Would a locomotive radiator fan work plugged into the wall?

If I'm not mistaken locomotive radiator fans are ac motors right? What maximum voltage and hertz are they meant for? Would they work off the 120 volts 60 hertz you get plugged into the wall? Or the 240 volts meant for a stove?

Why would you want to plug it into household power?

I'm guessing you're talking about an EMD fan, correct? Alcos and earlier GEs were gear driven- Your household power isn't even close on any parameter. An EMD D-14 alternator produces three phase 170 VAC at 111 1/3 cycles, when turning at a C or D engine's max speed of 835 RPM. And why do you need 12 or 25 HP? Attic fan?

EDM5970 wrote:I'm guessing you're talking about an EMD fan, correct? Alcos and earlier GEs were gear driven- Your household power isn't even close on any parameter. An EMD D-14 alternator produces three phase 170 VAC at 111 1/3 cycles, when turning at a C or D engine's max speed of 835 RPM. And why do you need 12 or 25 HP? Attic fan?

Yeah I guess I would be talking about an EMD fan. It must be tough to maintain a gear driven fan. So I guess if I hook it up to house current it will run a bit faster than half it's max speed? Are they really 12 -25 horsepower with proper power? We use fans that size for ventilating a lot of things at the farm I work at. Among other things! I need at least 2 fans of this size.

"Among other things"? What exactly are you "growing" at this "farm"?

Numbers I gave were from an EMD GP-20 operating manual, but do you have THREE PHASE power? My house does not-

Lookin the Grainger catalog for ventilating your form, not EMD Catalog 90-

EDM5970 wrote:Numbers I gave were from an EMD GP-20 operating manual, but do you have THREE PHASE power? My house does not-

Lookin the Grainger catalog for ventilating your form, not EMD Catalog 90-

No, I don't have 3 phase ac power. I wonder what a phase converter that could run that might cost? Hahaha, I would never buy a new fan from an EMD Catalog, but if I can get it for free or a real bargain, maybe I can make it work.

You can use a VFD, Variable Frequency Drive. But how big is the fan motor [HP]?

A roughly 3 HP VFD can be had for $400.00