Removing wires from T5 ballast

[hmspe]

I have Universal brand T5HO ballasts in my office. No instructions on how to remove wires from the orange connectors on the ballast, and nothing I've tried releases the wires. Is there a trick to this? Thanks.

 

[fmtjfw]

I have Universal brand T5HO ballasts in my office. No instructions on how to remove wires from the orange connectors on the ballast, and nothing I've tried releases the wires. Is there a trick to this? Thanks.

Rotate with wires left and right while pulling on them.
Are they listed for reuse?
What do they cost $1 each?
What does a T5 ballast cost?
What is your hourly rate?

-- boils down to why would you want to?

 

[hmspe]

Thanks. We had a ballast fail this morning. These are Peerless linear in rows 16' and 20'. I ordered single lamp fixtures but received two lamp. When a company is nice enough to provide professional accommodation pricing you say thanks and just run half the fixtures. Since we have unused ballasts the plan was to swap ballasts. The ballasts are in the $50 to $100 range from what I see online. I'm using this as a training for the interns so labor cost isn't really an issue.

 

[Smart $]

Interns...??? :blink:

 

[hmspe]

Engineering office. Both are students (one high school, one college) in training so the term fits.

 

[ActionDave]

I have Universal brand T5HO ballasts in my office. No instructions on how to remove wires from the orange connectors on the ballast, and nothing I've tried releases the wires. Is there a trick to this? Thanks.

Cut the wire.

 

[MD84]

They are a complete pain. You can pull on them and twist the wire back and forth and they will eventually come out. At that point throw them in the trash.

If you don't need that half inch of wire then just cut them.

 

[dkidd]

Cut the wire.

Which wire?

 

[peter d]

I cut them off. Usually if you try to remove the wire by pulling it out by twisting it back and forth, it will break right off.

 

[iwire]

Are we talking about the ones that have a little tool for removing the wires?

The tool has the white handle at the bottom of the picture, it is just a thin flat blade to slip into the latch.

 

[JFletcher]

I have Universal brand T5HO ballasts in my office. No instructions on how to remove wires from the orange connectors on the ballast, and nothing I've tried releases the wires. Is there a trick to this? Thanks.

Cut, then use new disconnects

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ideal-PowerPlug-Orange-Ballast-Disconnect-Discs-5-Pack-30-1302S/202935637

 

[hmspe]

Are we talking about the ones that have a little tool for removing the wires?

They are Universal P254PUNV-D ballasts. Factory installed so no tools or instructions, and nothing of use on the Universal web site. The fixtures are old enough that the do not have internal disconnects.

The connectors on the ballast have a hole just right for a paper clip next to each connection, but inserting a paper clip does nothing. There is also a square post next to each connection, but they don't seem to push, pull, or rotate.

The wires do pull out if you rotate them while pulling on the wire, but I have to think there's a better/proper way since there is no excess wire in the fixtures and ballasts do need to be changed out on occasion.

 

[kwired]

They are Universal P254PUNV-D ballasts. Factory installed so no tools or instructions, and nothing of use on the Universal web site. The fixtures are old enough that the do not have internal disconnects.

The connectors on the ballast have a hole just right for a paper clip next to each connection, but inserting a paper clip does nothing. There is also a square post next to each connection, but they don't seem to push, pull, or rotate.

The wires do pull out if you rotate them while pulling on the wire, but I have to think there's a better/proper way since there is no excess wire in the fixtures and ballasts do need to be changed out on occasion.

Can you post a picture of what you have? There are a few varieties of designs out there so it is hard to tell you exactly what you may need to do to release the conductor on your particular application.

 

[ActionDave]

They are Universal P254PUNV-D ballasts. Factory installed so no tools or instructions, and nothing of use on the Universal web site. The fixtures are old enough that the do not have internal disconnects.

The connectors on the ballast have a hole just right for a paper clip next to each connection, but inserting a paper clip does nothing. There is also a square post next to each connection, but they don't seem to push, pull, or rotate.

The wires do pull out if you rotate them while pulling on the wire, but I have to think there's a better/proper way since there is no excess wire in the fixtures and ballasts do need to be changed out on occasion.

You seem to be confusing the dream of well engineered lights manufactured with some consideration toward future maintenance with the reality of what is purchased on the mass market.....

Cut the one time connector off, wire nut some leftover wire from the old ballast to reach the leads on the new ballast, get the lights back on.

 

[Smart $]

Haven't replaced many ballasts over the the past decade, but in my experience prior to that, replacement ballasts did not have terminal connectors, but relatively lengthy wire leads exiting the ballast housing.

 

[iwire]

Haven't replaced many ballasts over the the past decade, but in my experience prior to that, replacement ballasts did not have terminal connectors, but relatively lengthy wire leads exiting the ballast housing.

That is pretty much going away, a lot of the electronic ones have terminals.

 

[kwired]

Haven't replaced many ballasts over the the past decade, but in my experience prior to that, replacement ballasts did not have terminal connectors, but relatively lengthy wire leads exiting the ballast housing.

T5 ballasts like the OP has seem to be pretty common to have terminals instead of leads. They are quick connect style sort of like "Wago Wall nuts" where you just push the conductor in and a spring loaded device grips the conductor.

 

[hmspe]

Here's what the connectors look like. It would make sense that the buttons next to the wire would be press-to-release, but we've tried pushing, pulling, and rotating and they don't move, at least not with reasonable force.

 

[hmspe]

... and after I got one of the ballast channels down on the ground I found that the buttons do push in. Significant difference between working on a hard surface and working on fixtures in the air that are hung with aircraft cable/

 

[Smart $]

... and after I got one of the ballast channels down on the ground I found that the buttons do push in. Significant difference between working on a hard surface and working on fixtures in the air that are hung with aircraft cable/

Does pushing in on button release the wire?