Signal Corp Power Unti PE-75-u

[VW Vanagon]

Can anyone enlighten me on what I bought today? I bought a Signal Corp Power Unit, model PE-75-U, with a Briggs and Stratton motor and a Leland Alternator from a guy up in the hills. It runs, and runs GREAT! It must weight 300 pounds!

What the heck did I invest 50 bucks in???????

Thanks Marky Mark in Fresno, CAL

[John Newman, Jr.]

While I'm not up on all the variations of Mil-Spec equipment, I think I might have something similar to yours. I have a PE-75-AF-GY. Mine has a Briggs & Stratton Model 23 all cast iron engine with a German made generator - 1800 rpm 2500 watts at 115VAC. It does not give 220. Bought mine through a surplus distributor sometime in the '80s and other than the fact that I left gas sitting in it for too long and gummed it up recently, it is a great machine. Belt driven on a metal skid and weighs about 250 lbs. The pulley arrangement has the engine turning 2400 rpm. Normally this model Briggs engine is rated at 9hp, the reduced speed de-rates it down to about 6-1/2hp. The biggest advantage over small commercial units is that since it is running slower, it will last a lot longer and is not nearly as obnoxious to hear it running.
Sorry I can't give you any more technical information on it, but if it runs and puts out electricity and you got it for $50, I'd say you did all right!

[VW Vanagon]

It has the following numbers on this generator....

Briggs Stratton ZZ 308171 and another number of 201170 the tag on the motor is worn

It has a Leland Alternator type A KVA 2.5 with some faint number of 9900 RR
54790

I caught this unit out of the corner of my eye, hung a U turn. Seeing that the unit is old, I grabbed it. It took a fork lift to get it into the trunk of my VW.

The Briggs is a cast iron old rope pull. Dang thing must be 3 or so feet high!

Interesting note on the generator, there is a gauge and a dial, which allows you to turn the volts up or down from probably 1 up to 150. I see a 220 connection on the side. But somewhere along the line someone has added two twin 110 connections on it.

Basically, I had 50 bucks in my shorts, saw something I thought was cool and grabbed it.

If anyone wants pics they can hit me at : mark.markjohnson54@gmail.com
I sent some family members pictures and they all are baffled at the age

I'm going to try and put some stuff up in the photo gallery

I did some google searches but came up with little information

[John Newman, Jr.]

Here are some pictures of my generator. The generator head ws made by C. Lorenz A.G. of Germany and is identified as
"Gen.,A.C. G-40-U-GY"
KVA 2.5
Amps 22
Volts 120
Does your ZZ engine have the all cast iron blower housing and enclosed head, or does it have a tin blower housing and a head with open cooling fins? The serial # dates it to Sept, '44.
Please post a picture or two of yours here for us to see.
Thanks,

[VW Vanagon]

Open head with tin, a top pull, on a skid

Very heavy unit, The Leland alternatior has a dial at the top which allows you to dial up or down voltage

really a cool unit that runs great

http://fresno.craigslist.org/tls/95827106.html

this was the link and a picture of what I bought,

[John Newman, Jr.]

Is that an old "Civil Defense" decal on the engine? You've got yourself a good looking generator set. My advice would be to figure out a way to put some wheels under it. You know what it's like to move it around.....

[VW Vanagon]

Yup old Civil Defense sticker, with tags on the skids that say Signal Corps

what ya think this baby is worth? BTW, we used it last night. Lites went off with a storm front, one pull from the rope...chuuuug chuuug chug !!! Purrs like a kitten