World War II Army Generator - Still Burning Bright!

[AwsomeInEveryMinute]

no walmart here sir...

[Hallaran]

@AwsomeInEveryMinute Yes, too much cast iron in this!

[FreeWindUA]

Excellent generator works well, and his age is more than half a century.

[Hallaran]

@FreeWindUA The Chinese can't do this!

[FreeWindUA]

@Hallaran Yes. The whole world has agreed on the consumption of disposable products. And it's bad. But such is the marketing.

[Hallaran]

@FreeWindUA Now our dumps will be filled up with Chinese plastic.

[FreeWindUA]

@Hallaran But what about the famous slogan of the 70's "Be American, buy American"?

[Hallaran]

@FreeWindUA Yes I have not had to buy much because this generator has been running since 1945... A little bit longer then the Chinese version which is built to last about 2 years the max!

[Coolins335]

They don't make em like they used too, do they?

[Hallaran]

@Coolins335 Real quality was made in USA...

[Edmk2009]

@Hallaran Excellent video and great job at restoration!

[Hallaran]

@Edmk2009 Thank you!

[Hallaran]

@Edmk2009 Thanks, always nice to be able to start them up after the restoration!

[R5H4D0W]

so this contraption is designed to be lugged by hand into places needing light? Or is the lightbulb socket put there after it was restored to illustrate its intended purpose?

[Hallaran]

@R5H4D0W This generator was used in the Army Field Corps from what I have gathered. It provided electricity to run radios and lights. Note that this is a DC current generator. DC current is not what we use to light our lights in our homes but I used a standard light bulb to show that the generator is still functional. Thank you

[jacksnapper1]

thanks for the post this is very nice

[Hallaran]

@jacksnapper1 Thanks for stopping by!

[SittingMooseShaman]

...I can see this generator putting away somewhere outside a tent in the midnight darkness of a supply area. Wired to a single light-bulb strung-up in a pie-tin rafter lamp & a radio tuned into the Armed Services Radio station. With around 6-7 G,I.'s huddled around in and out of the uneven shadow cast under the lamp...all playing poker on a foot-locker used for both a table & foot-rest...as their numerous cigarettes' smoke rises and begins to dance in the blue-grey fog of Sarges' lone Habanos...

[Hallaran]

@SittingMooseShaman You sir have a gift! Thanks for your comment!

[SittingMooseShaman]

@Hallaran ...you are most welcome...

[pveg65]

That came from the days when "Made in America" meant a lot !

[Hallaran]

@pveg65 Amen to that!

[jsesTM]

@pveg65 i would dare say it means more now since you never see it. me and my friends joke around when we see something made in usa we like to say "dang thats old, it was even made in the us!"

[Hallaran]

@pveg65 Amen to that!

[jstrunck]

Good to see it is still in service!

[Hallaran]

@jstrunck Thank you!

[tribulation138]

how much power can you get out of it.

[davidburchfield181]

i had the same one some one stole it it looked just like that

[Hallaran]

@davidburchfield181 Sorry to hear it!



[davidburchfield181]

@Hallaran i didnt keep it for the value its the things peaple went thrue and what the machine went thrue i apreciate good quailty engines thats one ill never see again



[brent65622]

@Hallaran lol

[a1stooge]

not using lead will kill this engine

[fixman88]

Absolutely awesome! I have never seen a generator from WW2 before!

[Hallaran]

@fixman88 Thanks for the comment!

[weasleteets]

awesome.I was a generator mechanic in the army, we had 3kw and 5 kw generatores. nothing as cool as this lil one though

[MrFlyboy400]

it has a bright idea

[Hallaran]

@MrFlyboy400 Yes indeed!

[Hallaran]

@MrFlyboy400 A DC 120 volt bright idea!

[1942nuclear]

that is nice to see running after all these years, do you have to add lead additive?

[Hallaran]

@1942nuclear Although they ran with lead at the time I do not use a lead additive mostly due to concerns of toxicity I guess. Thanks for stopping by!

[the5445]

@Hallaran Then don't use it much or else you could do a ton of damage on your valve train or lose compression drasticly.

[Hallaran]

@the5445 That is one of the concerns, I never run them at a high RPM.

[Gunners762]

Very Nice ! I just saw one of those genny's on craigslist for $50. I'm wishing now I'd bought it..

[Hallaran]

@Gunners762 Great price! I think I have 300.00 in this one...

[Gunners762]

@Hallaran

Yea, I could kick myself for not buying the one on craigslist...

[queenjezebel13]

boy, that thing is LOUD, the generators we have in the military now are much quieter...it would still be cool to own one of those though



[Hallaran]

@queenjezebel13 Thanks for stopping by!

[UnDeathRider]

Beautiful tank:-D

[Hallaran]

@UnDeathRider Thank you Sir! 

[tomken8dy]

Things are just made as well as they were in past generations.

[Hallaran]

@tomken8dy Thanks for stopping by! :-)

[Hallaran]

@tomken8dy Yes, I have several engines over 50 years old that run great. Imagine having a car for 50 years?

[RageSoul8]

i have 1 that i can not get to start, it's a 2 stroke 12vlot generator



[Hallaran]

@RageSoul8 Check if it has spark, compression and is getting fuel to the cylinder...

[pcblah]

@RageSoul8 did you forget to mix the oil in the gas?

[valcerfabri]

Rare!

[Hallaran]

@valcerfabri Thanks! 

[pcblah]

I like old engines :P

[xcody38x]

is the light bulb the only thing you could power with the generator?

