How to Put Incandescent Bulbs in Old Railroad Lanterns
Use your mechanical and craft skills to turn that antique railroad lantern you found at the flea market into a functional indoor or outdoor lamp. Bring historic character to your home lighting decor, add outdoor lighting for your walkway or entry and create a useful conversation piece that you and your guests can enjoy for years.
Things You'll Need
- Antique or reproduction railroad lantern
- Drill and 3/8 inch bit
- 1/8 inch bit (optional)
- Small round file
- Slip-joint pliers
- Phillips and flat bladed screwdrivers
- Standard lamp socket
- Threaded stem, hex nut and flat washers to fit socket
- Bottle lamp kit (optional)
- Incandescent or energy-efficient threaded florescent bulb
- Standard household 2-conductor electrical line cord ("zip" cord)
- 3-conductor electrical line cord (2-conductor with ground wire-if used outdoors)
- Standard 2-prong wall plug
- Grounded wall plug (if used outdoors)
- Mounting hardware with wood and metal screws as needed to mount the lantern
Instructions
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Install the Lighting Parts
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1
Disassemble the antique railroad lantern. Evaluate its design to determine the best way to gain access to the inside. Remove the screws holding the top, lens face or bottom or rotate one or more of those assemblies to remove it for access.
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2
Drill a hole in the center of the railroad lantern bottom using the drill and 3/8 inch bit. Use the small round file to smooth the edges of the hole.
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3
Separate the two sections of the incandescent lamp socket shell. Screw the threaded stem tightly onto the bottom lamp socket section. Thread the line cord through the lamp socket stem/bottom section assembly.
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4
Use this lamp socket hookup procedure if using the railroad lantern indoors. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the wires at each end of the 2-conductor line cord. Attach the wires to the connection screws on the lamp socket.
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5
Use this lamp socket hookup procedure if using the railroad lantern outdoors. Strip the outer insulation back 3 inches on the 3-conductor line cord. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the ends of the white, black and green conductors. Screw the threaded stem onto the bottom lamp socket section.
Thread the white and black wires of the 3-conductor line cord through the lamp socket stem/bottom section assembly. Leave the green ground wire outside of the bottom of the lamp socket stem. Attach the black wire to the darker-colored connection screw on the lamp socket and the white wire to the lighter-colored connection screw.
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6
Reassemble the upper and lower lamp socket sections. Insert the line cord into the drilled hole in the railroad lantern from the top and feed it through until you can fit the threaded stem/lamp socket assembly completely into the hole.
Be sure the green ground wire is completely through the hole in the railroad lantern bottom if using the 3-conductor line cord. Slide a flat washer and a hex nut onto the line cord. Slide the green ground wire through these if using the 3-conductor line cord.
Hold the lamp socket firmly and tighten the hex nut with the slip-joint pliers to secure it inside the railroad lantern.
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7
Perform this wiring procedure if using the lamp outdoors:
Attach the green ground wire from the 3-conductor line cord at the stem to the nearest mounting screw on the railroad lantern.
Drill a 1/8-inch hole in the bottom of the lamp and use a small sheet metal screw to attach the green ground wire to the railroad lantern if there's no nearby mounting screw available.
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8
Disassemble the wall plug cover and base. Insert the line cord through the top of the wall plug.
Connect the 2-conductor line cord wires to the screws on the wall plug, if using the railroad lantern indoors.
Use this wall plug hookup procedure if using the lamp outdoors: Attach the black wire to the darker-colored connection screw on the wall plug and the white wire to the lighter colored connection screw. Attach the green ground wire to the ground prong screw of the wall plug.
Reassemble the cover and base of the wall plug.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Make it easier with a bottle lamp kit containing the necessary parts to put incandescent lighting in your antique railroad lamp for indoor use.
Always use a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) circuit breaker or outlet to protect against potential shock hazard in the electrical circuit for lighting or other devices installed outdoors or where moisture may be present. This is to protect anyone touching an outdoor electrical fixture if there's a short circuit in it. The GFI monitors the current flow and rapidly disconnects power if it detects electricity passing through a person in contact with the device and the ground.
Be sure power is removed before working on any electrical device.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit lantern image by Alexander Maksimov from Fotolia.com
