Hi, I’m new to this forum. I have what I believe is a Marx tower light (E-bay has one for sale and it is identical) My question is, does anyone know how to wire it up? It has 2 lamps, and I have a wire going to each one. When I use jumpers to check it both sockets are working and it seems like the whole tower is ground. Now my question, there are 2 connecting studs at the base, neither have any kind of isolation from the base so how do you hook up the wiring without shorting it out? Any help will be appreciated.I have photos of it but like I said this is the 1st time on this forum and I do not see any way of attaching pictures. Thanks
The General Discussion forum has a sticky at the top about posting photos.
How are the lamps wired? If there is 1 wire going to each lamp, they may be doing something really weird like wiring the lamps in series and using the frame as a conductor between them. If that’s the case, then the right way to wire this thing is to just use the two wires.
I don’t know what to make of the non-insulated terminals attached to the frame. Maybe they use this same frame for multiple models (like light towers, water towers, etc.) and they just don’t use them in this configuration.
Is this a new-in-the-box unit, or something that’s been kicking around a while and might have gotten damaged?
I would wire the lamps in parallel. That way if one burns out the other stays lit. Lamps need a wire to the center of each socket. Both socket center wires can be connected at the top of tower, or they can run down the tower and join at the bottom on an insulated stud. (Usually one stud is insulated from the tower with thin fiber washers - test them with an ohmeter)
The outside socket “shells” may be in contact with the metal tower. The current would then flow through the tower legs to the uninsulated stud.
If this is not the case for your tower, just connect one power wire to each center, and the second power wire to the outside shells. Use bulbs to suit your supply voltage. 10 to 15% less voltage will increase lamp life considerably. You don’t really need to use the studs.
Are the wires from the lamps connected to one (or both) of the studs on the base? If so, then connect a power pack’s output to the two base contacts and slowly turn up the throttle to see if the bulbs light up. If they do, then just connect the power packs fixed AC outputs to the tower. Marx trains, like Lionel and American Flyer, ran on AC current, so their accessories were also made for AC voltage at around 16 to 18 Volts.
Thanks for the responces, The tower is not new, been in parents attic for 40 years, all the original wiring was gone. I ran 2 seperate wires to the center of sockets ran those to one side of transformer and the side of trans to one of the base studs and each light worked.
So I’m figuring if I get some of the insulated washers and put them on one of the studs I should be able to put the sockets center wire on one and ground the other. this way it will just light the lamps. That’s all I want it to do(nuthin’ fancy just light)
Thanks again guys for your input.
“Brilliant!” as they say in the Guinness ads. It sounds like you’ve got it figured out. As an owner of many attic-dwelling models, I’m always happy to see another one brought back to life.
And if the lights are too “brilliant,” lower the voltage. The bulbs will last a lot longer that way.