[AT] OT:(now tv)

[Larry D. Goss]

I'll look for the motor-generator the next time I visit the home place,
Ken, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an answer on the request.
Dad died in '87 and although my brother hasn't moved any thing any
farther than he absolutely must, I'm not sure that it's still there.
The last time I was in the shop I couldn't get close enough to the
workbench to actually use it because of all the engines that were
setting on the floor in front of it.  I remember that the M-G set was
under the bench.  I carry one of these new-fangled LED flashlights in my
pocket nowadays.  It's pretty good at lighting up dark greasy shapes so
you can identify what they are.

Larry 

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of ken knierim
Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2006 3:09 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: RE: [AT] OT:(now tv)

Hi Larry,
   I considered trying to put in some FET components to replace the
tubes on some of the sections but after taking an oscilloscope after the
system when it was operating on the test stand, I decided there was no
way I wanted to touch it. The system was working in spite of all the
problems I saw. The test stand had a bunch of 60+ year old
potentiometers, motors and touchy wire connections. The signals were
cutting out and cutting in and while the system had some overshoot, it
WORKED! I realized that "fixing" something that wasn't broken was not a
good plan.
    Instead we put new components in, put in a new transformer and fuse,
cleaned up the original connectors and tested them. Some of the tubes
are original; the boxes look like they are from the 50's but they test
good and don't appear to be damaged or leaky, we have been instructed to
use them (though we've recently told them that it would be rather
inexpensive to put in new from the start). Also in the works is an
overhaul of the rest of the system; the wiring has been replaced on the
aircraft but the wear components need to be addressed, and we're working
on that. It should be like new when we get done with all the work, which
is the plan. 
    Another note was that these parts were originally made by Honeywell.
I knew my neighbor (also named Ken) had worked there and had designed
and built gyroscopes for them. I showed one of the original amplifiers
to him and it got a big smile out of him... he started telling me about
the guy that designed them originally. It's a small world.

Now if you still have that motor/generator for making 400 cycle 110 volt
power, I would have some interest in having that around for testing
these parts before they leave my shop. Presently I have to go to the
customer's site to use their test equipment and it would be nice to do
that in-house. I've seen them on quite a number of aircraft but haven't
been able to score one yet.

Ken



On Sun, 2006-01-29 at 12:11, Larry D. Goss wrote:
> You made my day, Ken.  My Dad designed some of that stuff.  The
> supercharger plant was a separate production facility of GE out on
> Taylor Street in Fort Wayne.  Dad spent a lot of time between there
and
> the Broadway plant during the war.  The whole plant has been shut down
> and mothballed for years.  He really lamented the changeover to
> semi-conductors in the early 50's because the response curves just
> weren't as predictable and smooth as the vacuum tubes he had been
> working with for years.  It seems to me I remember that most of that
> stuff operated on 400 cycle AC.  We had one of the 400 cycle
> motor-generators setting on the floor of the shop for years.  I don't
> know why Dad ever brought it home because we had nothing on the farm
> that we could use it for.
> 
> Larry


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