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Most Delco generators were used to recharge batteries.
"There'd be banks of batteries in an adjoining shed or basement," he said. "They had 16 jars, a row of eight on one shelf, and another row of eight on the next. Each tube had a hydrometer ball. When the battery started to work, the ball would drop, because the liquid was less dense. As that ball dropped, it gave the homeowner an indication that the battery was getting weak. Then they'd go to the generator, mainly to recharge the battery.
"People that remember using these things say they would just run the generator once a week, about two hours, to recharge it, and they'd run on the battery until it needed to be recharged."
"When I talk to people at the shows," he said, "people who grew up with these, they'll remember dad saying 'Don't turn that light on, you're going to start the generator.'"
A generator represented a major purchase for most farmers.
"In 1941, a set of 16 glass batteries cost $310," Don said. "That was quite a lot of money."
But in most cases, it was a one-time purchase.
"If it was properly cared for, a generator would last a lifetime," he said.
Don does all of his own restoration.