DIYbanter - View Single Post - Motor

Jon Elson

wrote:
At a local plant, there once was a computer center. The room was fed
with a motor generator to provide clean power to it. I made an
inquiry and the unit might be available.

It has been years since I saw it, but it was a motor, probably 480
3ph, driving a generator with a large flywheel between them.

Any reason not to pursue it? Were the old mainframes run off of
anything other than 60Hz AC?

Yes, many mid-sized IBM 370 mainframes even had integral 415 Hz
motor-alternator sets built into the cabinets. The larger
systems had separate M-G sets or battery backup systems with
inverters in them.
I am sure that it was a top quality unit when installed. I am hoping
that it would be a upgrade over the ST15 generator run by my 16-2
Lister CS. I am working at getting in there to inspect it.
The IBM 370-135 had a 17 KVA motor-alternator set that produced
415 Hz, 3-phase power at 120 V L-L, I think. (I could be wrong
on the L-L voltage, it has been a LONG time since I worked with
that stuff.)

Why, on earth, do you WANT such an antique? Even if it is for a
more conventional voltage and frequency, it is most likely HUGE,
as they used one flywheel system for the entire data center.

Jon