A not-so-funny story (hz)

[TrailLifeBill]

Good thing he didn't race home, hook it up, and try it out on the house!!

 

[Suprman]

The larger 400hz gens are still used for aircraft ground power. 60kw and larger. There are buyers for them around. 10k not so much.

 

[Guyfang]

We used to have stuff like that happen all the time in ADA. All the system gear is 400 hertz. Non system people used to always try and plug up something to one of the outlets on the radars. It plainly stated above the outlets, 400 hertz only!! There are several advantages to being able to read.

In 1973 or 74, we were in the field, near Schweinfurt. Had a new Plt. Sgt. He had gotten into a "situation" in an Armored unit, and had to be sent far away from his "situation". So the guy was sent to a HAWK unit, and had no earthly idea what we did, or how it was done. But he could scream and yell real fine. He was a SFC, so he became the Maintenance Platoon Sergeant. He was a real lifer. We called him, Bad Bob. Always on us about boots and shaving and all kinds of crap like that.

We moved on the average of every 4-6 hours. Emplace, power up, do the Daileys, (PMCS), get on line, camouflage, be operational a while and then tear it all down so we could move and do it again. We didnt even bother with tents. No time. By the second day, we all looked like field soldiers. Dirty, and tired. Well old Bad Bob took out his razor, and started screaming at everyone about "Looking like soldiers!!". Even his fellow NCO's had had enough. Not one person said a word about his 120 volt, 60 hertz razor and the 120 volt, 400 hertz voltage at the outlet. He walked over, stuck in the plug and fired that razor up! By the time he comprehended that it was running just a tad faster than normal, the show was almost over. The grip got hot, he dropped it and then the circuit breaker to the outlet popped. But it was all she wrote. I laughed so hard, at the sight of his face, I thought I would vomit. Not a dry eye in the maintenance platoon.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
I look at it in a different way.
Gee a MEP-813A great for panels and all those other parts. $200 sure I will take it.

 

[gimpyrobb]

We used to have stuff like that happen all the time in ADA. All the system gear is 400 hertz. Non system people used to always try and plug up something to one of the outlets on the radars. It plainly stated above the outlets, 400 hertz only!! There are several advantages to being able to read.

In 1973 or 74, we were in the field, near Schweinfurt. Had a new Plt. Sgt. He had gotten into a "situation" in an Armored unit, and had to be sent far away from his "situation". So the guy was sent to a HAWK unit, and had no earthly idea what we did, or how it was done. But he could scream and yell real fine. He was a SFC, so he became the Maintenance Platoon Sergeant. He was a real lifer. We called him, Bad Bob. Always on us about boots and shaving and all kinds of crap like that.

We moved on the average of every 4-6 hours. Emplace, power up, do the Daileys, (PMCS), get on line, camouflage, be operational a while and then tear it all down so we could move and do it again. We didnt even bother with tents. No time. By the second day, we all looked like field soldiers. Dirty, and tired. Well old Bad Bob took out his razor, and started screaming at everyone about "Looking like soldiers!!". Even his fellow NCO's had had enough. Not one person said a word about his 120 volt, 60 hertz razor and the 120 volt, 400 hertz voltage at the outlet. He walked over, stuck in the plug and fired that razor up! By the time he comprehended that it was running just a tad faster than normal, the show was almost over. The grip got hot, he dropped it and then the circuit breaker to the outlet popped. But it was all she wrote. I laughed so hard, at the sight of his face, I thought I would vomit. Not a dry eye in the maintenance platoon.

Awesome!

 

[Kenny0]

"I only need 60Hz, so I'll have 340Hz to spare!"

Exactly, a little is good, more is better, right.

 

[Guyfang]

It's better to have, and not need, then to need, and not have! Which was why my ruck was so darn heavy!

And you know, if I was needing a gen set for a purely resistive load, like a heater, why not a 400 hertz gen set?

 

[rhurey]

And you know, if I was needing a gen set for a purely restive load, like a heater, why not a 400 hertz gen set?

