# Old hobart generator/welder



## Kasey28 (Sep 23, 2011)

I've got an old hobart generator/welder model G-261 and it wont weld it just sparks a very little. I've cleaned every connection i could find and it made no difference i've also made sure all of the brushes were free. So i was just wondering if anyone had any other ideas i could try to get this thing to work.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

If that's the model I think it is the early ones didn't have an exciter section they relied on residual magnetism of the field poles, when it hasn't been run for awhile it has to "flashed" like an old generator voltage regulator, the later ones from the late 40's/50's had the exciter section.
Do you know which it is?


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## Kasey28 (Sep 23, 2011)

i'm not sure which it is. is there something i can look for that can tell me which of the two it is. when it comes to electrical stuff i'm just about clueless


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I'm going back quite a few years trying to remembering this one. 
What engine is in it. A lot of the early 40's had a Willis Jeep motor, I believe the later ones had a F head Chrysler. 

My grandfather had one on the farm in the 70's I remember having to drag it out to the field get it running and the what he called "Flash the coils", *Warning do try this if it has the "Exciter Circuit"* What he used was an old drill(newer drills have a power regulation circuit board with diodes and will not work) and a home made crank handle he put in the chuck, plug the drill into the generator socket pull the trigger on the drill and spin the crank turning the drill motor backwards this essentially makes it a generator and current comes out of the plug exciting the coils on the Hobart. 
Be aware these are DC only generators putting out around 90v some if not most newer tools won't work on them or at least work correctly.

You might want to try here> https://www.hobartwelders.com/owners_manual/order_oldmanuals.php and see if you can find a manual for it.


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## Kasey28 (Sep 23, 2011)

It does have the jeep engine. It has two generators on it the first right behind the engine is a small 1000 watt that puts out power to an outlet mounted on the back with the welding controls. Then it has the big generator for welding. it puts out 110 volt power from the outlet i just dont get anything while trying to weld


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Is it 110v AC or DC?
I think they made several changes over the years without changing the model number, there were also different setups during the war years especially if it was military surplus it may have been field modified.


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## Kasey28 (Sep 23, 2011)

its 110v ac i plugged in a cutoff saw and it worked fine


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I'd say it's newer or has been updated then the one we used have then. 
Did that link to the Manual request page get you any results?


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## Kasey28 (Sep 23, 2011)

I put in all the info and it went through so i guess i'll have to wait and see if they have a manual for it or not


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