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Herb Iffrig
- Posts: 1666
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:47 am
- First Name: Herb
- Last Name: Iffrig
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1911 Torpedo, 1918 TT Hucksters
- Location: St. Peters, MO
Post
by Herb Iffrig » Fri Jun 20, 2025 8:46 am
I recently came across these remnants of a carbide generator.
It is a side mount type of generator. Holy cow, what happened to it?
Is it just showing the effects of age and brass cracking from the spinning process? I have seen other pieces of brass get this way, but not to the extent this one has suffered. It looks shredded.
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KWTownsend
- Posts: 1382
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 6:51 pm
- First Name: Keith
- Last Name: Townsend
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: late 1911 touring, 1915 runabout, 1919 touring, brass speedster
- Location: Gresham, Orygun
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- Board Member Since: 1999
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by KWTownsend » Fri Jun 20, 2025 10:11 am
Herb-
I believe that is the effect of 100+ year old spun brass that has been exposed to the elements.
The upper chamber is the water reservoir. The lower chamber would have had the acetylene gas.
: ^ )
Keith
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Greg Griffin
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:05 pm
- First Name: Greg
- Last Name: Griffin
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '14 torpedo, '25ish pickup
- Location: La Habra, California
Post
by Greg Griffin » Fri Jun 20, 2025 2:53 pm
Notice the presence of a valve where the hose would connect to the generator. I suspect that the generator was "shut off" by stopping the water drip and immediately closing the valve, which would bottle-up the gas still being generated by the still-wet carbide. The generator probably burst, not exploded.
Doesn't explain burst top tank, though.
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Jerry VanOoteghem
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- Last Name: Van
- Location: S.E. Michigan
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by Jerry VanOoteghem » Fri Jun 20, 2025 4:28 pm
Greg Griffin wrote: ↑Fri Jun 20, 2025 2:53 pm
Notice the presence of a valve where the hose would connect to the generator. I suspect that the generator was "shut off" by stopping the water drip and immediately closing the valve, which would bottle-up the gas still being generated by the still-wet carbide. The generator probably burst, not exploded.
Doesn't explain burst top tank, though.
It's all due to stress corrosion cracking in cold worked brass.
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KWTownsend
- Posts: 1382
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 6:51 pm
- First Name: Keith
- Last Name: Townsend
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: late 1911 touring, 1915 runabout, 1919 touring, brass speedster
- Location: Gresham, Orygun
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- Board Member Since: 1999
Post
by KWTownsend » Fri Jun 20, 2025 8:30 pm
I don't know what brand of acetylene generator is pictured, but on the E&J generator for my 1911, when the water valve is turned to the "off" position, it opens a port to vent the acetylene in the bottom of the tank to the outside.
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JTT3
- Posts: 1855
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:57 am
- First Name: John
- Last Name: Tannehill
- Location: Hot Coffee, MS
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by JTT3 » Fri Jun 20, 2025 10:13 pm
Herb I think you have what is left of an early Jno Brown generator judging by the wing nut locks.
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49willard
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2024 9:03 am
- First Name: Bill
- Last Name: Jones
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 Foredoor
- Location: harpswell maine
Post
by 49willard » Sun Jun 22, 2025 12:57 pm
KWTownsend wrote: ↑Fri Jun 20, 2025 10:11 am
Herb-
I believe that is the effect of 100+ year old spun brass that has been exposed to the elements.
The upper chamber is the water reservoir. The lower chamber would have had the acetylene gas.
: ^ )
Keith
I would go with Keith's response. Too little cold working in spun brass dents easily. Too much cold working in spun brass invites significant cracking with time. For my 2 cylinder Buick I managed to buy new spinnings a number of years ago but needed the hardware (They are Gray and Davis bullet lights). I purchased a set of lights properly represented as only good for hardware. When I opened the shipped lights in a box I just laughed and exclaimed that they looked like cherry bombs had been set off inside each light looking much like the pictured generator.
