Picked up a fairly reasonable-looking PU8 genny on ebay today, nobody else bid
for it so maybe possible buyers were at work or thought the price was high at
£100?

Year of supply 1941, 4kW DC 110V, non-runner but seems to have the original
toolboxes and twin tanks, so is it Petrol-Paraffin?

More when we get it back from Southampton.

Peter
 
--
Peter & Rita Forbes
Email: diesel@easynet.co.uk
http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel
http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk
http://www.oldengine.co.uk

Peter A Forbes wrote:
> Picked up a fairly reasonable-looking PU8 genny on ebay today, nobody else bid
> for it so maybe possible buyers were at work or thought the price was high at
> £100?
> 
> Year of supply 1941, 4kW DC 110V, non-runner but seems to have the original
> toolboxes and twin tanks, so is it Petrol-Paraffin?
> 
> More when we get it back from Southampton.
> 
> Peter
>  

A hundred quid for that big, heavy, probably thirsty and not especially 
attractive lump? - Yes ok, I'd have liked it too if I had the space ;-)

Nick H

On Wed, 28 May 2008 13:22:25 +0100, Nick H  wrote:

>Peter A Forbes wrote:
>> Picked up a fairly reasonable-looking PU8 genny on ebay today, nobody else bid
>> for it so maybe possible buyers were at work or thought the price was high at
>> £100?
>> 
>> Year of supply 1941, 4kW DC 110V, non-runner but seems to have the original
>> toolboxes and twin tanks, so is it Petrol-Paraffin?
>> 
>> More when we get it back from Southampton.
>> 
>> Peter
>>  
>
>A hundred quid for that big, heavy, probably thirsty and not especially 
>attractive lump? - Yes ok, I'd have liked it too if I had the space ;-)
>
>Nick H

Tha main atraction for me was that it appears to be complete, toolboxes, tanks
(why 2 tanks?) and control panel. Hopefully something can be made out of that as
a Nuenen 2009 exhibit....

This has also presumably got to be a 3000rpm job? 4kW at 1500rpm would suggest a
lot of poke which I don't think this one has, but would be very happy to be
corrected.

110V DC is a little unusual, it would have been kVA for AC, even in 1941. Had
they wanted 110V AC then a simple transformer from a 240V genny or a split
output winding would have done the job.

    
Peter
--
Peter A Forbes
Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK
peterforbes@prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.eu

On Wed, 28 May 2008 15:08:18 +0100, Peter A Forbes 
wrote:

>This has also presumably got to be a 3000rpm job? 4kW at 1500rpm would suggest a
>lot of poke which I don't think this one has, but would be very happy to be
>corrected.

Might be 730cc, so 1500rpm quite feasible for 4kW, almost the same as an Onan.
Peter
--
Peter A Forbes
Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK
peterforbes@prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.eu

On 28 May, 15:08, Peter A Forbes  wrote:
> On Wed, 28 May 2008 13:22:25 퍝, Nick H  wrote> >Peter A Forbes wrote:
> >> Picked up a fairly reasonable-looking PU8 genny on ebay today, nobody else bid
> >> for it so maybe possible buyers were at work or thought the price was high at
> >> £100?
>
> >> Year of supply 1941, 4kW DC 110V, non-runner but seems to have the original
> >> toolboxes and twin tanks, so is it Petrol-Paraffin?
>
> >> More when we get it back from Southampton.
>
> >> Peter
>
> >A hundred quid for that big, heavy, probably thirsty and not especially
> >attractive lump? - Yes ok, I'd have liked it too if I had the space ;-)
>
> >Nick H
>
> Tha main atraction for me was that it appears to be complete, toolboxes, tanks
> (why 2 tanks?) and control panel. Hopefully something can be made out of that as
> a Nuenen 2009 exhibit....
>
> This has also presumably got to be a 3000rpm job? 4kW at 1500rpm would suggest a
> lot of poke which I don't think this one has, but would be very happy to be
> corrected.
>
> 110V DC is a little unusual, it would have been kVA for AC, even in 1941. Had
> they wanted 110V AC then a simple transformer from a 240V genny or a split> output winding would have done the job.
>
> Peter
> --
> Peter A Forbes
> Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK
> peterfor...@prepair.co.ukhttp://www.prepair.co.ukhttp://www.prepair.eu

Do some of the tvo or paraffin start on petrol and switch to tvo when
running. Just a guess from the depths of memory.

On Wed, 28 May 2008 07:32:41 -0700 (PDT), vic the barge
 wrote:

>Do some of the tvo or paraffin start on petrol and switch to tvo when
>running. Just a guess from the depths of memory.

Possibly, or they doubled up on the fuel tanks for the bigger engine?

