ELECTRIC PANEL BOARD
This is the control panel for the Fairbanks Morse engine and dynamo. It
has a very heavy slate backing and features a voltmeter and an
ammeter. The rheostat adjusts the field current of the dynamo and
hence the output voltage. The double throw, double pole switch at the
top left allows us to use AC power when needed for convenience.
WHITE & MIDDLETON
This 11 hp White & Middleton, dated 1894, has the special heavy electric
lighting wheels for smooth running. It was used in New Hampshire to
power a 32 volt DC dynamo to charge the battery bank for a small rural
telephone company. There were many W&M engines used for this purpose in
New England. At the Municipal Works, it represents this service. It came
here in the early 1970s.
TELEPHONE DYNAMO
This is the 32 volt DC dynamo that the W&M above powered. It was belt
driven from the engine flywheel to provide sufficient speed to the
dynamo. In 1900, rural telephone service was typically powered from a
large bank of lead-acid batteries. The operator would run the engine
during the day shift to keep them charged.
