Posted by Todd Somers [162.158.78.124] on Sunday, October 09, 2016 at 16:16:04 :
In Reply to: Delco Electrics (way OT) posted by Sherman in Idaho [108.162.246.24] on Sunday, October 09, 2016 at 14:37:32 :
Before electric power lines were constructed to rural areas that were not near electric generating plants that were located in populous communities and cities, Delco Light Plants were sold to supply electricity to the people on farms and rural areas. The "plant" consisted of a gasoline engine driven 32VDC generator and a quite large bank of wet cell batteries. My grandfather had a Delco plant installed and it was operated here on the farm until some time in the 1940's when power lines were finally brought to this area. We had an electric fan just like the one that you describe. The plug was also like you describe and was what the later 120 volt AC system adopted. Grand dads house was wired for 32 VDC lights and receptacles. There was a washing machine, a Singer sewing machine and a shallow well water pump all run by the system. Eventually a refrigerator (later the motor was rewound for 120 VAC and still works) was purchased but it was operated by a kerosene burner system that operated on the eutectic refrigeration system as the light plant battery bank did not have sufficient capacity to operate the refrigerator. I still have some 32 VDC motors from this system and also a 32 VDC Delco Marine generator sen which I removed from a boat many years ago.
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