I’ll start off with the text of the email I sent to the maker of this industrial light fixture I bought at an antique store:
“Recently I acquired an explosion proof light made by Crouse-Hinds; from what I can make out on the tag, it is the model EVA 115 M2 (see attached picture). I am in the process of converting this light into a table lamp, but while disassembling the light, I ran into an issue with the housing and the base. I would like to get to the wiring where it is attached to the light bulb socket, but I cannot figure out how to separate the bell-shaped portion of the housing from the portion of the base that terminates in a hex-shaped extension with a stamped logo. I removed a set screw in the side of the housing where it seems the base screws into the housing, and I applied a liberal amount of PB Blaster both into the set screw hole and all around the gap where the base and housing meet, and I clamped the hex-shaped extension of the base in a vise. Then I used a Klein strap wrench on the housing right above the base, but I could not get the housing to budge. At all. I even removed both set screws from the base though I can't see what they have to do with separating the two items, but I still cannot get the base and housing separated.
Can you offer any tips on getting this done, please? Is there a hidden set screw somewhere, or is the threaded portion left-handed such that turning right loosens it, or is it simply a friction fit with no threads, or what?”
Their response was that the base is indeed threaded, and it is a right-hand thread, and it may need “a lot of muscle” to loosen up the two pieces. Here’s a pic of the fixture in question, with the two parts indicated and the gap between the two as well. I had the strap wrench cinched down tightly so there was no movement, but even with whacking on the handle of the wrench, I could not get the housing to budge. This even after I filled up the interior of the threaded portion with enough PB Blaster that I’m pretty sure the interior space is swimming in the stuff. I may end up having to cut through the gap with a hacksaw, and insert a thin-walled tube to keep the two parts together after I finish the conversion. The whole thing is galvanized pot metal, btw. Before I do anything so drastic, do you folks have any advice on how to get the two components apart in a non-destructive manner?
“Recently I acquired an explosion proof light made by Crouse-Hinds; from what I can make out on the tag, it is the model EVA 115 M2 (see attached picture). I am in the process of converting this light into a table lamp, but while disassembling the light, I ran into an issue with the housing and the base. I would like to get to the wiring where it is attached to the light bulb socket, but I cannot figure out how to separate the bell-shaped portion of the housing from the portion of the base that terminates in a hex-shaped extension with a stamped logo. I removed a set screw in the side of the housing where it seems the base screws into the housing, and I applied a liberal amount of PB Blaster both into the set screw hole and all around the gap where the base and housing meet, and I clamped the hex-shaped extension of the base in a vise. Then I used a Klein strap wrench on the housing right above the base, but I could not get the housing to budge. At all. I even removed both set screws from the base though I can't see what they have to do with separating the two items, but I still cannot get the base and housing separated.
Can you offer any tips on getting this done, please? Is there a hidden set screw somewhere, or is the threaded portion left-handed such that turning right loosens it, or is it simply a friction fit with no threads, or what?”
Their response was that the base is indeed threaded, and it is a right-hand thread, and it may need “a lot of muscle” to loosen up the two pieces. Here’s a pic of the fixture in question, with the two parts indicated and the gap between the two as well. I had the strap wrench cinched down tightly so there was no movement, but even with whacking on the handle of the wrench, I could not get the housing to budge. This even after I filled up the interior of the threaded portion with enough PB Blaster that I’m pretty sure the interior space is swimming in the stuff. I may end up having to cut through the gap with a hacksaw, and insert a thin-walled tube to keep the two parts together after I finish the conversion. The whole thing is galvanized pot metal, btw. Before I do anything so drastic, do you folks have any advice on how to get the two components apart in a non-destructive manner?