Any electricians out there?

[dadstank]

So what seems about forever ago, my flors. lights kicked off and never went back on.
I replaced the ballast. Nope.
I re-soldered all the connections. Nope.
I got new end caps for the lights. Now here is the problem.

PROBLEM 1. The end caps/lights are attached to the top, and the ballast is attached to the stand. I need to be able to remove the top to work on the tank. The end caps and ballast connect through the plug you see below. I tried to pull the pins and make the new connections, and I broke it. It is not repairable.

PROBLEM 2. What is the proper name for this connector? Where do I find another?!?!?! I have been to every electrical supply i could find by my office, and my apt.

 

[SnowManSnow]

stupid thing to ask..

but did you check your BULBS?

b

 

[dadstank]

yeah. first i got two regular house bulbs out, they worked the first time, so i got two new coralife bulbs, then i broke one, then i got another. no go. i put the house bulbs back in. no go. i changed the ballast (had an extra). no go. re did all the connections. still no go. the end caps and this connection are the last orginial parts. if new ones can't make it work, i will have to suffer and live with no flores.

 

[spaulr]

Who makes the light ballast? If it came in a kit you should be able to order it from the manufacturer. OR try an LFS, they might have a broken ballast laying around that you can part out.

 

[dadstank]

this connection is a DIY from yester year done by my father... i have been to Absolutly fish in New Jersey, and two others.

the ballast is a standard Universal 120V 446-L-SLH-TC-P

and i have been unable to find a kit that has ballast/end caps/and can be seperated...

i was just thinking about it on the train, what about an auto parts store? all i really need is an 8 pin connector....

 

[Swapfoot]

I would check Newark electronics. I would think they sell extractors for those pins too. An extractor tool is very handy and is relatively inexpensive. Hope that helps with the connector.

Greg

 

[Anonymous]

Probably one of the 4 thousands or so of adoptors from Molex.

 

[Christeon]

Pretty sure it's a UNI-MATE or a MATE-N-LOK by AMP

Pins can be found under Associated Products through the housing links I've given below, they are less than $1.50 per 10 , the housings are less than a buck a piece.

Datasheet for what I'm talking about is here you can measure yours to make sure it's a match:
http://dkc3.digikey.com/Media/PDF/Data Sheets/Tyco Electonics AMP PDFs/480707.pdf


Link to part you show:
http://catalog.digikey.com/scripts/partsearch.dll?Detail?name=A14293-ND

Link to the Mating connector:
http://catalog.digikey.com/scripts/partsearch.dll?Detail?name=A14292-ND

I would also add the cable strain reliefs they will keep you from pulling the pins out etc when disconnecting, they clip right on:
http://catalog.digikey.com/scripts/partsearch.dll?Detail?name=A14345-ND

 

[dadstank]

that's GREAT!!!
thanks for the links!