Jon Elson wrote:
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

Well, it certainly wouldn't mind when you started up that big 3-phase
lathe...

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

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