1940's Generator Control Panel?

[Stan]

I was just given a generator control panel that my friend told me was off a "war era" generator.  The frequency counter is the reed type, and the rest of the gauges appear to be old enough to be "authentic".  Does anyone  recognize this panel?  I'm looking for something that would match Penelope's age (1949).
Stan


The voltmeter and ammeter are on the top row, and the frequency counter and hour meter are on the bottom.  That's a 50 amp breaker on the bottom left (I looked at the insides of it and it's huge) !

[rcavictim]

Looks more like 1950`s to me, but surely that is close enough.  What is more important is that you have everything there you need with the right range values to boot!  Cannot beat the price either.

[Doug]

Interesting:

One of the plugs looks like a twist lock the other I can't see well enough to tell if there is a U ground or twist ect. That would help to date it BTW...

Doug

[Stan]

Doug...both top and bottom on the recepticle are 2 prong twist locks.  I'm having a devil of a time finding male plugs to fit them.  Tomorrow I'm going to a large electrical supply house.  Their wholesale only but I may be able to sweet talk them into selling me a couple of male 2 prong twist lock plugs.  Will let you know tomorrow.

The reed type frequency meter works great, at least on mains power.
Stan
btw...I'm going to paint it Lister green!

[rmchambers]

2 prong with no ground.. you're probably going to have a devil of a time finding them anywhere.  You might find something close in a 3 prong receptacle and buy a matching plug for it.  Having a ground won't hurt you.  It will be almost stock that way.  It's a nice looking panel for sure.

Good luck on your quest.

Robert

[Doug]

Stan:

I doubt your going to find a two prong twist lock sitting on a shelf lol.
Rare as rocking horse poop now lol.

I like twist locks, just look for grounded 15 amp to replace it.

You may want to simply gut this thing for parts and build a new one with modern CBs and recepticals.

Doug

You can still keep the retro look, I'd goo looking for some of that cool rinkle paint!.

If you want some other retro parts I can probaly scavenge something for you but for safety and easy of service I sugest critical safety and control parts be modern.

Doug

[Stan]

My old uncle Corliss always said "grounds are for sissys".  I can always use regular male 2 prong plugs in the twist lock recepticle, and I do plan for very good grounds 
A local electrician estimated the panel at early 50's.
Stan

[biobill]

Stan,
   I've got the same receptacles on a 1956 military gas powered battery charger. I had found some plugs that looked promissing on the Hubbell website about 7 months ago but the site has changed since then and I couldn't put my finger on a P/N. Might be worth a look though if you have the time.
                                               Bill 

[Doug]

Prior to the late 1940s low voltage molded caser CBs weren't manufactured in large numbers, and fuses were much cheaper another way to help date this....

[Stan]

I've pretty much pegged this as early 50's "close enough for the girls I used to date"    I can still use regular 2 prong plugs and my plans are to mount the control box on the wall so vibration won't be much of a problem.  I am still going to keep an eye out (damn pirates of the caribean can't get that phrase out of my mind) for a 2 prong twist lock plug strictly for historical accuracy.  I'll check the hubbell site Bill.  Maybe somebody on the smokstak site has a couple sitting around.

I hit a couple of large electrical supply houses today and provided a few laughs for the salesmen. 
Anyway, I've got an rpm meter that measures rpm by pressing a small rubber wheel on the end of the crankshaft, borrowed from a friend, should make setting the speed easier when I've got her up and running.
Stan

[Stan]

Bill...a Smokstak member put me onto the plugs from Mcmaster-Carr, they are a NEMA ML-1P plug from Hummell HBL7545C .  2 Pole, 2 Wire non grounding plug.  Now I can march back into the electrical wholesaler with the hubbell sheet and politely suggest he look a little closer.  The key is to search for NEMA locking plugs.  It helps when you know the right phrases to quote.
Stan