Jandus Ball Motor Fan with Unusual Voltage

[Liem Nguyen]

I recently acquired this well aged Jandus ball motor fan! There're two small badges found on the motor. One reads "No. 12 B5104, 63 VOLTS" and the other reads "JANDUS ELECT. CO. PAT. AXXD FOR." I suppose the motor is DC but the voltage is rather unusual as I found nothing similar on the Internet. Most of the Jandus ball motor fans I found has either AC or DC but 12v, 32v, 110v, etc.

The fan seems complete except its speed control is missing. Can the speed control be re-produced to make the fan run at 3 speeds as it was originally designed? Also, how would you run this fan? (with a DC power supply or using a VariAC in combination with a rectifier? Thanks all for your advices.

[Paul Michael]

I'm reading it #63, or #R563, and 104 Volts! (-;
Just as the kerning and alignment is funny. Maybe a new kid at the stamping station! 🤔

If the first case, beats me what 'R5' is! 🤣

Great fan in any case. Static readings and then apply voltage, and the answer will appear.

Edited July 28, 2023 by Paul Michael

[Liem Nguyen]

9 minutes ago, Paul Michael said:

I'm reading it #63, or #R563, and 104 Volts! (-;
Just as the kerning and alignment is funny. Maybe a new kid at the stamping station! 🤔

If the first case, beats me what 'R5' is! 🤣

Great fan in any case. Static readings and then apply voltage, and the answer will appear.

I wish you were right but I don't think so from all the badges I've seen with of this line of fans available online.

[Liem Nguyen]

Here are how badges for 110V and 30V DC look like. 

[Paul Michael]

Thanks, I'm sure many will find the tags useful too. Lol I am aware of 'normal' set-up, that's why I Sid 'new kid' . . . 😉

Around 1940 there WAS a `63V battery, in England. 

But your fan is a bit older, ad I didn't know of any grids at 63V. *POSSIBLY* a British 'rural electric' system was at 63V? It is a very interesting question! 

 

[Anthony Lindsey]

There was a GE Ball Motor DC fan 60V for sale online for a bit.   No idea where 60V was required.   a rare one for sure.  Special order for sure.

Edited July 29, 2023 by Anthony Lindsey

[Anthony Lindsey]

that fan was 1904 if memory serves me correct

[Liem Nguyen]

15 minutes ago, Anthony Lindsey said:

There was a GE Ball Motor DC fan 60V for sale online for a bit.   No idea where 60V was required.   a rare one for sure.  Special order for sure.

Thanks Anthony. That's a very interesting information! I'll try to find back that listing. 

[Liem Nguyen]

There's a small number 12 printed in a vertical direction next to "No.". I am not sure if it's a micro date? But I guess this fan should have dated earlier than 1912 No? 

Edited July 29, 2023 by Liem Nguyen

[Russ Huber]

[Russ Huber]

1 hour ago, Anthony Lindsey said:

that fan was 1904 if memory serves me correct

That base was seen in electrical trade 02-08. 

[Russ Huber]

[Russ Huber]

[Liem Nguyen]

Wow! Thank you for sharing Russ. I am so happy that the 60V DC is correct. Is that your fan and how does it run?

[Liem Nguyen]

If the four-digit number after the B letter is the serial number than would it be correct to assume there were more than 500 units produced in between my fan and yours/ Also, your badge does not have the smaller number next to the "No."like the 12 found in my badge. Would you think it's some sort of a micro date?

[Russ Huber]

23 minutes ago, Liem Nguyen said:

Is that your fan?

It was my fan.  

 

[Russ Huber]

20 minutes ago, Liem Nguyen said:

If the four-digit number after the B letter is the serial number than would it be correct to assume there were more than 500 units produced in between my fan and yours/ Also, your badge does not have the smaller number next to the "No."like the 12 found in my badge. Would you think it's some sort of a micro date?

Is it a letter B or R? R for Railroad? Mine had a toothed locking pivot. With little doubt for rail use. Unless you can get the dead to talk, or find some documentation to validate, you can only speculate with theories. 

[Liem Nguyen]

50 minutes ago, Russ Huber said:

This is exciting! I found citations on the "Railway Electrical Engineer" journal (official journal of the Assoc. of Railway Electrical Engineer" that 60V battery made by Edison company was introduced...and the same volume mentioned the use of Jandus gyro fans.  

[Russ Huber]

[Russ Huber]

This double wing pivot feature appears to be factory. If so, your fan would stand out from the early Jandus crowd. 

If you disassemble the pivot, check for grip texture between the pivot.  Pullman cars are subject to some bounce when traveling.

Edited July 29, 2023 by Russ Huber

[James Landry]

8 hours ago, Liem Nguyen said:

I recently acquired this well aged Jandus ball motor fan! There're two small badges found on the motor. One reads "No. 12 B5104, 63 VOLTS" and the other reads "JANDUS ELECT. CO. PAT. AXXD FOR." I suppose the motor is DC but the voltage is rather unusual as I found nothing similar on the Internet. Most of the Jandus ball motor fans I found has either AC or DC but 12v, 32v, 110v, etc.

The fan seems complete except its speed control is missing. Can the speed control be re-produced to make the fan run at 3 speeds as it was originally designed? Also, how would you run this fan? (with a DC power supply or using a VariAC in combination with a rectifier? Thanks all for your advices.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw this beautiful little fan- it has many stories to tell!!! What a spectacular acquisition and hats off to you- what a fun project that looks to be!!! Enjoy :)

[Paul Michael]

7 hours ago, Russ Huber said:

Russ - RAILROADS - OF COURSE! 🤦🏽‍♂️ They weren't all the same! Thanks for the sharing.

[Steve Rockwell]

     Doesn't  "PAT. APLD. FOR." zero right in on range of production date?

 

[Liem Nguyen]

8 hours ago, Russ Huber said:

This double wing pivot feature appears to be factory. If so, your fan would stand out from the early Jandus crowd. 

If you disassemble the pivot, check for grip texture between the pivot.  Pullman cars are subject to some bounce when traveling.

I had a thorough examination at the pivot and the double-wing feature seems to be authentic. I took a few photos (attached) one of which might have shown something resembling what you mentioned as the grip texture for anti-shock purposes. Thanks for pointing this out! I looked again at photos of many old Jandus fans and all of them indeed have single-wing pivots.

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by Liem Nguyen

[Liem Nguyen]

7 hours ago, James Landry said:

My heart skipped a beat when I saw this beautiful little fan- it has many stories to tell!!! What a spectacular acquisition and hats off to you- what a fun project that looks to be!!! Enjoy 🙂

Thanks James! I'm still learning about the fan and indeed it has many exciting stories to tell.