.

Just from your pictures you have wired it wrong. Those black and blue wires do not go to the lamp holder just the white wires on separate terminals that are there . And it appears that the two whites on the other holder are terminated on the same terminal also. Would seek some one that has lighting experience. As the diagram is no different from what is use in USA. Only difference is the wire colors.

Most the inputs on ballast there is no set common or hot. That on this lamp would be which ever was ran to the switch would be wired to hot.

I would expect to find a screw or bolt fastened to the inside of the metal casing which appears to be the only exposed metal of the unit, and therefore the only part requiring earthing. If this is not present, then use the mounting screws to hold a ring-termination on the supply earth wire. Make sure to clear any paint/coating from the area to ensure a good ground.

Where "abroad"? In Europe, blue is hot. Where do you plan to use this?

The colour codes are all over the place (you can get some horrible mixtures of old and new standards) - and remember that fixed and flexible wiring is often different.

This wikipedia article summarises the codes.

Why would you install a light like this? It is not approved for North America would never pass an electrical inspection. l would think this would be the first comment anyone would make.

Why do you assume that it's being installed in North America? This is an international site, and the OP hasn't indicated his location.

......

Not assuming you're planning to use it in USA,

can't believe this is a finished product for any country.

Even by EU standards is this acceptable?

Tell me if i am mistaken???

You are mistaken.

If for US consumption, this would never pass our UL standards..

So again, how many people does it take to light a lamp????

So again, how many people does it take to light a lamp????

You excluded?

Good luck....with all the conflicting opinions on here, you may as well just use trial and error until something works for you, or your abode catches alight. Alternately, call in the expertise of a licenced electrician/electrical technician from your geographical locale....job done!