Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Tokheim 36B upper light unit question

Has anyone ever built an upper light unit for their Tokheim 36B? I believe I would require some sort of electrical junction box with two light fixtures extending horizontally for the ad glass area and one vertical fixture extending to the globe. I can get the porcelain light sockets with the 1/2" pipe thread but what sort of junction box do I need and where can I find one? All I have at the moment is the 1/2" threaded pipe end and a couple of wires. It is one of the last pieces to resolve on this rebuild. Thanks for any help. Cheers, Don.

Don--it needs to be small enough to keep the fixtures from extending out too far. I have an original 36B with just such a fixture above that plate, and I wanted one on another 36B that I was restoring, so I made my own! I used a junction box from a Wayne pump which already has 2--1/2 inch pipe fittings cast into it. I just bored 2 more openings into the round box, at 90- degree angles to the fittings already there. Then I took a 1/2 inch smooth pipe coupling and cut it in half to use as the new fittings. I then welded them to the junction box and there it was! I now had a small junction box with 4 --1/2 inch pipe fittings on it!
From there it was simply a matter of using some close nipples and ceramic sockets , and it was together, and still allowed ample room for a couple small light bulbs inside the ad glass top.
Sorry, I don't have any photos----

Thanks Kevin, but then the problems changes to finding a Wayne junction box, do the drilling, and have someone weld it together. I was hoping for an off the shelf solution but that may not happen here. Cheers, Don.

Don, got to an electrical supply store and get a 4 way tee, you can use closed nipples and the fixtures and still have room for the cfl bulbs.

Thanks Phil, I am planning to stop by the hardware store after work to look at round junction boxes with four 1/2" hole openings. The close nipples are a good idea for the confined space I have to work in. Cheers, Don.

I use a four way 1/2" black iron plumbing "T". As Phil mentioned, use close 1/2" nipples. New ceramic light fixtures with each wired separately. Fish all three sets of wires into the T and down thru the base into the original electrical junction box. Wire nut everything together and you are in business. Pretty simple, really. Paul www.severngaspumps.com

Wow, nice top made for a stationlighter.

GENE

Don--I can mail you a Wayne junction box if your other options don't work out. I like the ease of wiring with the junction box up top instead of fishing the wires. Looks a lot like the original deal too.

Thanks but I think I almost have it with just one trip to the hardware store. I now just have to wait to get three porcelain light fixtures with the 1/2" thread from my buddy and then wire it all up. It is simple when you know what you are doing, but sometimes a little more difficult when you are doing it for the first time. Thanks for all the input. Cheers, Don.

Don I like that energy ad glass on that top. Sweet!

Thanks Fred. Energy wasn't my first choice. I was planning to do a North Star Buffalo or Electro. However the thought of creating new decals and ad glass was a bit daunting. When I found that my 2 original Energy ad glasses would fit and that I had a couple of the proper Energy decals for the pump along with the original globe it was the way to go. A little cramped rebuilding the pump in my two bedrooms but I am making it work. It will be heaven when that new garage appears. Cheers, Don.