# Fixing Coralfe 1X65W Fixture



## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Got a broken Coralife fixture from a friend. I am trying to rewire the whole thing, but would like your opinions/advice on how. This is a single ballast, with 1 black and 1 red wire. Black is neutral and red is L. If anyone has any experience with it, please let me know. Thank you so much


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

How is it broken? I Black wire and one Red wire. There must be other wires. Does the ballast have any name, words, numbers, etc?


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

dennis, that's why I didn't mention in too much detail because the question was geared toward people who actually owned or have experience with Coralife fixture. The fixture is a 24" 1X65W. So the ballast is electronic. It has several wires, two of which are black and red. The other wires are the socket, the switch, and the power cord. 

I am mainly hoping for people who have actually tinkered with Coralife fixture to speak out. See what their opinions are. I would like to hear more people chiming in before I actually cut or wire anything. 

Thanks again, though


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

Maybe you can post some pictures and those with experience wiring ballasts, etc, can chime in?


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Took some pictures and will post them later. But still hoping someone will chime in. If you ever owned a Coralife pc fixture, you will know what I'm talking about. I just need 2nd opinions so I know what I'm doing is right. Thanks, peeps


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

I an 99% positive I can tell you what you need to know even though I have never used that fixture. I jsut need to know what you are trying to do and what type (workhorse, etc?) ba.llast it is


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## Ransom (May 3, 2006)

Paul Higashikawa said:


> because the question was geared toward people who actually owned or have experience with Coralife fixture.


Dude, unless Coralife has very recently invented some new kind of electricity, the guts of all light fixtures work on the same principles, same number of wires, etc. Just post the problem already...


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Ok, the exact problem is the fixture wouldn't light up. That's why my friend gave it to me So I am hoping I could fix it. Upon dismantling the fixture, I found out the L wire, colored red, is not connected to anything. Hence not working???

If so, which wire do I have to connect this red wire to? Other than that, all other wires are connected. Now, on the ballast itself, there are several different labels. One is L and one is N. The red wire is from the so called L. So, if anyone knows the schematics of a Coralife fixture(or any other fixture with such a set up), please tell me how I should go about it. Basically, I just wanna play it safe to avoid making any unnecessary mistakes. If I can salvage this fixture, why not? More power to my plants, right? Thanks a bunch


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## Ibn (Oct 20, 2004)

Paul, if you take a look at the ballast, there should be a wiring diagram on it. Check out the area where I circled in this pic.









You should have 2 sets of wire, both different colored (basically one set for each socket).

If you can post a pic of the different wires, that would be best.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Does this help? Look at the left side of the photo.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

You guys are the best Some sample diagrams are just what I needed so I could compare.

On this Coralife model, because it is of an older version, didn't have a diagram like the newer model does. Also, the wire colorings are different.

Ok, here are some very crude pictures I snapped early this afternoon. Again, thanks for all the help. I will get on it tonight


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

The looks like a power wire, the Live power wire to be exact. The other is probably Neutral.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Does yourlight have a fan?


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Live and neutral. Ok, I got it. As for the fan, nope. The picture looks exactly like the one I have, but your picture is much clearer Thanks, dennis! Let's hope it is just a matter of connecting that red wire.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Looking at your second photo it looks like there is only one wire comming from the crimp nut (white do-hicky) on the right. judging by the length of the red wire if the crimp connector only has one black wire comming from it, that is probably where the red wire does. This would be especially likely if the aforementiond black wire comes from either the switch or from the plug itself.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

So hows it going? I hope I did not electrocute our favorite translator


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## Ibn (Oct 20, 2004)

Hope not. :lol: 

Bleach is the bomb.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

I think I may have killed him!

"Bleach is the bomb"?


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## Ibn (Oct 20, 2004)

:lol: We'll know who to send the authorities to. 

Last part has to do with his avatar.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Haha, guys, still alive. Yeah, the wiring is giving me a lil trouble because that one with a single wire doesn't seem to have enough room for that red L wire to go into. But that single black wire from the power IS the only lone wire not connecting to anything so I guess it makes sense to assume the red L wire goes with it. I will try to figure it out by tonight and see what happens. Thanks


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Those little white connectors are crimped on (I hate those but they are cheaper if your mass producing stuff). A blue or orange wire nut would make a good replacement or you may have to squeeze the connector with pliers in the opposite way to get the connector off. Then, twist the wires together in a clock-wise direction before replacing or re-using that connector. If you re-use it, squeeze the heck out of it with the pliers as hard as you can and tug on it a bit to make sure it is tight. otherwise, you risk the same situation as before or worse, the live waire from the plug could end up free and touching the metal housing of the light! Buzzap!!! That is why I don't like the crimp one

Technically though, you should use a special crimping tool that applies alot of point pressure and not a full flat squish that pliers will give. I do highly recommend replacing it entirely with a blue wire nut. Cut off the old connector adn strip 3/8" of the new wire, twist in a clockwise direction then twist the red and black wires together. Apply wire nut (or better yet solder it first but bahhh)

Good luck and thank goodness your safe

Dennis


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Oh, and I assume the other half of the power cord (or third if it is grounded) goes to the switch and then on to the black wire labeled N on the ballast. If that is true, this red wire and that lonely black plug wire are just calling to each other, so near yet so far away

And hey, you got a perfectly good light of free, some good experience and an interesting time with yours truely. Lucky guy, I wish someone would give me a free light. (well, technically I was offered a free 2x250MH and 4x65 PC AquaLight but they were to far away for me to go pick it up)

Let me know how it goes and try to snap a really good photo of the wiring, once it is working. I scoured the internet adn I don't believe there is a wiring diagram out there for Coralife fixtures. Your photo clearly showing the connections could save someone all this muckin' around.


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## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Whoosh! Done! Super big thanks goes to dennis and other friends who chimed in with their experience. You guys did it, man! So here are some snap shots I just took to show some step it took me to fix this light:

The lone black wire coming from the switch with that darn-hard wire-nut. The red L wire is behind it








Upon following dennis' advice, I cut the pin-up wire-nut and freed the black wire. Again, the red L wire is next to it








Since the black wire was cut, it got even shorter, making it even more difficult for me to connect the two wires. This took a lil while The new blue wire-nut can be seen next to the ballast.









And.......voila!!! I just grabbed an unused actinic combo light and tested the fixture. Works, so now one more lighting fixture for me. 









Y'all can do it too. Just don't be lazy like me and wait 'till the last minute

Again, thank you all for helping. This fixture will shine forever bright dedicated to you all!


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