New guy here. The local airbase has a few of what is called a model A/ M32A-86A generator made by John R. Hollingsworth Company and I'm kind of interested in getting one for my family's ranch since out current PTO genset is on its last legs. Problem is that I know next to nothing about these generators and if they would even be remotely suitable for this job. I'm encouraged by the fact it is listed as 72KW, but the whole 400HZ and 3 phase thing has me unsure if this thing would be worth the effort. So, what exactly is there to know about these particular generators?
-
Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!
MODEL A/ M32A-86A generators?
- Thread starter SoDak
- Start date
Stalwart
Well-known member
- 1,739
- 33
- 48
- Location
- Redmond, WA
72Kw is HUGE, and unless you have a LOT of air conditioners to run the engine will be worked too lightly and problems will occur.
Second, 400Hz is primarily for aircraft systems and it is of NO use in the home.
Second, 400Hz is primarily for aircraft systems and it is of NO use in the home.
If I did get one it would be replacing a 25KW generator, which might just get superseded by a 35kw pto generator anyway. On our farm we have a couple wells, so this wouldn't be powering just a house. I was mostly concerned with the 400hz and it is listed at 200v, but our wells I think are 220.
ETA. I should have just asked if this could be readily modified to work on our farm before getting to get into the technical aspects, because if it's going to be much trouble or money, we'll just get a new generator.
ETA. I should have just asked if this could be readily modified to work on our farm before getting to get into the technical aspects, because if it's going to be much trouble or money, we'll just get a new generator.
Last edited:
RANDYDIRT
New member
- 403
- 4
- 0
- Location
- Furlow Ar.
I worked extensively on the -86 while in the service. They have a 4-53 detroit that is very prone to wet stacking when not loaded, and there is no way you could ever load one to clean it out (unless you had a load bank). They are 115 volt 400 hz AC 3 phase with a neutral. They are really heavy to push around (as in **** near impossible) without a pintle hook equipped truck. You would have to haul it on a flat bed home. The -86D model came equipped with a 28 volt DC power pack mounted on the rear, and I believe it was good for about 3200.... yes 3200 amps. I personally wouldn't see a use for one unless you had youself a small air force. 400 hertz will imediately fry just about anything you hook to it.
Dirt
Dirt
RANDYDIRT
New member
- 403
- 4
- 0
- Location
- Furlow Ar.
These were used to power up aircraft for starting and ground maintenance activities. They were first introduced to the USAF in the late '70's time frame and they were built by Hobart then. At that time they had a 4-53 Detroit 2 stroke with a blower. The later models may have came with a 4-71N Detroit. But don't recall for sure.
Other uses? Just about anything you can dream up! The 4-53 is probably about the same HP as the Multi-fuel in the deuce. Now if you had a 4-71, they made more power and would be great in an m-37 or maybe even a deuce. I know it would sound cool as he77. Just don't believe the MPG would be worth a darn.
Isaac-1
Well-known member
- 1,970
- 48
- 48
- Location
- SW, Louisiana
The topic of 400 hz generators come up fairly often, if you don't have aircraft 400 hz equipment to power they are just about useless, they can be used on things with resistive only loads like strip heaters or incandesant lights, but will not work on anything with reactive loads, such as motors. So unless you need to light a football field or have some need to use electric strip heaters powered powered by a generator instead of some more direct heating source, your out of luck.
As to the DD 4-53 that engine was popular on all sorts of constant rpm industrial equipment, generators, pumps, maybe even large air compressors although I can't recall ever seeing one in that use. Around here lots of farmers use them for seasonal irragation wells for flooding rice fields. These engines were real workhorses, but were not the most fuel efficent designs, and has already been mentioned were very prone to wet stacking if not ran near full load.
Ike
Ike
As to the DD 4-53 that engine was popular on all sorts of constant rpm industrial equipment, generators, pumps, maybe even large air compressors although I can't recall ever seeing one in that use. Around here lots of farmers use them for seasonal irragation wells for flooding rice fields. These engines were real workhorses, but were not the most fuel efficent designs, and has already been mentioned were very prone to wet stacking if not ran near full load.
