Collector Restores Rare Electrall Generators
“I’m not a farm kid, but I’ve had a lot of farm interests over the years, which included buying and restoring different vintage tractors and implements,” says retired Minnesota engineer Don Olson. “In addition to tractors, my real passion over the past 20 years has been learning about, acquiring, and restoring Electrall generators.” His current collection includes 5 different units.
Olson says the Electrall system was a concept co-developed by International Harvester and General Electric. It was introduced as optional equipment for a Super M-TA tractor in 1954 and then used on the Farmall 400 and 450 in the following 4 years. “Many rural areas didn’t have reliable electricity, so the company thought that an optional tractor generator, priced at $867, could provide backup power lights, milking machines, even power farm implements like combines, balers, grain elevators and more.” The Electrall generator was rated at 10 KW and could supply single phase or 3-phase power.
Olson says that although the idea was good, the price was high and the company had also engineered live power take off as standard equipment for its tractor line, which really put the kabosh on the Electrall. “Maybe those engineers weren’t talking to each other often enough and thinking things through,” Olson says with a smile, “because within a short time the live pto was running all those implements that could’ve used the Electrall generator and electric motors.”
Olson became a serious Electrall collector about 30 years ago after reading about it in a tractor magazine. “Finding one that I could mount on my tractor was a 3-year odyssey,” Olson says. “because the people who had them weren’t really willing to sell. It took me a lot longer, 15 years, to locate the companion motor for my 55 baler. That motor is a 3 phase, rated for 10 hp. continuous duty and 15 hp. intermittent duty. The tractor model could hook on a power pole and back up the whole farm. It had a special plug for 120/208 that supplemented for single phase power in the house.”
After locating the baler motor Olson spent about a year configuring everything on the tractor and baler. He’s also refurbished a trailer-mounted Electrall, mounted one in the back of a 1957 International S-100 pickup and configured another for the IH 2-point fast hitch. “All of those configurations were marketed by IH back in the 50’s, so I think I’ve got the bases covered,” says Olson. He adds that IH also had plans to use an Electrall to run power tools, an electric chain saw, an air compressor and other shop tools, which never materialized.
His restored tractors and Electrall collection “really turn heads at tractor shows” Olson says. “A lot of people haven’t heard of them so I spend a lot of time giving them the history.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Don Olson, Ham Lake, Minn. (electralldon@gmail.com).
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Collector Restores Rare Electrall Generators ENERGY Miscellaneous “I’m not a farm kid but I’ve had a lot of farm interests over the years which included buying and restoring different vintage tractors and implements ” says retired Minnesota engineer Don Olson “In addition to tractors my real passion over the past 20 years has been learning about acquiring and restoring Electrall generators ” His current collection includes 5 different units Olson says the Electrall system was a concept co-developed by International Harvester and General Electric It was introduced as optional equipment for a Super M-TA tractor in 1954 and then used on the Farmall 400 and 450 in the following 4 years “Many rural areas didn’t have reliable electricity so the company thought that an optional tractor generator priced at $867 could provide backup power lights milking machines even power farm implements like combines balers grain elevators and more ” The Electrall generator was rated at 10 KW and could supply single phase or 3-phase power Olson says that although the idea was good the price was high and the company had also engineered live power take off as standard equipment for its tractor line which really put the kabosh on the Electrall “Maybe those engineers weren’t talking to each other often enough and thinking things through ” Olson says with a smile “because within a short time the live pto was running all those implements that could’ve used the Electrall generator and electric motors ” Olson became a serious Electrall collector about 30 years ago after reading about it in a tractor magazine “Finding one that I could mount on my tractor was a 3-year odyssey ” Olson says “because the people who had them weren’t really willing to sell It took me a lot longer 15 years to locate the companion motor for my 55 baler That motor is a 3 phase rated for 10 hp continuous duty and 15 hp intermittent duty The tractor model could hook on a power pole and back up the whole farm It had a special plug for 120/208 that supplemented for single phase power in the house ” After locating the baler motor Olson spent about a year configuring everything on the tractor and baler He’s also refurbished a trailer-mounted Electrall mounted one in the back of a 1957 International S-100 pickup and configured another for the IH 2-point fast hitch “All of those configurations were marketed by IH back in the 50’s so I think I’ve got the bases covered ” says Olson He adds that IH also had plans to use an Electrall to run power tools an electric chain saw an air compressor and other shop tools which never materialized His restored tractors and Electrall collection “really turn heads at tractor shows” Olson says “A lot of people haven’t heard of them so I spend a lot of time giving them the history ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Don Olson Ham Lake Minn electralldon@gmail com