Peter
--
Peter & Rita Forbes
Email: diesel@easynet.co.uk
http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel
http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk
http://www.oldengine.co.uk

Peter A Forbes wrote:
> On Wed, 28 May 2008 07:32:41 -0700 (PDT), vic the barge
>  wrote:
> 
>> Do some of the tvo or paraffin start on petrol and switch to tvo when
>> running. Just a guess from the depths of memory.
> 
> Possibly, or they doubled up on the fuel tanks for the bigger engine?
> 
> Peter

I think the latter. In pet/par or pet/TVO systems I have seen the 
starter (petrol) tank is amuch smaller than the main fuel tank. Besides 
which, I assume the original application was military and petrol was the 
    'standard' military fuel during WWII.

What do you reckon 4KW of 110 VDC would have been used for - arc lights?

Nick H

On Thu, 29 May 2008 09:13:52 +0100, Nick H  wrote:

>I think the latter. In pet/par or pet/TVO systems I have seen the 
>starter (petrol) tank is amuch smaller than the main fuel tank. Besides 
>which, I assume the original application was military and petrol was the 
>    'standard' military fuel during WWII.
>
>What do you reckon 4KW of 110 VDC would have been used for - arc lights?
>
>Nick H

You're right, the 730cc engines had twin tanks, presumably with change-over
taps.

Don't know about the use of 110V DC, it's a bit unusual, and arc lights normally
need a bit more grunt than that, especially when starting up. The
Mole-Richardson arcs that we had at Samuelson were 25kW each, and we had 1000A
gennies to run 4 at a time. We did acquire a small searchlight from a house in
Copthorne which had an arc light mechanism and diddy little carbons, that might
have been the sort of thing it ran.

It may well be that this is a red herring and that it is 110V AC, as the
connectors look like they could be 3-pin round type as per our cub gennies.

I'll be speaking with the own later today, I'll see what he knows.

Peter
--
Peter A Forbes
Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK
peterforbes@prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.eu

Nick H  wrote:
> 
> What do you reckon 4KW of 110 VDC would have been used for - arc lights?

100v DC and 32v DC were the standards for farm lighting sets so it could
have been used for any lighting application which used batteries and a
charging generator.

On 29 May 2008 11:32:23 GMT, crn@NOSPAM.netunix.com wrote:

>Nick H  wrote:
>> 
>> What do you reckon 4KW of 110 VDC would have been used for - arc lights?
>
>100v DC and 32v DC were the standards for farm lighting sets so it could
>have been used for any lighting application which used batteries and a
>charging generator.

Yes indeed, but the Ministry of Defence or the Air Ministry didn't have any
farms.... 

Airfield lighting is a possibility as well.

Wait until we collect it, might have more information then.

Kim Siddorn has/had one, I think it was a compressor set though.


Peter
--
Peter A Forbes
Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK
peterforbes@prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.eu

Peter A Forbes wrote:
(snip):-

> 
> Kim Siddorn has/had one, I think it was a compressor set though.
> 
> 
> Peter

Certaintly a PU something:- 
http://www.wessex-sec.co.uk/2007%20Newsletters/Feb07p2.pdf

ISTR one application of the '8' was as a sort of temporary marine engine 
for manoeuvring bits of pontoon bridge into place.

Nick H

On Thu, 29 May 2008 14:10:20 +0100, Nick H  wrote:

>Peter A Forbes wrote:
>(snip):-
>
>> 
>> Kim Siddorn has/had one, I think it was a compressor set though.
>> 
>> 
>> Peter
>
>Certaintly a PU something:- 
>http://www.wessex-sec.co.uk/2007%20Newsletters/Feb07p2.pdf
>
>ISTR one application of the '8' was as a sort of temporary marine engine 
>for manoeuvring bits of pontoon bridge into place.
>
>Nick H

They were quite a versatile lump alltold, fuel consumption would have been a
problem for equipment that was deemed disposable in war conditions, and there
probably wasn't that many of the other companies with the facilities to ramp of
production.
  
Peter
--
Peter A Forbes
Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK
peterforbes@prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.eu

A PU4, a much nicer, lighter, quieter, more efficient engine altogether! One 
cylinder was indeed a compressor.

The PU8 cropped up all over & one use was to push landing craft along. They 
are very thirsty though - best of luck Peter.

regards,

Kim Siddorn

On Thu, 29 May 2008 20:22:02 +0100, "Kim Siddorn" 
wrote:

>A PU4, a much nicer, lighter, quieter, more efficient engine altogether! One 
>cylinder was indeed a compressor.
>
>The PU8 cropped up all over & one use was to push landing craft along. They 
>are very thirsty though - best of luck Peter.
>
>regards,
>
>Kim Siddorn 
>

Presumably there is the PU2, single, PU4 twin - both small cylinders

Then the PU6 and PU8.

