Emerson 27648 with 220v Motor

[Liem Nguyen]

I bought this Emerson 27648 yesterday and I thought it's just another big motor 16" Emy. After checking and seeing everything seemed right, I plugged the fan in and the blade seemed to try to move a bit but then nothing happened. I again checked and everything looked Ok, no problem at all. I finally looked at the motor tag... WTH, it's 220V ?? I've never expected that. Well, after a while I found the socket for the dryer in my house as the only 220V outlet. So I plugged the fan in again and Voila! It just started and ran like a champ. I've never seen one but I'm not collecting long enough to know how uncommon Emerson made fans of 220v. 

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by Liem Nguyen

[Russ Huber]

[Russ Huber]

[Liem Nguyen]

Thanks Russ. So Emerson continued to offer fans with both 110v and 220v voltages in the 1920s. I guess most of those 220v fans were later put into storages when 110v became the standard.

[Jim Kovar]

11 hours ago, Liem Nguyen said:

I guess most of those 220v fans were later put into storages...

I'd guess with certitude,
      most were scrapped.  

 

 

 

What's that wavy thing
     under that fan motor?  

[Steve Stephens]

1 hour ago, Jim Kovar said:

I'd guess with certitude,
      most were scrapped.  

 

Yes Jim, I think many of the old 220 volt fans were scrapped like my old Peerless here which is a 220 volt (DC) fan.  But the previous owner's Dad picked it off the curb (fortunately).    And I was also fortunate to acquire it from the son after a several year wait.    It runs well on about 140 volts (full dial voltage) from my variac on a test.

 

lll

 

[Russ Huber]

There are some that never stood a chance. 

[Liem Nguyen]

2 hours ago, Steve Stephens said:

 

Yes Jim, I think many of the old 220 volt fans were scrapped like my old Peerless here which is a 220 volt (DC) fan.  But the previous owner's Dad picked it off the curb (fortunately).    And I was also fortunate to acquire it from the son after a several year wait.    It runs well on about 140 volts (full dial voltage) from my variac on a test.

 

lll

 

That Peerless fan is stunning. Beautiful. A perfection in designing. Wow! What the knob on the cage badge is for? 

[Liem Nguyen]

2 hours ago, Russ Huber said:

There are some that never stood a chance. 

500 volt DC? Where was it used? That must have been scary to be around that high voltage electricity LOL.

[Russ Huber]

16 minutes ago, Liem Nguyen said:

Wow! What the knob on the Motor tag is for? 

 

[Russ Huber]

6 minutes ago, Liem Nguyen said:

500 volt DC? Where was it used? 

They were wound for operation on rail car circuit late 19th century. It took time for generating stations to pop up. 

[Liem Nguyen]

6 minutes ago, Russ Huber said:

 

As a handle Really. It must not be easy and comfortable to carry the fan using that tiny handle. But the look is great.

[Steve Stephens]

Yes it is a handle, a T-handle to carry the very heavy fan to another place.   And I agree, it's not the most comfortable handle but it works.  Unscrew the handle and the data plate comes off.  This is how I received the fan with handle askew so I adjusted it.  What other fans have a motor tag adjustment? 

 

.

 

[Russ Huber]

 

The Electrical World - Volume 15 - Page 210

books.google.com › books

 

 

1890

FOUND INSIDE – PAGE 210

To meet this demand for trains rather than single cars a heavier type of motor has been introduced and even heavier ... City convention it was agreed to adopt , as far as possible , a uniform standard of 500 volts for railway work .