Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-05-19
ELEcrA,c,rv FOR THE FARM
Low Voltage for tho Farm Power
Plant, Suitable for Lighting Only.
High Voltage Necessary.
For Power.

For Power.
Farmers who are considering the
installation Of a small electric plant, !
where central station service is not |
available, should remember that while
it is practical to use q low voltage
system for lighting the house and
barns it cannot be used for power
purposes such as feed grinding pump
ing water. ensilage cutting. etc.
Certainly the progressive farmer of
today will want to operate some Of
the following machines by electric
power: corn grinders, ensilage cut
tiers, corn shelters, fodder shredders,
wood saw, cream separators, churns,
grind.stones, washing machines,
pumps for water supply, etc. If the
electric service Is to be used for pow
er purposes, and it should be so used,
q motor is necessary to convert the
electrical energy into motion. On &C.
count of the small demand for low
voltage motors. they have not been de-
veloped and standardized in the guam
titles and varieties Of size, speed and
type as have the standard 110-volt
motors. For this reason many Of the
motors needed for farm purposes, If
operated on low voltages, would have
to be specially designed, which would
mean an increase in cost.
The housewife, too, will want to en-
JOY the full benefits of this modern
service by using labor saving appli-
ances in her work, just as her husband
uses improved machines to tighten
his labors. She will want to have an
electric flatiron, vacuum cleaner, COT
fee pot, or percolator. electric toaster,
an electric fan and many other domes-
tic appliances. As in the case Of cleo
trio motors, these appliances are not
made to any great extent for low VOL
tage.
Even If the owner does not care at
present to make any other use Of his
electric plant than to secure light,
there is no argument in favor Of low
voltage, except possibly the fact that
a storage battery increases slightly in
price as the voltage increases. This
slight increase in cost, however, is
immaterial compared to the many ad.
vantages Of the higher over the lower
voltage. For instance, battery cap
able of operating five 16-candle-powe,
Mazda lamps at 81 volts will cos:
$61.2S and at 125 volts $78.2l, a differ
ence of'only 1868.
The absence of danger, so frequent
ly referred to by the low voltage ad
vocates, has no foundation on fact
And besides, If the wiring is done &C
cording to the Fire Underwriters
rules, which are the same for 30 a.
for 10 volts, there Is absolutely NJ
necessity of anyone coming in contact
with the wires.
The old argument that low voltage
lamps are stronger and cheaper NJ
longer holds true, the new Mazda
wire-drawn filament lamp being full,
as strong and just as cheap as the
lamp of lower voltage. Furthermore
II central station power should at an!
time become available, q change owe
could be very readily made with onl!
an exchange of motors, while with low
voltage, complete change of equip
ment would be necessary.
Thus, it can be readily seen tina
the low voltage plant, II installed, ha
many disadvantages, the most serious
of these being that it makes absolute
ly no preparations for the future ap
plication of motors over h. p, whic]
every farmer will wish to use as 500
as he becomes familiar with the i'm
mense advantages derived from tn
use of electric power.
Before installing farm pOwe
plant, the proper size should be care
fully selected in order to secure tn
greatest economy. II the plant is t
be used for lighting alone, the max
mum number of lights in operation a
one time will determine the size O
the engine and generator. If, how
ever, it is desired to operate some o
the farm machines with electric moi
ors, the horse power of the plan
should be slightly in excess of tina
required by the largest motor. Thi
will enable a few lights to be burne
when the motor is running. In COL
nection with the above plant, a small
storage battery will be sufficient t.
operate lamps in case Of an emergenc