I have a big 6'x4'x3' enclosure (glass and wood) for my Tegu monitor. The external magnetic ballast for my fluorescent light broke and I would like to replace it with an electronic ballast. The external magnetic ballast plugged into an outlet, was not grounded, and did not require a ground. The electronic instant start ballast I would like to purchase requires a ground, but my fixture has no metal hood or any metal at all. If I attach the ground wire from 12/3 electrical wire, coming from an outlet, to the ballast metal housing with a screw, would that provide a proper ground? I would have a 15A 125V ground plug on the end so I can plug it into the wall. The electronic ballast would not be mounted and would be external to the fixture due to heat. Thank you!
Edit: I went ahead and purchased an extension cord and electric instant-start ballast. I hooked everything up but the light won't come on. I tried 3 different new bulbs and ran continuity checks with the wires and internal connection points. I'm not sure why it's not working. Here are some connection pics. Thanks.
Edit: Everything works perfectly now. I did not know that electronic ballasts do not use a starter even after all of my research. I clipped and capped the ends where the starter was connected and the light worked perfectly.
Best Answer
Get a programmed-start ballast.
Cheap ballasts also misuse ground to manipulate capacitive effects between the fluorescent tube and the metal enclosure. Note huge assumption about fixture design.
Programmed-start ballasts preheat the fluorescent lamp filaments (in the ends of the tubes) until conditions are ideal to strike the arc in the manner Tesla intended. It results in a 0.5 to 3 second startup delay (depending on ambient temperature) but is very easy on the tube, and avoids the capacitive trick.
Heat will be minimal on any modern ballast. In a fluorescent, the heat comes from the tubes.
You may want to think about LED lighting and do an end-run around all these problems.
You can't use NM cable as cordage. If you want cordage, buy cordage. They often sell it with a socket premolded onto the end, marketed as an "extension cord". Make sure the writing on the side of the cord is legal for cordage, then SNIP!