General Information

Serial #

2026

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

CAST IRON, STEEL, COPPER, BRASS, AND POSSIBLY OTHER METAL MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION. MOUNTED ON WOOD BASE; SOME MINOR WOOD FITTINGS. GLASS WINDOWS IN OILER RECEPTACLES; FITTED WITH GLASS LIGHTBULB. PORCELAIN BULB RECEPTACLE. COATED FABRIC COVERING ON WIRES, WINDINGS, ETC.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

132.0 cm

Width

55.0 cm

Height

83.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Energy-electric

Category

Generation

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

General Electric

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Peterborough

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

British Columbia

Period

THIS GENERATOR USED 1898- 1953.

Canada

ONE OF THE 1ST GENERATORS BUILT & TESTED IN PETERBOROUGH WORKS OF CGE CO. LTD IN MAY 1898. IT'S EARLY HISTORY IS NOT CONFIRMED, BUT MOST PROBABLY IT WAS USED IN THE CORNWALL PLANT OF CANADA COTTONS 1898-1925. SINCE 1925 THE GENERATOR WAS USED IN THE SULLIVAN MINE OF CONSOLIDATED MINING & SMELTING CO. IN KIMBERLY, BC. IN 1939, IT WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE & STORED AT THE MINE UNTIL 1952, WHEN THE GENERATOR WAS DONATED TO NRC. IT WAS DISPLAYED BY NRC, & RAN PERIODICALLY TO POWER A SMALL LIGHT BULB PLACED ON TOP OF THE GENERATOR UNTIL 1953. (Ref. 1)

Function

TO CONVERT MECHANICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

Technical

AN EXAMPLE OF AN EARLY EDISON BIPOLAR GENERATOR BUILT IN CANADA.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

.1 Cast plate reads "CANADIAN/ GENERAL ELECTRIC/ COMPANY LIMITED/ PETERBOROUGH WORKS/ ONTARIO". Cast plate mounted on opposite side reads "PATENTED/ OCT. 9, 1880 MAR. 13, 1881/ 3 K.W./ 125 V./ NO. 2026". "E.B-3-K.W./ CAN. GEN. ELEC. CO. LTD." cast in raised print on both sides of base. Text label mounted on top of generator reads " 3 KILOWATT EDISON BI-POLAR GENERATOR/ Built in 1899 in the Peterborough Works of the Cana-/dian General Electric Company. Rating: 125 volts, 24 amperes, 55 16-candlepower lamps, 1900 rpm. Dona-/ ted by the Canadian General Electric Company Ltd.".

Missing

UNKNOWN. MOTOR ADDED C. 1950S.

Finish

.1 GREEN ENAMEL FINISH. POLE WINDINGS & COMMUTATOR DUST JACKET PAINTED RED-BROWN.

Decoration

N/A