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Acquired a Military surplus load bank

DieselAddict

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If someone is able to make the connection between the seller and a shipping company I would like to get the other 2.
 

Daybreak

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Howdy,

Essex A427 shipping dimensions

Length 36 inches 91.4 cm
Width 23 inches 58.4 cm
Height 20 inches 50.8 cm

shipping weight 256lbs 115.2 KG

Manual is TM-5-6625-2691-13-and-P
 

JimH

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I managed to pick up a TS-4216/G load bank (0-33kW) that has some issues and a parts unit for about $400. I guess I did pretty well. I have not dome anything with them yet besides bring them home, but they are on the project list. The military seems to be scrapping them, as Gimpy has seen some cut in half, as opposed to selling them. They must not feel there is a market for them. That would be typical.
 

Guyfang

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There are two other possible explanations. The first, and it once again provides me the excuse to bemoan the lack of the AMDF. Army Master Data File. Type in the NSN or part number and you get a complete run down on the item being researched. One of the interesting pieces of information is the Disposition Code. The Disposition Code tells you what should/could happen to the item when it is no longer needed, unrepairable, excess, reached its shelf life experation date. If the Disposition code is DEMIL, that means to make the item unsuitable for military use. I can not describe the pain I felt watching 7X50 bino's being fed into a giant guillotine. Four pair would be laid into the machine, a switch tripped and the binos would be cut in half. Or any weapon part, serviceable or unserviceable, being cut in half with a cutting torch. Many items were labeled hazardous material, simply because they had a spot of radium paint on them. Watches, compasses, and so on. So they could not be sold to anyone to recover at least a part of their cost to the government. They were made unserviceable, and sent to a company to be "recycled". Somehow this doesn't sound right for a load bank, but you never know what the government will come up with next.

The second explanation could be that someone, at some time, deemed the equipment "Dangerous". Case in point, the M151 jeep. The military deemed them a hazard, dangerous to drive, and in fact they were. Lots of people were killed or hurt because the things flipped very easy at speed, in a turn. So all of them at least here were to be cut in half, or pounded flat before being sold for scrap. This is a more realistic scenario. I do remember someone being severely electrocuted by one of these load banks, but the investigation revealed that the personal were not trained on the load bank, and that the grounding was shoddy. The guy did not die, but did get medically retired.

Normally the DEMO's do not destroy anything unless they are instructed to, or the Disposition code requires it.
 

Hard Head

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Did anyone ever figure out shipping on these? I'd love to get one.

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I tried to find someone to pick these up. I put adds on uShip too. I never got a response about about meeting a LTL truck for loading. He would meet a local person I wanted to buy 6 units. Good Luck!
 

Daybreak

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Howdy,
I use the load bank regularly. I can vary the loads easily. Anytime I start up a generator, I place a load on it.

A load bank is just that. A method to put a electrical load on a generator. You can find all kinds of things used as load banks. Some members have used water heater probes in barrels. You also need to run water in and out of the barrel to keep the heating element working.
 

DieselAddict

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I hope to be able to pick one up on the east coast when I'm done with the west coast project. It would be much more convenient than the water heater element setup.
 

Another Ahab

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I hope to be able to pick one up on the east coast when I'm done with the west coast project. It would be much more convenient than the water heater element setup.
So a load bank isn't just a way to build load on a generator (like the heating elements), but there is an actual "thing" (a device) that is a "load bank", too?
 

Daybreak

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Howdy,
There are some videos which show the load bank working here too.
 

155mm

Chief and Indian
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I have the same 33kw load bank, most of its life is spend unused, but when you are working on a genny, its so easy to hook up/load and then the gremlins are easier to find. Also got a 400hz load tester on the trailer, dont know if it will ever get used, but its alot easier to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Dont mind the weeds, we got over 2" of rain all last week

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Daybreak

2 Star Admiral
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Howdy,

MEP-1030 5KW AMMPS Generator

A new addition being worked on the load bank. I really like that whatever load is applied, the unit holds it right at 60Hz, and 120 volts on each leg.

 
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