Because I'd turn my back on my buddy / dad / father in law / kid and they'd plug my drill / laptop / expensive thingy into it. It's the same reason I buy the 250V twist locks for the 240V tools instead of just using normal outlets and labeling them.

 

[Floridianson]

And you know, if I was needing a gen set for a purely resistive load, like a heater, why not a 400 hertz gen set?

Yep plus stove, hot water heater and for the Thief's that come around when the power is out an electric fence/welcome mat.

 

[rustystud]

"I only need 60Hz, so I'll have 340Hz to spare!"

Now that's funny !!!

 

[Guyfang]

You can't plug anything into a 400 hertz gen set. They have no outlets. Only load terminals. Oh yea of little faith!

 

[fcbrants]

What bothers me the most is Not the single person that Bought the genset, but the 163 people that Tried to buy it....

 

[Daybreak]

What bothers me the most is Not the single person that Bought the genset, but the 163 people that Tried to buy it....

Howdy,
It's all the ones that do not know what it is.... They got into a feeding frenzy... er auction hype frenzy

Or look at GovPlanet and items sold, change the results to the MEP813A and MEP-813A. 18 400Hz units have sold. Some for some serious cash + fees + taxes

 

[Guyfang]

Stop it!!!!!! 163 people bid on it? And we, as a nation went to the moon?

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

I've got a really good update to the original post. When I get home in a couple hours I'll post it.

 

[Light in the Dark]

I've got a really good update to the original post. When I get home in a couple hours I'll post it.

Can't wait to hear it. You should read the note back I got from this ungrateful SOB. I go out of my way to help this guy and arm him with information, and even try to illicit a response from someone like Evil Dr. to help the guy... and this dude is all upset at me and 'THANK YOU FOR ABSOLUTELY NOTING!'. "I'm going to lay your ads any chance I get@"

I wished him "good luck with your boat anchor generator". Unreal.

 

[Suprman]

I talked to a guy the other day. Called me for parts for the 60kw gen he just got off GL out of Ohio. 816. With a LCD style control panel that didn't work anyways. No idea it was only 400hz.

 

[Light in the Dark]

Oh, and its precisely guys like this... that are the reason I use a google voice phone number for all of my online/craigslist ads. For those that do ANY selling through craigslist, consider signing up for one (https://www.google.com/voice). It doesn't cost a thing, and you are given an honest-to-goodness 'new' phone number that you can have all calls and texts dumped to ANY number of other phone lines (home, mobile, etc) all from a single interface. Oh, and it allows you to 'text message' through the service too...

All without ever reavealing your true phone numbers if you do not desire! The person on the other end simply thinks that is your number. You can block numbers too. ​Wonder if that just happened with this guy?

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

So before this thread was started I received 4 PMs in a row from a new SS member. Told me to call or text him in the morning. I sent him a PM right back with my info. He called me in the morning and I told him everything I know about the genset I've got in the classifieds.

Such as...
It belongs to a friend's widow and all I know about it is what I was told back when my friend first acquired it down South. It came off a 20ft reefer box and apparently the exhaust cover was either up or missing completely so the engine took in some water. The exhaust was removed and never made it back north. Other than that it was all there. Sheet metal all good, engine otherwise complete, gauges all there, 700 hours, etc. Untested but it all looks good. Price was firm at $500 which I think I could easily get if I parted it out.

He was supposed to show up earlier this week but couldn't make it due to "weather". I made plans for the day but no big deal, it happens. He wanted to show up Saturday but I was in NY today. He said it was Saturday or at least a couple weeks of waiting. After assuring him I was "certain" I'd be out of town he said he'd show up Sunday. While on the road back from NY he decided to try the old "take it or leave it" negotiating tactic to save $100... even though we both knew the deal and planned for Sunday.


I won't include his next text but for someone who wasn't going to be buying it he seemed rather bothered that I wouldn't sell it to him anyway.

 

[155mm]

I had to giggle at the 'that HERTZ my feelings' comment. I dont know if it was intended or not, but it was fitting for a jenny conversation.