[Hallaran]

@xcody38x I have run a small power drill with it too. Thanks for stopping by!

[nekbiodieselworks]

I love its simplicity

[Hallaran]

@nekbiodieselworks Thanks, it does not burn a lot of fuel either.

[fangus503]

I especially like the end haha. But nice work.

[Hallaran]

@fangus503 Yes, I need to learn some more about video cameras... Thanks for stopping by!

[tynet1]

i woner where that has been

oh the stories it could tell

[Hallaran]

@tynet1 Definitely has a history... Love the old engines.

[Landotter1]

Now, that's a slick little machine. Thanks for showing it off!!!

[Hallaran]

@Landotter1 Glad to be here, thanks for stopping by fellow YTer!

[LeGeNdArYGTBuLL3T]

@WorkFromHome001 Yeah i do! /watch?v=7uvRuHBfVlg

[LeGeNdArYGTBuLL3T]

@WorkFromHome001  Yeah i do!

[ucw458]

Awsome editing skills

[WorkFromHome001]

@ucw458 Thanks! Doing video photography is not as easy as it seems! I stll consider myself a newbie!

[TheMilitarynut]

Hi there, I have a 1944 onan PE-88 generator that I want to get running. If you have any advice or tips, I would greatly appreciate it.

[Hallaran]

@TheMilitarynut Hello, I am not too familiar with the Onan engine but see if you can Google up a manual for it. That is what I do for all my engines. Also check out Harry's Old Engine website.There is a generator forum you can go to and ask for a manual there. Good luck and when you get it running let's see a video!

[mystiqueman366]

it sounds like a diesel truck at high throttle

[WorkFromHome001]

@mystiqueman366 It has a thumbscrew control to adjust the throttle...

[LeGeNdArYGTBuLL3T]

OMG I GOT ONE OF THESE! real talks!

[WorkFromHome001]

@LeGeNdArYGTBuLL3T Do you have a video!

[MrDanoconnor]

Very Interesting....was this an Army Surplus item ? Love to know more about it's History.

[fordwillkillyou]

Wow, Looks great and runs great! That's a hard to find piece of equipment Jack!

[WorkFromHome001]

@fordwillkillyou Hey how are things? Yes it is in pretty good shape compared to most of them I find....

[plowmaster1206]

thats a pretty akward flashlight

[WorkFromHome001]

@plowmaster1206 LOL - Amen to that!

[1944johndeerel]

does that muffler really quiet the engine alot? because it doesnt sound like it on camera? but i love that little generator! its awsome!

[Hallaran]

JD, Hey, for as old as it is, it is one of the quieter ones.

If you look at the muffler it is one of the heavier and larger ones they made back then I think. I gotta go over to your channel and see what you are working on, I can't believe it is Fall already!

[1944johndeerel]

thanks! i was wondering. im thinking about finding a similar muffler for my clinton 3100 engine. it runs my little generator but its a very loud engine. i gave it an old low tone muffler off another clinton i have, and that helps. the original muffler is little more than a spark arrestor.

[Hallaran]

I hear you, I don't think I have anything but the standard mufflers laying around here. Maybe Ebay?

[1944johndeerel]

good idea!

[toolman243]

So cool!!!!

[Hallaran]

Thanks Toolman!

[douro20]

It's just a light plant; doesn't need to be very powerful.

[Hallaran]

True, just 3/4 - 1 HP.

[boxa888]

@Hallaran love old simple engines!! i work on a farm and the tractor engines are incredible, part of the frame and have run for atleast 50 years if not more, they are so simple, easy to work on and seem to survive anything.

[Hallaran]

@boxa888 Hi, I love the tractors too, incredible as to how well they are made. I see old John Deeres and many others still in service that are over 40 years old. Imagine a car trying to do that!

[boxa888]

@Hallaran we got an old 1960s jeep power generator, incredible only 1000 hrs on it and it runs so clean and gave us power once during an ice storm lighting the whole house it was a nice buy. we had to put a electric fuel pump because the engine powered one was not pumping, it has some things that are wrong, but we want to restore it to its prime eventually, the engine is brand new

[Hallaran]

@boxa888 Jeep? Sounds like a rare generator. The old engines hold up so well and you can rebuild them over and over again. I like the quality of them.

[Hallaran]

Mine has the model "I" on it. Good luck with your project, please share any pictures/videos you have... These engines are a lot of fun to get running... :-)

[DRNEGOLICIS]

i have a 54 model 6s that i am going to try to get turning an alternator and then hook it up to and inverter and see how it runs

[Hallaran]

Let me know how it works out!

[DRNEGOLICIS]

i will its going to be back by firday its at school in the shop i sand blasted it and painted it blue im going to try to order the decals for it to complete the restoration by the way what size engine is on that generator?

[DRNEGOLICIS]

i ended up getting the origional lawnmower for it so i mounted it back on but the origional pull start messed up on me so i took it off and improvised and put a newer fan shroud and took off its pull start completely and put a pice from a modern one and i wrap a rope around it and pull start it that way like the years before mine were so once started im going to have a motor acting as a generator separate from it and put a belt on the starter pully and the other end on the motor/generator

[farmerphil]

Nice unit,is that the DC output genset used by the signel corps. I sold one on ebay years ago, never had it running. Wish I had it now. Phil

[SpiritsoftheWolf]

niceee, i got one myself but not this design, just an engine alone itself

[V8Jagnut]

wow. i love it. that's the same engine i have. i wished mine could make power.