Generator PTO Generator questions

[ctgoldwing]

Those are really nice. How much did they set you back? I would guess Uncle Sam rebuilt them after they had about 16 hours on them.

What voltages do they put out?

At work, in 1995, we bought several Army surplus gas-powered generators which dated to the Vietnam era. All had less that 20 hours on the clock. The voltages were really wierd: three phase 240, three phase 120 and a couple of other configurations I can't recall.

And like you, we got the trailers, which are coveted by the OHV set

Fortunately my son lives close enough to Fort Meade so he could inspect the whole lot they were auctioning (over 20 of these). He picked out about 6 that looked really pristine. Those are the ones we bid on. We got them for abt $2k ea. I am pretty sure I can get $600 for my trailer - it has surge brakes & leaf springs. We really don't know their histories but I can tell you mine had a completely new control box - every wire & screw looks like it was put together yesterday and the generator end looks new also

They are dual phase - switchable from single phase 240 v to 3 phase. I just left the switch on single phase and some day will probably go in there & hard wire it for single phase & remove all the other wires & switch.

btw the company I work for sells home standby generators (LP) - a 10kw unit weighs about 330 lbs, these units weigh 1300.

[Rock knocker]

They are dual phase - switchable from single phase 240 v

240v or 120/240v? Uncle Sam can be weird sometimes

[bucmeister]

Rock knocker,

What size units did y'all get the 5Kw or 10Kw? We messed with several of both a few years back, all Vietnam era unit like yours. What we found was that the 5Kw units were weird in how the selectable configurations for single phase and triple phase were set up and had to select 3 phase 120v to each of 3 legs then just wire up with 2 to get 240, not sure how but it worked. The 10Kw units were more conventionally configured with a selection for 1 phased/240v along with the 3 phase stuff. The 5Kw diesel version must be a bit newer because it works just like the 10Kw and preferably turns at 1800 rpm.

[alco141]

i had a 25 kw pto generator that i powered with my 23 hp New Holland tractor, it was pretty stable as long as i set the tractor speed to make about 62 hz frequency when unloaded, it powered the house easily except for the air conditioner, the only problem i had was that my wife could not connect the pto shaft , so if needed it i would have to be home to handle it. i sold it to a friend for what i paid and just bought an electric start 10 kw unit. this solved the problem of running the generator when i was unavailable, she learned easily to hook up the generator to the house and run it .

that said the pto genset was very stable under load as i had placed a frequency voltage meter in a nearby outlet and could observe fluctuations when turning on and off various loads. it handled the well pump, furnaces, lights, microwave, tv , i did not have to use it to heat water.

alex

[Rock knocker]

Rock knocker,

What size units did y'all get the 5Kw or 10Kw? We messed with several of both a few years back, all Vietnam era unit like yours. What we found was that the 5Kw units were weird in how the selectable configurations for single phase and triple phase were set up and had to select 3 phase 120v to each of 3 legs then just wire up with 2 to get 240, not sure how but it worked. The 10Kw units were more conventionally configured with a selection for 1 phased/240v along with the 3 phase stuff. The 5Kw diesel version must be a bit newer because it works just like the 10Kw and preferably turns at 1800 rpm.

It must have been the 5KW unit. It was 24v engine circuitry, and was full of goofy voltages.

[Eyecatcher]

Alco, I don't know what pto generator you purchased, but if it was a 25KW and you replaced it with a 10KW and it's stable, there's something wrong.

[Rock knocker]

Alco, I don't know what pto generator you purchased, but if it was a 25KW and you replaced it with a 10KW and it's stable, there's something wrong.

He clearly wasn't using the full amperage output of the 25KW unit, because a 25 horse NH doesn't have the umph to push it