Larry Caldwell
Elite Member
I'm an old retired codger with a shop, and like to tinker. A while back I ran across an antique generator powered by a 10 hp Briggs (24 CI) running a 4000 watt Dayton/Winco generator. 2x17 amp 115 volt, 1x37 amp 115 volt, 1x17 amp 230 volt, 1x10 amp 12 volt. It even has electric start!
The guy wanted $50 for it, and it looked good. It hasn't had enough hours to burn all the paint off the muffler, and it has the original factory paint on the cooling vanes. The fuel tank was dry and clean. He said it didn't run, but I don't think he had even tried in the last 10 years.
There was no spark. The points are mounted on the outside of the block. I unscrewed the cover, which still had the original factory sealant. The points were not opening and closing, but everything looked brand new. There is a plunger that goes through the side of the block that connects the cam to the points. The plunger was stuck with the points open. I poked the plunger, and shazam, the plunger worked and there was spark.
The fuel line was rotten, and I broke the sediment bowl trying to clean it. A replacement sediment bowl cost me $17. Ouch.
There was also a mystery small gauge wire wrapped around the fuel line with the end broken off. A little sleuthing taught me the wire was to run flicker points, which was the 1957 version of a voltage regulator. On the power stroke, the flicker points close, which connects the field exciter to a 1.5 ohm resistor, dropping the field voltage, which is conveniently a nominal 12 volts. There is also a 10 amp 12 volt outlet for charging a battery. When the load drops the RPM during the exhaust stroke, the flicker points open, boosting the field voltage, stabilizing the output voltage, but not the frequency. The mystery wire was just a busted spade connector. I suspect the other end goes to the magneto, but don't know for sure. There is a switch that disables the wire to disable the flicker points for full generator output.
10 hp. should be good for 6000 watts, so it should start a motor without bogging. The brushes and flicker points should create enough noise to nix any AM radio reception, but it should run a well pump just fine. In a pinch, I have a couple APC UPS units that would clean up the power for electronics.
I haven't fired it up yet, so don't know what shape the carb is in. The fuel tank is so clean I suspect the carb is too. If it needs cleaned, that's easy on those old carbs. If necessary, I can cut a gasket out of gasket material. I connected a jumper box to the battery terminals and the electric start turned it over just fine. The engine has plenty of compression. The vibration isolators on the cart have come apart, but they are standard 1/4" - 20 rubber mounts that are going to set me back another $16. The cart has 4" casters, which are not practical for country living, but I have a couple of junk 8" hard rubber wheels that will handle gravel and dirt. I'll weld wheel mounts on one end of the cart and handles on the other, which should make it manageable. The whole genset weighs a bunch - they didn't spare the copper in those days. I had to unload it with the tractor bucket.
This thing was top of the line 60 years ago. I think it was worth $85 and a little tinkering. I'm in a wildfire area, and if there is a fire the power company will kill the lines. I have an old 2.5 hp irrigation pump that should run a 2" line until the swimming pool is empty. All it needs is repaird.
The guy wanted $50 for it, and it looked good. It hasn't had enough hours to burn all the paint off the muffler, and it has the original factory paint on the cooling vanes. The fuel tank was dry and clean. He said it didn't run, but I don't think he had even tried in the last 10 years.
There was no spark. The points are mounted on the outside of the block. I unscrewed the cover, which still had the original factory sealant. The points were not opening and closing, but everything looked brand new. There is a plunger that goes through the side of the block that connects the cam to the points. The plunger was stuck with the points open. I poked the plunger, and shazam, the plunger worked and there was spark.
The fuel line was rotten, and I broke the sediment bowl trying to clean it. A replacement sediment bowl cost me $17. Ouch.
There was also a mystery small gauge wire wrapped around the fuel line with the end broken off. A little sleuthing taught me the wire was to run flicker points, which was the 1957 version of a voltage regulator. On the power stroke, the flicker points close, which connects the field exciter to a 1.5 ohm resistor, dropping the field voltage, which is conveniently a nominal 12 volts. There is also a 10 amp 12 volt outlet for charging a battery. When the load drops the RPM during the exhaust stroke, the flicker points open, boosting the field voltage, stabilizing the output voltage, but not the frequency. The mystery wire was just a busted spade connector. I suspect the other end goes to the magneto, but don't know for sure. There is a switch that disables the wire to disable the flicker points for full generator output.
10 hp. should be good for 6000 watts, so it should start a motor without bogging. The brushes and flicker points should create enough noise to nix any AM radio reception, but it should run a well pump just fine. In a pinch, I have a couple APC UPS units that would clean up the power for electronics.
I haven't fired it up yet, so don't know what shape the carb is in. The fuel tank is so clean I suspect the carb is too. If it needs cleaned, that's easy on those old carbs. If necessary, I can cut a gasket out of gasket material. I connected a jumper box to the battery terminals and the electric start turned it over just fine. The engine has plenty of compression. The vibration isolators on the cart have come apart, but they are standard 1/4" - 20 rubber mounts that are going to set me back another $16. The cart has 4" casters, which are not practical for country living, but I have a couple of junk 8" hard rubber wheels that will handle gravel and dirt. I'll weld wheel mounts on one end of the cart and handles on the other, which should make it manageable. The whole genset weighs a bunch - they didn't spare the copper in those days. I had to unload it with the tractor bucket.
This thing was top of the line 60 years ago. I think it was worth $85 and a little tinkering. I'm in a wildfire area, and if there is a fire the power company will kill the lines. I have an old 2.5 hp irrigation pump that should run a 2" line until the swimming pool is empty. All it needs is repaird.
