Is it AC or DC

[dhardin53]

I have a old generator that I have not taken the time as yet to dive into yet. But here what I do know.

Its a GenerAC Corp. alternator 1750 watts, 110 volts, Model 5055 #1, Niagra, with a 4 hp tecumsen. Im guessing from the looks of the motor is possably a 1960s early 70s vintage motor, both motor and generator unit are painted orange, witch looks to be original color.
No other makings. I got it running the day I got it with not to much problem. It ran what I though was pertty high RPM. (I could not find my tack at the time) I pluged in a couple of shop light. (incondesent) maybe totaling 200 watts. It seemed to handle the load ok and the light looked the be the good lumms. So the check it out a litle more I pluge in one of my better drills and give it a squees. Well the second i did it I knew i screwed up. The drill rotated maybe 1/4 turn and quit. I checked it in the house curent and it did not work. Its a goner.

What has me mixed up is the words alternator on the unit. Is it AC or DC? and how can I test it to see. If its DC, was it for running light in a millitary tent? incondesent only. Or is a brush stuck, a electronic part internally burned out causing it to kill my brill?

The person with the most information will get the prized "AT-ABOY" award.

Thank you in advance.

Dan H

[armandh]

common electric drills will work on ac or dc
the variable speed controls are ac only.
too high a voltage could damage a drill speed control
if there is no name plate indicating ac or dc put a diode of sufficient rating in series with one lamp. if ac you will get about 75% lit either way you plug in the lamp. if dc plugged in one way it will be off the other way on. you might consider investing in a meter.
sufficient rating would be a PRV [peak reverse voltage AKA PIV peak inverse voltage] greater than the expected voltage and a current rating sufficient to the wattage bulb using watts/volts=current

[armandh]

I suspect it is AC from the vintage

[dhardin53]

I have seveal meters, I just did not check it at the time. So you think its just a RPM issue?

[Jim Rankin]

"alternators" always make alternating current, it's just that the ones for your vehicles have a rectifier section on the output so it can charge your battery with DC. GenerAC would seem to point to AC output as well.

[armandh]

rpm and or regulation
first check the voltage with 50% load
then get it turning to produce 60 HZ
then check the voltage again

I had no end of trouble with a 7.2 KW Kohler K series powered homelite.
it would burn stuff up when the load came off and the voltage went high.
a longer govorner spring that did not run out of pull through the whole range of motion when the load went from idle to breaker limit could be adjusted for 60 hz and did not need any tweeking there after. adding load only made it louder not slower. I used an old ac motor clock against a watch.
1% would be within one minute over an hour forty minutes. [or to get close 1 second over a minute 40 seconds]

[KidDynamo]

Your drill may not be a goner. If it has an electronic speed controling switch that feeds to two brushes, only, on the armature, try disconnecting the armature wires and just putting power to them with a couple of jumper wires (Make notes first). If the armature runs at full speed, you probably just need a switch.

Other type of speed control, I don't know.

[Rich Mc]

It could be a 180 hz high cycle concrete vibrating unit or maybe a 400Hz military unit. Both could let the smoke out of 60 Hz equipment.

[armandh]

an old plug in motor type electric clock vs a watch with a sweep second hand will tell if you are fast or slow

the longer the test the greater the accuracy

[armandh]

6 seconds off over 10 minutes is 1%