It will make a good convector heater, Boss, until something goes phut. How are you going to get 10hp from domestic wiring? Leave it aloone, and live to make another posting, there's a good chap.

So it won't spin?? Only 35 or so amps aye

Please advise all CR4 readers to stand well back immediately before energising, for their own safety. Accidental Injury paperwork is so tedious and time-consuming to fill in....

Can somebody that knows what they are doing, with all the right tools available convert an old generator into a motor? Yes, it can be done because that person will be able to determine what type of generator configuration one has with a little disassembly. Disassembly and examination will determine what if any additional circuitry will be needed to get this generator to work as a motor.

Can somebody that needs to ask a public engineering forum if this is possible have the same success? Yes, it can be done. It certainly will take longer, be more prone to failure and might even injure people along the way but it can be done.

I can guarantee that it will not be cost effective to try and convert an old generator into a motor.

If its a common single phase generator no and simply put its because it has no start winding to tell it which way to go.

However if you are interested in getting higher HP 3 phase electric motors which can be found cheap to run on single phase power this is worth reading, http://www.electro-tech-online.com/re-projects/100563-3-phase-converter-schematic-miller-system.html

I came up with the design myself many years ago and have used it to run countless motors, some up to 25 HP, from 240 VAC single phase without problems or limited starting and running torque issues.