Wireless of the Week - week 31

[Mike K]

Tip: If you are having weak spark issues with your chorehorse, go to the ignition lead, the lead has a in-line resistor/interference suppressor, these resistors are often the source of the weak spark. I spent hours chasing down this issue.

Many of these sets were converted to 24V operation during the 1950s, basically for use with the Larkspur wireless sets, I believe the field coils were swapped out. I've seen a number of them in the 24V configuration, usually painted in post-war 'deep bronze green'.

I've not seen a Johnson badged version here, only seen the Outboard -Marine brand that is usually fitted with a metal cage/frame that bolts to the main set.

There was also a similar American built version, these have a dual AC/DC output voltage. I will have a look for a pic. https://hmvf.co.uk/topic/41162-ww2-generator/

A club member used to bring along his American 1A unit on many club trips - Bevan F. The output is: 240V AC and 12V DC more info https://www.smokstak.com/forum/threa...e-motor.55746/

http://www.internalfire.com/xenf/ind...enerator.4828/

Found on Facebook
"Lost Illinois Manufacturing
8 September 2018 ·
In 1962 the Pioneer Gen-E- Motor Corporation located at 5841 West Dickens Street, Chicago employed 400 people who made gasoline engines, mowers (Pincor brand), generators, power plants, and tools.
Sometimes incorrectly associated with General Motors, Pincor mowers were produced by the Pioneer Gen-E-Motor Corporation in Chicago. Ads refer to 1932 as the beginning o the company. When the company closed is not known."

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Mike K

Many of these sets were converted to 24V operation during the 1950s, basically for use with the Larkspur wireless sets, I believe the field coils were swapped out. I've seen a number of them in the 24V configuration, usually painted in post-war 'deep bronze green'.

It's much simpler than that: the generator is a 4-pole one, with two sets of field coils in parallel, so all they did was reconnect them in series and "Hey Presto!" it's a 30-volt charging set instead of a 15-volt one. (The rating plate on the flywheel cover gets changed to point out the new specification, but I don't think they bothered to change the ammeter.)

I have one still in its crate but haven't hauled it out to check the voltage - it's one of the British (BSA) 300 Watt charging sets.

Post-WW2 the "full" spares kit was slimmed down to just the necessary tools and a replacement spark plug (as far as I'm aware), as it was simpler to just swap out the whole unit and let the attached REME mechanics deal with it or send it back to workshops for a full rebuild or scrapping.

(Lots of things got slimmed down for peacetime: wireless spares were half (or less) the original issue, the 36-ft Aerial masts (two per Wireless Truck) no longer had 7 tubes instead of 6, etc.)

Best regards,
Chris.