Ward Aero generator

[Hank Jarrett]

I finally got a chance to take my Ward Aero Wind Generator to R.C.S. Electric and it looks like Lew not only knows about them, he even has a stock of some of the parts. While I was there he showed me a whole box full of cases and we saw at least 4 replacement NOS armatures.
R.C.S. is a certified repair shop and Lew says he will do a check of a Ward Aero generator for under $20. The cost to repair and certify one will depend on how much is wrong (evidently if you hook up the field and armature wires backwards it causes a LOT of damage). A lot of the parts aren't made anymore so some of them he makes himself, like brushes, if needed. He didn't have any props, but if there are enough of the generators out there I will check with a N.C. machine shop and get mine scanned so new props can be milled from bar stock instead of castings (should pretty much eliminate blade failures).
We need to start a list of anyone who may want to have their generators checked and I will post a shipping address for Lew.
take your heart meds first. As heavy as those things are, we may need it before putting them in the mail. If they fit in those "if it fits, it ships" boxes, the post office may need to stop the offer!
Hank

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Ward Aero generator


Incredible! Stupendous!
Doc and I just finished the rudder on his Ward Aero generator mount, so we are getting close to hanging the beastie on and making electrons. Photo is the aft portion of the generator mount.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Ward Aero generator

Do they really hang the generator on the rudder of a 7AC?
Hank

[Doc]

Re: Ward Aero generator

Nope...this is the weather vane of the mounting unit. Really looking forward to the address. Best. Doc

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Ward Aero generator

Virginia Beach Alternators & Generators Automotive Rpr ...
R C S ELECTRIC CO OF CHESAPEAK,
1218 S Military Hwy, Chesapeake, VA Zip Code23320

Hank,
Is this the company that can fix the Ward?

Mark

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Ward Aero generator

Wow, neat. Mark got the address faster than I could, and I was just there yesterday!
That's the place, and the owner is Lewis Riggs. If I can get a count I will take the numbers down to him. It would probably be easier for him to batch load a group.
He lives at the end of my block and his shop is about 2 miles away.
Hank

I want to know how many more we can build up from that basket of cases he had in the back room. Got to get an inventory of how many spare parts are available.

[senior]

Re: Ward Aero generator

Please excuse my ignorance but what the heck is a "Ward Aero Wind Generator"? Are you talking about the original wind generator, bracket & regulator that came with my plane? At the weight of these things why would someone want to put it back on? Are they actually worth something?

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Ward Aero generator

The Ward Aero is the generator a lot of the early Taylorcrafts had and they were available up until at least the mid 60s.
Yes, they weigh a TON! They burn up if you mix up the Field and Armature wires. They are in short supply and (until now) were pretty much impossible to fix.
Now the good side. They are FAA approved for our planes. They work GREAT. They are "original equipment". They do not weigh as much as a complete electrical system and best of all you get a NON ENGINE DRIVEN power source so you don't have to put on a transponder.
If you have one and don't want it, SPEAK UP! There are a lot of Tribe members who will take it off your hands.
I will attach a photo of the Ward Aero so you can see if it is what you have.
Hank

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Ward Aero generator

If you want to sell it, can I have first shot at it? My prop has a bad nick in it and I need a clean one to scan in to mill out new ones.
Hank

[senior]

Re: Ward Aero generator

Couple pics of the unit as I recieved it, only 2nd time I've opened the box!
Whats an honest fair value for the whole thing?
How would I test the gen? Can I just spin it with a voltmeter hooked up?
I also have no idea if it's the original volt reg. It says Presolite, with 1150 hr TT on aircraft I would almost assume it is, but again how can I test it, I sure don't want to sell anything that doesn't work.

[Doc]

Re: Ward Aero generator

In 1962, the COMPLETE kit, including STC, as you have shown, cost $79.50. I will be happy to refund your money...and you can send it C.O.D.! The Prestolite voltage regulator is pretty much 12V generic...mine is Delco-Remy...and cost ~$75.00 today from Classic Chevy in Florida. I am waiting to hear what the refurbishment costs are in today's dollars! If I had this when I rebuilt the BC12-D, I would have remounted it. My unit is going back on the Aeroca 7AC that Mark and I am currently restoring! Doc

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Ward Aero generator

Finding out how well they work is pretty much the point of this thread. Several people have been looking for a way to check their systems and RCS Electric has the proper test equipment.
I was looking at the test gear in the shop when I talked to him and it looks like a large clamp to hold the generator body with a pulley mounted in place of the prop. He runs a belt to a calibrated motor and has meters to check voltage and current as well as input shaft load (I think). I want to be there when he tests mine to learn more about it. For under $20 the education alone will be worth it. Of course the shipping will add a bit to the cost for the rest of the Tribe.
Hopefully he will let me watch and take pictures of the test process.
Hank

[Doc]

Re: Ward Aero generator

Something I pulled off of the National Aeronca Association BB

Just some kinda lose and general background on the Ward Aero generator, and no regulatory complance discussion. The Ward Aero generator is "similar" and in the picture I show a prestolite/autolite Generator off of a 40 HP Johnson outboard motor marine series generator next to the Ward Aero Generator.

These generators are currently in production and no shortage of parts. Very Very simple to maintain and repair. A 3.5 amp Champion wind generator with clutch, prop release cable, adjustable prop and internal "point" regulator is about 7.5 pounds. A Champion 10 amp wind generator, with internal "points" regulator and prop is moving you up towards 9 pounds.

The bare bones Ward Aero generator producing "close" to 10 amp is about 7 pounds...and the "points" regulator is typically mounted in the cabin. I believe that for a "points" regulator, P/N VBO-4202B -12volt and 40 amp (Autolite) is acceptable, and even earlier P/N I have is VBO-4201C-1 regulator , not sure....kinda one of the numbers I have jotted down over the years. From a voltage regulator standpoint, "solid-state" would be really the way to go...if the regulator "points" stick....there are going to be problems.

The prop, in a conventional sense, is reversed on a wind generator. That the back or flatside is facing forward...and the airfoil is on the backside. These days...machining a prop is very cheap and structurally strong....rather than a sand casted prop and potential internal defects, as was done with the early Ward Aero STC.

If you machine a prop add an extra inch or so on both ends. If you need to tweak the RPM there is some wiggle room with triming the blades. The Ward Aero generator makes a very nice installation with an Odyssey battery set up - good luck!!

Pretty good information! Doc

[N74DV]

Re: Ward Aero generator

FYI, I've been working on a 1kw 10 pole brushless motor/alternator that weighs about 1/8th of that beast. I've got it running through a bridge rectifier and voltage regulator. With a 10" carbon fiber propeller moving through the air at 85mph it is producing 40 amps at 16 volts. There are some losses to heat in the regulator but the final output is still well over what we'd need for a Tcraft. Easily is able to deliver 20 amps continuous.

No maintenance other than to pull the motor can and oil the bearings over so often.

I'd sure like to STC it but not certain the demand would allow for it.

Here's the motor:

[Marv]

Re: Ward Aero generator

Why not start out selling it for experimentals. I would say there is a lot of those that use engines without generators that would like to have them. some of those may end up on a Taylorcraft without STC's and if you find the need you could use that money for getting a STC. Marv