I would think that most readers would be aware of the Johnson generators directly attached to their Iron Horse engine. But how many know that originally the generators were belt driven? See Fig. 1.
By 1930, Johnson had drained all cash reserves due to over-spending on an advertising campaign, plus an ill-timed offering of matched motors and hulls.
The control of the company passed to its bankers, who attempted to lessen the reliance on seasonal sales by entering into the refrigerator-compressor market. This also was unsuccessful, and the ‘For Sale’ sign went up at Johnson. In 1935, the Outboard Motors Corporation (OMC) purchased the Johnson Motor Company.
That same year saw the release of the X100 Iron Horse engine, and the X200 in 1936. The X300 was produced in late 1936 until early 1937, when it was replaced by the X400. The first three models had a one piece casting for the crankcase and cylinder. From the X400 model onwards, a separate cylinder was bolted to the crankcase. See Fig. 2.
The expanded Outboard Motors Corporation no longer only made outboards, as Johnson also produced small generators, an Iron Horse engine and refrigerators. Hence, the company changed its name in 1936, to the Outboard Marine & Manufacturing Company (O.M. & M. Co).
Early Gensets
Some time back, Martin Pope from Toronto, Canada, obtained two lists showing the serial numbers of batches of engines and generators along with the year they were produced in Peterboro, Canada. Upon arriving home from a trip to Portland in the USA in 2010, there was a message from someone saying they would like to purchase an early belt driven genset. The engine is a type X200, S/N 1034 that is from the first batch of X200’s produced with serial numbers #723 to #1306, dating from early 1936 (see Fig. 3 that shows the plate).
The generator is interesting because it is the fourth one made. Serial numbers started at 501, and Martin’s is #504, shown as a model 1130, produced in early 1936.
The genset plate (see Fig. 4) shows the model as DA4, which does not make sense at this time. It is a dual voltage generator that runs at 3,600rpm, producing 110vac at 60 cycles, with an output of 250 watts (2·5 amps), and also produces 7.5vdc.
Note: on both plates, it says “Can. Johnson Motor Co. Ltd. Peterboro, Canada”. So, it was made before OMC changed its name to the Outboard Marine & Manufacturing Company of Canada.
Early Direct Drive Gensets
The first direct drive units that had the generators attached to the engine came out in early 1937, starting with a model 12D30 (12vdc direct drive, 300 watts). The first batch had serial numbers #1876 to #2075, and Martin has an early model 6D15 (6vdc direct drive, 150 watts), (see Fig. 5), with the engine and the generator having the same serial number #5075. Gensets with the serial numbers #4777 to #5474 were made in 1938, so Martin’s genset was most likely made in April or May of that year.
Later gensets such as the military type CH1-395-1 to 6, have the type and the genset serial number stamped on the plate attached to the engine cowl. Martin says that it was unusual for the generator and engine to have the same serial number as so few of these early gensets had two plates; it is the first time I have seen this.
The plate on the engine cowl has the engine model stamped on it, an X419 (see Fig. 6), and I have not previously seen a genset with the engine type stamped on the plate. The generator plate has the same serial number as is shown on the engine plate; this number comes from the generator list. The model 6D15 tells us that the generator is a 6vdc unit with an output of 150 watts (25 amps), see Fig. 7.
Note: the ammeter is built into the generator casing, but this feature would seem peculiar to this model, see Fig 8. On the two plates it states, “Can. Johnson Motor Co. Ltd. Peterboro, Canada”, but I would have thought it would have been named “Outboard Marine & Manufacturing Company of Canada” by 1938. This is something neither Martin nor I can explain.
Conclusion
Johnson made a large range of gensets with 6, 12 or 32DC voltages; some were mains voltage 110AC and also 6vdc as well.
I doubt if we will see the two generators in this article in Australia, but you never know, one could turn up. *Ron Wiley (08) 8552 4954. Email: ronwiley@bigpond.com
