calsdad
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- Chelmsford MA
UPS Freight finally delivered the two MEP-831a's I got from GovLiquidation a couple of weeks ago. They're both resets by the North Virginia National Guard with 2 hours on the clock (and new clocks)
First thing I did was open both up and check everything out. Both had batteries installed - one with the leads hooked up - the other one the leads were disconnected. Both batteries showed about 13 volts on my volt meter.
I checked the oil in both, and it was filled and clean in both, checked the fuel tanks in both and they were empty so I added about 2 gallons of road diesel and poured in a little Diesel 911. I spent the last couple of nights reading some of the MEP-831 threads here so I did a quick go-over of both of them, opened the gauge panel and checked to make sure there were no obviously loose wiring, missing pieces - etc.
So I figured I'd try to get one of them started. Since the battery was only 13V or so - I did the manual start procedure. The thing started up - initially seemed to run up to it's normal speed - and then the rpms' started going up and down. Right from the get go - it was also putting out a decent amount of smoke. I left the thing to run on it's own - hoping that it would clear out and at one point it seemed to be running up at it's normal operating speed . I noticed that when the rpms went down - the voltage output gauge would go dead as would the other gauges on the dash. Then it would speed up - and the gauges would be back to working again.
I had a Skilsaw right there so I plugged it into the 120V outlet and got it to run for about 30 seconds or so before the rpms dipped down and the voltage output went away.
Then the engine quit. I was able to get it started - but it just wouldn't run full speed, and quit again. I got it started a couple more times but it only would run for a brief period of time (and not at full speed) - and then it would quit. The experiment ended when I tried to pull start it - and I think I broke the pull start. I heard something snap and the cord now spins free.
On the plus side - it appears that the unit will put out 120V, the gauges on the dash all appear to work - and the 24V charger also appears to work because the battery voltage even from that short period of running went from 13V up to 16V or so.
I originally posted this over in the MEP-831a opinions thread - and AfghanVeteran suggested starting a new thread - and disconnecting the battery. Will the battery cause the unit to run funky if it's not fully charged? AfghanVeteran suggested disconnecting the battery entirely - I've also got a 24V charger coming in a couple of days so I can try charging the battery fully and see if that makes a difference.
I'll have to take the pull start mechanism off and see what's gone wrong there. Sounds like something broke.
First thing I did was open both up and check everything out. Both had batteries installed - one with the leads hooked up - the other one the leads were disconnected. Both batteries showed about 13 volts on my volt meter.
I checked the oil in both, and it was filled and clean in both, checked the fuel tanks in both and they were empty so I added about 2 gallons of road diesel and poured in a little Diesel 911. I spent the last couple of nights reading some of the MEP-831 threads here so I did a quick go-over of both of them, opened the gauge panel and checked to make sure there were no obviously loose wiring, missing pieces - etc.
So I figured I'd try to get one of them started. Since the battery was only 13V or so - I did the manual start procedure. The thing started up - initially seemed to run up to it's normal speed - and then the rpms' started going up and down. Right from the get go - it was also putting out a decent amount of smoke. I left the thing to run on it's own - hoping that it would clear out and at one point it seemed to be running up at it's normal operating speed . I noticed that when the rpms went down - the voltage output gauge would go dead as would the other gauges on the dash. Then it would speed up - and the gauges would be back to working again.
I had a Skilsaw right there so I plugged it into the 120V outlet and got it to run for about 30 seconds or so before the rpms dipped down and the voltage output went away.
Then the engine quit. I was able to get it started - but it just wouldn't run full speed, and quit again. I got it started a couple more times but it only would run for a brief period of time (and not at full speed) - and then it would quit. The experiment ended when I tried to pull start it - and I think I broke the pull start. I heard something snap and the cord now spins free.
On the plus side - it appears that the unit will put out 120V, the gauges on the dash all appear to work - and the 24V charger also appears to work because the battery voltage even from that short period of running went from 13V up to 16V or so.
I originally posted this over in the MEP-831a opinions thread - and AfghanVeteran suggested starting a new thread - and disconnecting the battery. Will the battery cause the unit to run funky if it's not fully charged? AfghanVeteran suggested disconnecting the battery entirely - I've also got a 24V charger coming in a couple of days so I can try charging the battery fully and see if that makes a difference.
I'll have to take the pull start mechanism off and see what's gone wrong there. Sounds like something broke.