aircraft generator

Don't know if I will get anybody to answer or not but hear goes. Years ago a guy gave me an old aircraft gen that was made into a welder. It had a v-4 Wisconsin and belt driven. I think it said 24 volt,300 amp on it. Only Have the gen left anymore. Think after all the years I would like get I going again just for a project.1 Could I run it with a less bulkeyer engine that used to drive it 2.what hp. 3. When it was belt driven it ran in the same direction as engine, or could it be direct driven which would make it run the opposite way it use to.4 What kind or rated rheostat would one use.5.what rpms, and can anyone send a sketch a diagram of how it would be wired from generator and through what components to ground and shooten iron. Suppose I will get scolded for asking all this.
 
here is a pic of one mounted on my m. it runs off the belt pulley drive. mine is a 260 amp dc output welder. i dont think a 3 or 4 hp motor will run yours. this one will make the m grunt when its turned up. maybe john t will know how to wire one.

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(quoted from post at 12:51:00 04/17/13) Don't know if I will get anybody to answer or not but hear goes. Years ago a guy gave me an old aircraft gen that was made into a welder. It had a v-4 Wisconsin and belt driven. I think it said 24 volt,300 amp on it. Only Have the gen left anymore. Think after all the years I would like get I going again just for a project.1 Could I run it with a less bulkeyer engine that used to drive it 2.what hp. 3. When it was belt driven it ran in the same direction as engine, or could it be direct driven which would make it run the opposite way it use to.4 What kind or rated rheostat would one use.5.what rpms, and can anyone send a sketch a diagram of how it would be wired from generator and through what components to ground and shooten iron. Suppose I will get scolded for asking all this.


GOOGLE "building a welder from an aircraft generator" for LOTS of info, from Pop Mechanics etc., etc., from
back in the day.

Here's ONE link:

http://www.api-assembled.com/design/tech/welder/welder.htm

Looks like 20 HP is recommended for full output. I would THING the DC generator would only work in it's designed direction of rotation... is the rotation listed on the nameplate? You need a field rheostat, as well as a big reluctor to stabilize the arc.

Surplus Center, mentioned in the link above, used to sell such generators, parts, and welder kits, along with instructions. A quick look at there web catalog didn't turn up any of that still listed, but you might call or email them.
 
yup still using it. works great. this one was sold by haddican brothers of satanta kansas, back in 1951. i believe the generator came from a ww2 era bomber.
 
Morris:
300 amps @24 volts is 7200 watts, or ~9.6 horsepower. That is just the electrical load, and does not include any mechanical or system losses such as belt drives, gears, starting loads, etc. To select an engine, reasonable design practice would to be to at least double the raw electrical HP requirements. That would mean the engine required would be around 20HP. I"ll bet that Wisconsin V-4 was at least that HP or likely more.
 
Thanks Jerry, and yes I believe it was from an old 2 row Moline combine. Yellow and hand crank it. Hated the fact that they would start right up in a couple cranks cold. We would blow the chaft and dust off as much as we could and fuel them hot while running or otherwise u could crank until you couldn't crank anymore an it might or might not start. Anyway I don't remember the V# or letter but most of the old pull type 2 rows were 18 to 20 hp. Thanks for the in put, was much appreciated. Oh ya, forgot to mention there was a few combine fires around back then.
 
"Popular Science" or "Popular MEchanics" magazines
used to have ads in the back, selling used
aircraft generators to do this.
If useing a Wisconsin 2 cylinder engine, from
12 to 20 horsepower, in this project, remember--
their horsepower IS NOT developed at 3600 RPM like
modern engines, but usually at around 2400 RPM.
So you may have to adjust pully size as needed.
 
have one pto drive with a 15 inch truck tire running on the flat belt pulley. will make a super a or 2n ford grunt when you start cutting with it.
 

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