Header banner
Revain logoHome Page
Rob Dixon photo
1 Level
1276 Review
59 Karma

Review on πŸ”Œ KTEB 120 1 TP Fluorescent Ballast by Keystone Electronic by Rob Dixon

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Blinded by the light!

This was exactly the ballast I needed to replace the ballast on my aquarium lighting with a 15" incandescent bulb. The exchange was surprisingly easy. It was literally the first electrical work I've ever done. Please learn from my experience: firstly, you probably already know that you need a Phillips screwdriver to remove the reflector cover and inside the light body where the ballast is located, but it will also come in handy to have a flathead screwdriver, or one other small flat device. The parts that hold the bulb come out of the reflector cover. I think it's called tombstones? They actually have a similar shape to tombstones, so it's legal. In any case, one way to make it easier to get the old wires out is to take them out of the reflector part. These tombstones just snap into place, but the side you have to press to snap out is so close to the "wall". " of the reflector cover, which is almost impossible to get in. Fingers. This is where a flathead screwdriver will come in handy. If you also have a lightbulb this small, be prepared to cut some wires. Since this ballast is designed for a wide variety of light sources, the wires are long enough to fit much longer bulbs than mine. I couldn't fit all the extra wires into the case so I had to cut them short. And it would be a lot easier if I had real wire cutters/strippers. I did it with needle nose pliers but it hurt. I accidentally cut a wire trying to remove the cover. Luckily that's why I left the excess length on. It's still good practice even if you use wire strippers. But yes, give Just spend a few bucks and buy a few to make your life easier Note: You will need a pair of needles or regular pliers to get the twisting/unwinding ends of wires. Even if you are an electrician. For a beginner like me, I suggest you change one wire at a time. That means taking out one color of the old wires, replacing them with new ones, and then moving on to the next color. So you don't forget which color goes where. One last note, when you change ballasts and insert the bulb to check that it's working, make sure the switch is off, or point the light away from you. I left the switch on mine on without realizing or checking. I was so excited to find out if I fixed it that I wired it up with the lightbulb pointing towards my face. Completely blinded myself for a second. Rzhunimagu!

Pros
  • Easy to read control panel
Cons
  • New competitors have arrived