Anyone have any cylinder sizes/capacities for the range of engine?

Peter
--
Peter & Rita Forbes
Email: diesel@easynet.co.uk
http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel
http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk
http://www.oldengine.co.uk

I have a PU2 & the special PU4. Mine was recovered from a quarry (instead of 
an unpaid Christmas bonus, I understand!) where it inflated digger tyres. 
Research by the previous owner indicated that it was one of a batch of 17 
experimental units made in 1938 for the Air Ministry & that it had spent a 
worthwhile war inflating bomber tyres in East Anglia.

They also occurred as a special order extra on a agricultural tractor.

Never seen a PU6...........

There was an unusual flat twin on eBay a few weeks ago. It was a factory job 
based on the PU8 but updated with A1 top ends. Tempted, I was, but too lumpy 
for me.

regards,

Kim Siddorn



"Peter A Forbes"  wrote in message 
news:661u34ho7eh0gi15iu2pgh1hjab4iun6g2@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 29 May 2008 20:22:02 +0100, "Kim Siddorn" 
> 
> wrote:
>
>>A PU4, a much nicer, lighter, quieter, more efficient engine altogether! 
>>One
>>cylinder was indeed a compressor.
>>
>>The PU8 cropped up all over & one use was to push landing craft along. 
>>They
>>are very thirsty though - best of luck Peter.
>>
>>regards,
>>
>>Kim Siddorn
>>
>
> Presumably there is the PU2, single, PU4 twin - both small cylinders
>
> Then the PU6 and PU8.
>
> Anyone have any cylinder sizes/capacities for the range of engine?
>
> Peter
> --
> Peter & Rita Forbes
> Email: diesel@easynet.co.uk
> http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel
> http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk
> http://www.oldengine.co.uk

On Thu, 29 May 2008 20:22:02 +0100, "Kim Siddorn" 
wrote:

>A PU4, a much nicer, lighter, quieter, more efficient engine altogether! One 
>cylinder was indeed a compressor.
>
>The PU8 cropped up all over & one use was to push landing craft along. They 
>are very thirsty though - best of luck Peter.
>
>regards,
>
>Kim Siddorn 
>

What do you know about air bleed holes in those 'hockey stick' inlet pipes?

A guy in Another Place says that there are holes on both sides to allow excess
petrol to drain out if they were flooded on startup.

Seems a bit weird to me, but might explain some of the strange attributes that
these engines seem to have.

Peter
--
Peter & Rita Forbes
Email: diesel@easynet.co.uk
http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel
http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk
http://www.oldengine.co.uk

Peter,

As far as I can remember the manifolds had small holes at the base of the 
tubes just before they attached to the heads. Also they arte strictly petrol 
engines, I think you have two tanks because they are thirsty lumps off load 
so two tanks extended the running time. I have an article from SE you can 
copy when I see you at the end of the week.

Martin P
"Peter A Forbes"  wrote in message 
news:5hj544t21q7k2i2895tj7kh1t4ruuan15m@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 29 May 2008 20:22:02 +0100, "Kim Siddorn" 
> 
> wrote:
>
>>A PU4, a much nicer, lighter, quieter, more efficient engine altogether! 
>>One
>>cylinder was indeed a compressor.
>>
>>The PU8 cropped up all over & one use was to push landing craft along. 
>>They
>>are very thirsty though - best of luck Peter.
>>
>>regards,
>>
>>Kim Siddorn
>>
>
> What do you know about air bleed holes in those 'hockey stick' inlet 
> pipes?
>
> A guy in Another Place says that there are holes on both sides to allow 
> excess
> petrol to drain out if they were flooded on startup.
>
> Seems a bit weird to me, but might explain some of the strange attributes 
> that
> these engines seem to have.
>
> Peter
> --
> Peter & Rita Forbes
> Email: diesel@easynet.co.uk
> http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel
> http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk
> http://www.oldengine.co.uk

"Peter A Forbes"  wrote
>
> What do you know about air bleed holes in those 'hockey stick' inlet 
> pipes?
>
> A guy in Another Place says that there are holes on both sides to allow 
> excess
> petrol to drain out if they were flooded on startup.
>
> Seems a bit weird to me, but might explain some of the strange attributes 
> that
> these engines seem to have.
>
> Peter

Not something I've seen on an SE before but I can think of a couple of car 
engines that had manifold drains - Hillman Imp with a little tube and (I 
think) the ubiquitous Ford Eight and Ten with grooves on the gasket face.

Nick H