Ike
Ike
143rdAGERANGER
New member
- 1
- 0
- 0
- Location
- Harrisville/Ri
Hello RandyDirt I was hoping that you might be able to help me out with a troubleshooting issue on a A/M32A-86A. When running it hooked up to a test bank the output that the test bank is correct 120V 400HZ but the reading on the gauges on the unit itself for voltage is around 190V and when trying to manually adjust the voltage regulator it drops on the test bank? We have tried switching drawers on the unit itself and nothing changed. Thank you for your time..
bontonjeff
New member
- 6
- 0
- 1
- Location
- Fort Lauderdale
Guy's hi I'm new guy jumping in here with related questions instead of cluttering things up with a new thread so hope somebody help me here instead. Thank you.
My question is this: I see where they had a model of converter would that work to effectively "adapt" the 400 hrtz units for whole house or building stand by here in Florida for hurricane after support I can see the economy in these that sell cheap becuause they are a white elephant and any airport that needs one is buying a new one not monkeying around with something from 1986 like mine is it's a A/M32A-86A and I'm in the process of researching the feasibility of adapting or converting it from 400 to 60 because if this can be solved once and affordably then it becomes a key way to cheaper power or stand alone A/C. If I am wrong ok, I am in the research process but just because no one had done it before don't let that stop us because that's where the money can be found is in doing what noone else can/wants to do but it might not be so bulky of an adapter or the one the military used the model "A/M24M-5 Static Frequency Converter" (complete copy and paste of this link below):
http://navybmr.com/study material/14014a/14014A_ch10.pdf
If you have time to check out the link it's on page 9 and it's big as **** but if you also bought these adapters (cheap as ****) could you use the most expensive compoenents and jettison the stuff that auto senses and is military redudant and non essential because you would have to in order for the size to be manageable to home owners don't have the real estate the airports do for this.
A/M24M-5 Static Frequency Converter
The static frequency converter (SFC) (Figure 10-14) is a 4-wheeled, not selfpropelled vehicle and must be towed or moved manually. It is equipped with tiedown rings, pneumatic tires, a mechanical hand brake, and a tow bar for towing and steering. It is designed for flight deck conditions as well as land-based theaters.The SFC consists of two major assemblies: the trailer assembly and the converter assembly. Input power is provided from shipboard and shore-based receptacles that supply an external power source of 440/220-VAC, 3-phase, 60/50-Hz, ungrounded. The SFC converter assembly automatically senses either 440-VAC or 220-VAC input. The input phase rotation is insensitive and will operate normally when rotation is in either direction. The SFC converts the input power and provides converted power via four 30-foot cables providing 115-VAC, 3-phase, 400-Hz, 270-VDC, and 28-VDC providing electrical power to aircraft/equipment aboard ship or shore.
My question is this: I see where they had a model of converter would that work to effectively "adapt" the 400 hrtz units for whole house or building stand by here in Florida for hurricane after support I can see the economy in these that sell cheap becuause they are a white elephant and any airport that needs one is buying a new one not monkeying around with something from 1986 like mine is it's a A/M32A-86A and I'm in the process of researching the feasibility of adapting or converting it from 400 to 60 because if this can be solved once and affordably then it becomes a key way to cheaper power or stand alone A/C. If I am wrong ok, I am in the research process but just because no one had done it before don't let that stop us because that's where the money can be found is in doing what noone else can/wants to do but it might not be so bulky of an adapter or the one the military used the model "A/M24M-5 Static Frequency Converter" (complete copy and paste of this link below):
http://navybmr.com/study material/14014a/14014A_ch10.pdf
If you have time to check out the link it's on page 9 and it's big as **** but if you also bought these adapters (cheap as ****) could you use the most expensive compoenents and jettison the stuff that auto senses and is military redudant and non essential because you would have to in order for the size to be manageable to home owners don't have the real estate the airports do for this.
A/M24M-5 Static Frequency Converter
The static frequency converter (SFC) (Figure 10-14) is a 4-wheeled, not selfpropelled vehicle and must be towed or moved manually. It is equipped with tiedown rings, pneumatic tires, a mechanical hand brake, and a tow bar for towing and steering. It is designed for flight deck conditions as well as land-based theaters.The SFC consists of two major assemblies: the trailer assembly and the converter assembly. Input power is provided from shipboard and shore-based receptacles that supply an external power source of 440/220-VAC, 3-phase, 60/50-Hz, ungrounded. The SFC converter assembly automatically senses either 440-VAC or 220-VAC input. The input phase rotation is insensitive and will operate normally when rotation is in either direction. The SFC converts the input power and provides converted power via four 30-foot cables providing 115-VAC, 3-phase, 400-Hz, 270-VDC, and 28-VDC providing electrical power to aircraft/equipment aboard ship or shore.