# Help with Old Light Hood



## awk (Jul 16, 2010)

Hi,
I have this old All Glass hood that I'm wanting to modify to hold 2 or 3 sockets for spiral cfls for a 20 tall. I found a post that is beyond helpful (http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ects/45208-diy-mod-perfecto-10-gal-light.html).

Also, I was thinking about adding a blue light to it as a night light. I think I could install a third socket to put some kind of blue novelty bulb in or maybe an blue led bulb. Do I need to get a separate ground wire for the blue light or is it possible that it can be wired to a separate switch than the 2 cfls and have all connected to the same grounded wire? Should I mess with singular leds to get a more even spread of blue light over the tank?

Thank you for any patience. I am new 

More info: The switch is rated for 125v. Here is what the hood looks like:








The wood is going to get screwed into the molded screw towers to anchor the sockets. Maybe a aluminum foil reflector if i can make that stick.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi awk,

All ground wires go to the same location......ground. So they all can be connected together.


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

i've put in the sockets to my own lights for my 10 gallon, 20 long, and my 2.5 gallon. all i can say is it costs no more than 20 dollars (for materials for each hood)and i get great results. I get EVERYTHING from walmart. go to their lighting section you should find regular light sockets with a electrical cord. they're about 7 dollars for one socket and one wire(you can buy one package of that and buy another only socket(no wire) pack) you can either choose to combine the two sockets into one wire or have them separate. then in the same aisle you should find flourescent light strips, buy the under cabinet one, it should be 18" (just find the one long enough) and it's skinny maybe 1"-1.5" inches thick or you can get the bigger ones(its around 10 dollars). and buy some 23 watts spiral cfls. so in total you should have around 60 watts from x2 spiral cfls (23 watt) and one 14-something else (depends on which flourescent strip you get)


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

wait i think its going to be around 30 dollars... well anyway you'll also need to buy a paint brush and a small bottle of white acrylic paint.(this is for the hood, unless you want to put in reflectors, which i think takes too much time) well take all this stuff, buy a timer (with the socket), extension cord(surge protector) if you decide not to combine the two sockets, soldering iron, solder, electrical tape. and you're ready! so basically you have to plastic light shell, paint the inside white (you'll need to paint, dry, paint, dry) until it's actually white. then melt a hole or drill a hole (around half a inch) in the back for all the wires. wire and place the sockets in and secure them, and use the mounters that come with the flourescent light strip to mount the flourescent light strip. ( at this point you should have no wires yet (rewire the light strip's wire by cutting off and soldering later) <--- that's to make the wires through the hood unless you you can put the wire through without cutting it. and then secure everything. so now you should have a light shell with a white inside, and a light strip and two sockets. then string the wires through the holes and solder everything thing together, so now you should have three cords(or two if you combined the sockets) hanging out of the hole in the back. then stick the cords for the sockets( if you have two, otherwise you don't need an extension cord. just stick it into the timer socket) into the extension cord and into the timer socket. set the timer so basically that's your automatic switch for your photoperiod (turn the switches for the sockets on!) and plug the flourescent one into an ordinary socket or the same timer if you want. you're done! i hope i've been clear. if not you can pm me with questions


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

looking back i realized i forgot some things. the light strip switch can be pried off, take a flat edged screwdriver and get under it and pry it off. then rewire this switch out. <---- that's if you want a viewing light, otherwise skip that step and connect the light strip to the timer...
and also the electrical tape was to tape you're rewired wires together.


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## Cichlid Junkie (Mar 25, 2005)

Go to home depot or lowes. You can get the sockets, wire, white appliance spray paint, ect. for about $20. My buddy did the same thing to one of his lights for his 30 gallon. It cost him about the same for 6 sockets upgrade.


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## awk (Jul 16, 2010)

Thank you everybody for the help. 

One thing I'm not completely sure about is putting the blue light on a separate switch as the other 2 sockets. 

Do I need to buy a new ground wire for it to supply enough electricity to the 3 sockets? Or will the old one be more than enough? Dumb question, right?


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

i'd go with one cord for one socket to stay on the safe side and just connect it all to a extension cord attached to a timer. if one thing goes wrong, not all is lost 
well for the blue light you should have a separate cord. i like being able to turn on a 14 watt light for viewing and having the spiral cfl's on a timer
huh... i always thought walmart was cheaper... ill go see lowes and home depots selections.


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## awk (Jul 16, 2010)

I have most of my materials save a larger gauge wire, plug to accompany it, and wire nuts. I made a diagram of my plans like Hoppy did in the link I mentioned.

*Am I on my way to making an electrical fire or does this look correct?* The wires have to cross over each other at some points in the diagram but I'm not implying that they are connecting. 








edit: fixed the diagram (black is +, white is -), oops <) If anybody is worried,*I won't hold any responder responsible for any problems with the light or harm that may come to myself.* I'm gathering several opinions (not only from forum members) and reading up on wiring lights so I will have all the info I need to do this right.


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## awk (Jul 16, 2010)

Here's a new diagram that's a little less nutty bananas. And fixed it so the black only runs to the switches.


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## awk (Jul 16, 2010)

Well, I hope I didn't rub anyone the wrong way on this forum. The word seems to be mum. Thank you again for the help neilshieh, cichlid junkie, and seattle aquarist.

I went ahead with the plan. And....it works! :dance: It has one cord and 2 switches so the two daylights and blue can turn on and off separately. Who knew they made colored spirals...


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

nice! i knew they made color spirals but i never saw blue ones... just yellow ones.


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