Grounding a MH

[discuspro]

Do Metal Halides need to be grounded? I have a magnetic ballast that used to run a pendant 250W. I now am using that ballast to power a 250W MH that I have installed under reflective material in my canopy. There is a green grounding wire that needs to be placed somewhere. For now I've attached it to one of the screws that holds the ceramic bulb socket onto it's bracket. Is that where it is suppose to be?

[mkengr45]

I have attached mine in that spot before, and I have also connected it to the mounting screw on the ballast. I have no clue where it should be attached, I just saw it connected like that on another persons system so I did the same thing.......

Randy

[erick]

No, they do not NEED to be grounded, BUT...... I run all 3 of my 250 MH ungrounded, but if there is a ground fault, then you WILL get shocked :wacko By grounding to the pendant, that is where the electricity will go if there is a fault. Run the ground to the plug, be safe :)

[prof]

All the metal parts of the fixture should be grounded. The ballast is already grounded and the green wire is to allow you to ground the fixture/reflector/etc. Grounding the reflector is the best way to go but the risks are probably minimal if you leave it ungrounded. I have done it both ways.

[urban79]

ground it to the medal screw on the plate cover. its your best ground you will get.

[Mr_Cool]

Don't mean to hijack, but....

My pendant has a green ground wire at the end where you connect to the ballst. But, the ballast doen NOT have a green ground wire. I have the pendant connected, and it fires up just fine. The ground wire from the pendant is just loose. Is this o'kay?

[alton]

Ground it to the enclosure the ballast is located in or mounted to. Remember if you are going to use MH lights open to the water, with out a glass top you are going to have to deal with stray voltage so install a grounding probe in your tank.

[Mr_Cool]

Stray voltage?!? It's a DE pendant, so I have the glass sheild on the pendant. What's a grounding probe for inside the tank, anyway?

I'm new to MH lighting, so this is all new to me. Am I going to electrocute my fish and burn my house down?

[alton]

Stray voltage is everywhere, under power lines, in your local Retail store. I have never tested a pendant system over an open tank for stray voltage, only open MH reflectors in canopies. Get a meter first check to make sure there is not any voltage on your grounding prong on your receptacle, and then insert one test lead in your water and the other in your receptacle grounding prong. Remember voltage doesn't kill it is current that gets you. If you have voltage in your tank you can buy a grounding probe at your lfs. If you are getting shocked find the bad equipment that is adding current in to your tank and remove it, don't add a grounding probe and think you have fixed the problem.

[erick]

Amen Alton.. Electricity is nothing to fool around with, it WILL kill you. Amperage is the key....

[prof]

Many powerheads are notorius for stray voltage. Most don't have a ground wire. I think it was the Rio's that were really bad.