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Re: large generator / aquisitions philosophy

>>From ed-at-alumni.caltech.eduSat Sep 28 21:31:42 1996
>Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 15:39:00 -0700 (PDT)
>From: "Edward V. Phillips" <ed-at-alumni.caltech.edu>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: EMP cabinet/aquisitions philosophy

>Re: Big MG Sets
>	Where on earth would one store something like that,\
>and how could it be transported?????
	
Hi Ed,

I was looking at a 12 cylinder, Caterpillar diesel powered, 250 kW, 
325 kVA plant at a nearby wrecking yard.  The guy picked it up from a 
hospital that closed down.  It was the standby system.  He wanted 
about $3.5K US for it.  It could fit lengthwise on a commercial 
flatbed trailer (as in tractor-trailer), would take up the entire 8 
foot deck width and 16 feet in trailer length.  Add fuel tank and 
your 250 kVA pad step-up transformer to take the 2200-4160 volt, 3 
phase genny output and bump it up to 40 some kilovolts for Tesla use and
you've pretty much filled a standard 45 foot long trailer.  A trailer 
this size can be gotten for about $2K in roadworthy condition.  

That's how I would do it.  And this is how you move it to your 'gig' 
if you get hired to make a lightning storm for July 4th somewhere.

Between gigs you park it on your gravel pad outside your big workshop 
on your hobby farm property.  When you do have to move it you just 
hire a guy with a tractor to pull it, and pass on the cost in your 
contract.  When not in use you pull a big heavy tarp over it.  After 
you've been paid for your first big gig you use a small portion of 
your fee and build a large garage building to keep it in.

This generator was not turbocharged and was kinda big and heavy for 
it's power output.  I'm hoping to find something newer and smaller with more 
jam, like a turbocharged 1/2 to 1 megawatter.  I certainly don't want to 
go to all the trouble and then find I don't have enough power, if ya 
know what I mean. :-)

>A lot of stuff that goes into surplus is sent there
>for tax reasons having to do with depreciation.  Have never
>gotten a coherent story on just what is going on, but from
>time to time have been forced (at least coerced) into giving
>up good lab gear for surplus, then having to get in the queue
>for capital expense money to replace it.  Bean counters sometimes
>seem to have "no brains at all".

I've seen this in government and in university.  Oh brother, you can say that
again!

>Ed Phillips

regards,
rwstephens