Bad Military Surplus Generator Advice Online

[MarcusOReallyus]

True as far as it goes, but you're confusing a generator ..... with a generator....

Oh, I see! I didn't realize generators are NOT generators!




That's cool, though. I didn't know Honda did that. Pretty smert fellas, them Honda guys.

 

[glassk]

When I was going to school at the U of MD, I would sometimes browse the stacks of the engineering library, mainly when I should have been studying. I was amazed to see complicated analyses of electric motors and generators, including calculus and differential equations, in journals dated from the late 1800s.

Ol' Tesla had an imagination,...


now the one that gets me is

Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine, conceived in 1834, is one of the startling intellectual feats of the nineteenth century, way before Bill and them

 

[LuckyDog]

... Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine, conceived in 1834, ...

Ok, had to google that one. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytical_Engine

So, now I want to add an analytical engine to my stable of gas and diesel engines.

 

[steelypip]

Oh, I see! I didn't realize generators are NOT generators!

That's cool, though. I didn't know Honda did that. Pretty smert fellas, them Honda guys.

If you know what a TQG is, then you've seen the GI equivalent: http://www.drs.com/Products/PESG/PDF/TQG3KW.pdf. I've always jonesed after one of these, but they're a little new and pricey. There's also the fact that it's hard to beat an MEP-002A for simple and bulletproof, and I don't know that the TQGs will be as stout or as field-repairable if/when they're surplused.

We do this shared nomenclature thing a lot in English and it frequently bites people in the butt. It's helpful when somebody cooks up a new word for a combination of existing technologies that does something a different way. It leads to complaints of 'jargon,' but it can be a big help, too. Consider:

1. A device that converts the mechanical energy of a rotating shaft into pulsating direct current by virtue of rotating generating windings and a commutator.
2a. A device that converts the mechanical energy of a rotating shaft into continuous wave alternating current by virtue of rotating generating windings.
2b A device that converts the mechanical energy of a rotating shaft into continuous wave alternating current by virtue of stationary generating windings and rotating field windings.
3. A device that converts the mechanical energy of a rotating shaft into pulsating direct current by virtue of rotating windings and a diode bridge.
4. A device that converts the mechanical energy of a rotating shaft into continuous wave alternating current by virtue of a rotating permanent magnet and stationary generating windings
5. A device that converts the mechanical energy of a rotating shaft into pulsating direct current by virtue of a rotating permanent magnet, stationary generating windings, and a diode bridge.

All of these machines exist. And they've all been called 'generator.' Item 1 is perhaps most correctly called a dynamo and item 2 an alternator. But item 3 is also called an alternator and it makes something different than item 2 does. Note also that item 2a and item 2b do the same thing opposite ways (yes, item 2a really does exist in commercial machinery. Just why I can't say). Item 4 and 5 are both recently called 'permanent magnet generators' but there's an older more precise word, 'magneto' that describes them as well.

Then you add in that the thing in the cardboard box sold at the large retailer with an internal combustion engine on one end and (usually) item 2b or item 4 on the other is also called a 'generator' and, yeah, life can get complicated.

And re: diff eqns, Tesla and genius, you can always just take a look at Maxwell's equations if your mind is not sufficiently blown. How he figured that out with the tiny experimental evidence he had still baffles me...

 

[ETN550]

I started looking around last night using google to find advice on buying military surplus generators and was shocked to see so much bad advice and misinformation out there on a variety of message boards ranging from the wacko survivalist boards, gun owner boards, to home owner groups. (this is not to claim all survivalist are wackos, just that some members of the group can be a bit off the deep end and not living in the real world). Some of this advice may be considered a matter of opinion, you don't want a big heavy generator, and others are just plain wrong like, the small 3KW diesel powered military generators have rope pull starters and Onan built engines that you can't find parts for. The later obviously confusing the difference between the MEP-016 family members (a,b,c,d, &e).

So anyway here are a few random tidbits of questionable advice I found:

...militray equipment are designed to meet specifications when manufactured. Seldom is efficency and cost effective anywhere int he same unverse. So a civilian generator that cost $X a killowat to operate over its life, may see a 10 times $X for a comparable military surplus generator.

Militray never consideres the amount of cost of fuel in equioment as they bet what they want when they want - no questions asked. So those comparable civilian generators may all come in around 3 gallons an hour to operate while that military one may need 10 gallons.

The older Military Generators were designed to keep lighting and essential equipment running. At that time, there was not a lot of computer use like there is today. The Generators were not real stable for power. If you hook one of those up to your house, today, don't use anything computerized. Refridgerator, Stove, if computerized. Computer, TV, Sterio, etc, not going to run on that power, or worse yet, you'll ruin them

The real problem with military gensets is that the military beats them to death before getting rid of them.

Maybe if you bought twenty of them used them for parts to keep one running....

If it looks new, quite possibly it was used in power generation classes, and I would avoid like the plague. But one that looks like its done a days work was probably maintained according to schedule.

It SEEMS to be general government policy that good condition, serviceable equipment that is turned into the DRMO is to be left outside in the elements until it turns into an absolute pile of ****, and THEN it is sold at auction.


Anyway just thought I would share while I wait on my PAID invoice to show on on the GL site for the MEP-003a I won yesterday

Ike

Yeah, and the same goes for the e-bay ads.

"It SEEMS to be general government policy that good condition, serviceable equipment that is turned into the DRMO is to be left outside in the elements until it turns into an absolute pile of ****, and THEN it is sold at auction."

This seems to be the practice of some. I mean why leave a unit outside with the fuel cap off sitting right beside the tank for 6 months? Or cut lines, or filter canisters dropped and not replaced, acoustic panels for the battery compartment or fuel fill on the 701s - gone.? I've seen units at Warner Robins sit out for 8 months after DRMO processes them. The auction is the last step.

Be glad we are not talking machine tools. Beautiful tools turned into total rust buckets. It is real labor and lots of it to rescue a G/L machine tool.

 

[wciguy]

It SEEMS to be general government policy that good condition, serviceable equipment that is turned into the DRMO is to be left outside in the elements until it turns into an absolute pile of ****, and THEN it is sold at auction.

That does sound very accurate. And of course that stuff is stored in the absolute worst possible weather conditions.

 

[wciguy]

It sure does. As an example, the 3-phase line to line voltage is √3 x the line to neutral voltage. 120v x √3 = approx 208v

True for Y wound, not for Delta.

 

[helomedic1171]

I'm a little enebriated at present, but I hope the misinformation prevails to an extent - the true enthusiasts and hobbyists will be able to get units for cheaper and the idiots will stay away. that's why this site exists - good info, great people. oh, by the way, good to see you all again, and if you're wondering, Afghanistan still sucks. miss you guys. that is all, Doc out.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Stay safe, Doc.