WWII Backpack Generator

[flobble]

I picked up a world war two backpack generator over the weekend, GN-51-A, 300 watt A/C 120-240v powered by a 2 cycle Jacobsen engine, I know that this type is relatively common, so why can't I find any info on it? If anyone knows more about them, please let me know, manuals would be great, also any pics of how exactly they were carried would be nice. Thanks!

Paul

 

[319]

Sounds cool, never saw one. Please post photos.

 

[steelypip]

I've read about these, but never seen one either. Pics, please!

 

[srodocker]

thats awesome take some pics!

 

[paulfarber]

Heres a pic.. sold for $85 on CL.

http://www.jaxed.com//cgi-bin/r.cgi?c=atq&f=sign&s=~2washingtondc.~1.~4%252Fmld%252Fatq%252F2352349068.~7%257C20110429000000%257C~2~5.~1.~4%252F3m83pf3l55O15P05S2b4s72eb883028731b6a.~6%257Cwashingtondc%257CUS%2520Army%2520Signal%2520Corps%2520Generator%2520GN-51-D%257C%252485%257C~1

 

[maddawg308]

Old gennies like that are neat, and also easy to work on. If you need parts, you'd be surprised how many are either still available under different part numbers, or make your own gaskets, etc.

Nice save!

 

[convict1]

please post pics when you get a chance, these units were very reliable and parts are still abundant

 

[JDToumanian]

Neat! Are they noisy? I don't think I'd feel very confident walking around in a combat situation with a weed whacker on my back.

 

[deuceaid]

Neat! Are they noisy? I don't think I'd feel very confident walking around in a combat situation with a weed whacker on my back.

well if it was classified as a smokescreen generator, I would FEEL very safe!

 

[xj35s]

my 12-B with pics.

I have a GE-12-B. I also have pictures. I need a muffler. that is all. I hate to try and make one as two strokes require a certain back pressure to run properly. I too am in search of information on this.

 

[Wolfen]

Nice

 

[steelypip]

I have a GE-12-B. I also have pictures. I need a muffler. that is all. I hate to try and make one as two strokes require a certain back pressure to run properly. I too am in search of information on this.

Don't sweat the muffler design too much. Back in WWII, they didn't really do tuned chambers on 2 strokes yet, so all you need is a damping chamber and then a restrictor in/as the outlet pipe. By the shape of the space by the exhaust port, the original was probably a thin can or box muffler with the outlet at some mutiple of either 60 or 90 degrees from the inlet. Maybe one chamber, maybe two. The restrictor was almost always the exhaust pipe leaving the muffler. You can size it by putting a butterfly valve in the exhaust pipe, loading the engine, then adjusting the restriction for best performance. Once you have a cross-sectional area, you can either leave the butterfly in or replace with a piece of tubing of equivalent area. Don't be surprised if you find that there's a wide range of good outcomes for area and a common American tubing size falls within that range...

 

[simpleserf]

I may have a muffler. I parted a unit out to someone who needed an engine a few years ago. I still have the gen end, frame and some other misc parts. I'll do some digging down at my shop this week, and see what I have.

That's the Jacobsen engine, right?

 

[simpleserf]

I do have the muffler. Let me know if you want it. I can post a pic after the weekend if you'd like.