Electric from yesteryear...Little Joe generator

[48Rob]

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/awning/page35-1.jpg?t=1171236316">

Note the "huge" 150 watt capacity...

Back in 1936, trailer owners didn't need quite so much power as we do today...


But I bet they would have if they'd had widescreens and DVD's and all the good stuff of modern times!

Rob

[Kurt (Indiana)]

"But I bet they would have if they'd had widescreens and DVD's and all the good stuff of modern times!"

That's what I have always said too. The modern conveniences of the 20th and 21st century would have been built in to the 30's 40' and 50' teardrops had they been available in a portable size and cost. Why not take advantage of the modern world while living in the older times for a while.

I still can't figure out how the pioneers and native americans ever made it without lighter fluid, lighters and charcoal.

[doug hodder]

Old vintage gas engines are a lot of fun to play around with, I had a buddy with a bunch of old chain saws, and recriprocating saws...how quiet do you think Little Joe is? I'll bet not too at least for a campground, but back in the day, no one probably cared as it was electricity out in the woods, could you imagine firing that engine up and then warming up the radio with tubes, after stringing a wire for an antenna to hear the world news, and the news was probably about what Hitler was doing as it was '36. I wonder what the difference is between lighting package 1 and 2... Doug

[Nitetimes]

I still can't figure out how the pioneers and native americans ever made it without lighter fluid, lighters and charcoal.

And bottled beer!!.

[Kurt (Indiana)]

I still can't figure out how the pioneers and native americans ever made it without lighter fluid, lighters and charcoal.

And bottled beer!!.

Good point! Although the pioneers had good old whiskey and other fermented things to help them get by. What about Teardrop Trailers? What a difference it would have made. The horses would have been tired but the travelers would have been better off.
Some one with Photoshop will probably make up an image for us.

These are all things that can relate to teardropping too

[Nitetimes]

A 2HP self propelled teardrop trailer, just $99.95!
Includes tongue box for oats and water.

[UK-Corlett]

Hi 48Rob

Its all down to duty Cycle. if a 150w geny runs for 10 times longer than it is used, it becomes a 1500w geny. Of coarse its then a question of how you store the energy it produces, a battery comes to mind, but with efficiency losses not ideal. If you you run a 300w appliance you draw 150 from a battery and 150w from the geny. Then leave the geny running to top the battery back up.

There are electrical circuits which can deal with this.

If they still made them I would consider getting one, if only to trickle charge the battery.

Little gas engines can run extremely quietly and consume little fuel. I think its a great idea.

Also I am not sure that a flat screen draws that much. My idea is of camping is to keep it simple and not to bring my home on holiday with me.

I know that one of the big consumers of power for you in the States is air conditioning, not something I have to make provision for in my temperate climate.

Clive

[48Rob]

Hello Clive!

Of course, you are correct.
Since the unit offered produced 6 or 12 Volts, it could certainly be used to charge storage batteries, enabling the owner to consume more than the 150 Watts it produced.

The purpose of my post was really to offer up a little seen (or thought of) view of an early power generating system designed for campers "way back when".

Most of us...or at least me...think of early campers (1920's-1930's) as having very little in the way of "modern" conveniences.
More like taking a candle or an oil lamp for reading.

I was quite wrong, as evidenced by this early "generator" for sale in 1936...

Rob

[UK-Corlett]

Hi 48rob

Point taken.

I try to tell people what a TD is. (in the UK these are very rare). I have found it difficult to explain; if you start with a Caravan and remove all the extra stuff to get down to the pure form which is our loved TD you can't. Its much easier to explain it as a hike tent with a hard roof, on wheels.

So too, with my idea of camping. I am a scout leader and the height of camping is in a large canvas tent in a field in the middle of nowhere with a spark stick and an axe. To then I go camping in my TD, taking a DVD player, microwave etc.... Seems all wrong.

But having a little battery power available is a good thing. My TD has a 7Ahr battery only and my biggest power demand is lighting.

I suppose its always nice to think that they were the noble savage shunning modernity but in actual fact everyone operates with the technology available at the time.

[Juneaudave]

Hello Clive!
Most of us...or at least me...think of early campers (1920's-1930's) as having very little in the way of "modern" conveniences.
More like taking a candle or an oil lamp for reading.

I was quite wrong, as evidenced by this early "generator" for sale in 1936...

Rob

I think you're point is well taken...gas lanterns, insulated coolers, storage boxes, even pre-packaged homemade meals...have been used for many, many years. Kind-of the same things happen in my (garage) shop....lathes, saws, drills all had 1930's counterparts. BTW...I thought the generator was pretty cool!!! Thanks for sharing!!

[mwolford]

How about a more modernistic version of the "Little Joe"?

Check it out ---
http://www.universalweb.com/food/generator.htm

Mike

[Micro469]

How about a more modernistic version of the "Little Joe"?

Check it out ---
http://www.universalweb.com/food/generator.htm

Mike

How loud is 69 decibles? What does that compare to?

[madjack]

How about a more modernistic version of the "Little Joe"?

Check it out ---
http://www.universalweb.com/food/generator.htm

Mike

How loud is 69 decibles? What does that compare to?

...think...TALKING LOUDLY( much like typing in all caps) but not quite shouting..............

[bledsoe3]

Or you could get a Kipor 3000 watt that runs at 59db at full load. http://tinyurl.com/ytdobq