MEP-002A storage/running outdoors in rain/snow

[ITman496]

I've been doing a lot of googling and can't seem to find an answer. How does a non-ASK equipped 002a handle being in the rain, storage and running? It seems like it has a lot of vents pointing straight up on the generator head that wouldn't like getting water in them, but.. I mean, would they really design this thing in a way that rain destroys it?

Do I have to tarp it up and get some kind of thing to cover it during operation or does it not actually care about rain/snow?

 

[Guyfang]

Some of my soldiers ran the 002A and 003A for more then a year at Yakima firing range, almost non stop. Every 4-5 days we stopped it long enough to change oil and filter. Once a month we did fuel filters. It sat in a hole about 40 feet from the tent/shop office of our DS maintenance shop operations. No cover. No top. No nothing. Yes we had a few problems, but mostly parts that were known to maybe fail. Simple stuff. Yes a small roof, would maybe been of some help. But no damage from the weather. Drain the water from the water separator and keep the oil changed on time.

 

[Chainbreaker]

Yes they are designed to start, run & produce electrical output even in the rain. However, it gave me a bit of "the willies" to walk up to a generator & be standing in a puddle next to a running generator on its metal skid sitting in a puddle with everything soaking wet even though it was properly grounded. Before I even start my gensets I always review all my ground connections making sure they are solid tight!

The other side of the coin is that after you turn a wet genset off after the storm/power outage is over it just sits there in the rain cooling off with water condensing inside genhead, engine cowlings/cylinder fins & anywhere else rain/snow can migrate to. Over time that can take a toll creating rust & corrosion and can result in problems down the road. So at a very minimum it should be tarped preferably while still warm so it can trap some heat and dry out under a dry tarp.

Though long term longevity doesn't seem to be as much of a problem with generators deployed in military theater. The military typically had the expertise, spare parts and even spare generators on hand to fix or replace problematic gensets. Also, gensets after so many hours on the hobbs would be eligible for a reset - Tier 1 or Tier 2.

Since I don't have the luxury of the military's parts & service depots I like to keep my gensets as dry as possible & well maintained. All my generators are up off ground on their military trailers with OEM covers while running rain or shine. I do monthly runs to test functionality and to heat them up to dissipate any moisture with the quarterly run being a full load test run. So far...they seem like they will outlast me!

You don't really have to have up on trailer necessarily, you can put them up off the ground just a few inches on wooden 4x4's etc. or anything else that will support the weight & allow airflow so they don't sit in direct contact with wet ground. Lots of people either gravel an area, pour cement pads or use those thick paver squares to provide a raised base. Its also fairly easy to construct a shed roof over top to keep rain snow off genset & yourself. If you do a search here on "MEP-002a MEP-003a enclosure shed" you should find some generator enclosures as nice examples to go-by.

 

[Scoobyshep]

Yes they are designed to start, run & produce electrical output even in the rain. However, it gave me a bit of "the willies" to walk up to a generator & be standing in a puddle next to a running generator on its metal skid sitting in a puddle with everything soaking wet even though it was properly grounded. Before I even start my gensets I always review all my ground connections making sure they are solid tight!

The other side of the coin is that after you turn a wet genset off after the storm/power outage is over it just sits there in the rain cooling off with water condensing inside genhead, engine cowlings/cylinder fins & anywhere else rain/snow can migrate to. Over time that can take a toll creating rust & corrosion and can result in problems down the road. So at a very minimum it should be tarped preferably while still warm so it can trap some heat and dry out under a dry tarp.

Though long term longevity doesn't seem to be as much of a problem with generators deployed in military theater. The military typically had the expertise, spare parts and even spare generators on hand to fix or replace problematic gensets. Also, gensets after so many hours on the hobbs would be eligible for a reset - Tier 1 or Tier 2.

Since I don't have the luxury of the military's parts & service depots I like to keep my gensets as dry as possible & well maintained. All my generators are up off ground on their military trailers with OEM covers while running rain or shine. I do monthly runs to test functionality and to heat them up to dissipate any moisture with the quarterly run being a full load test run. So far...they seem like they will outlast me!

You don't really have to have up on trailer necessarily, you can put them up off the ground just a few inches on wooden 4x4's etc. or anything else that will support the weight & allow airflow so they don't sit in direct contact with wet ground. Lots of people either gravel an area, pour cement pads or use those thick paver squares to provide a raised base. Its also fairly easy to construct a shed roof over top to keep rain snow off genset & yourself. If you do a search here on "MEP-002a MEP-003a enclosure shed" you should find some generator enclosures as nice examples to go-by.

One site we used to take care of had a generator for backup. One hurricane they flooded so bad that the panel buss bar was about 1/4 inch from the water. That was not a fun shutdown.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[ITman496]

This is all great to hear, thank you for the advice! My plan (eventually) is to get this thing mounted to a 4x8 trailer, with a 36 gallon diesel transfer tank in front of it, and some other misc storage containers, and the whole thing be an enclosed trailer of sorts (with vents of course) so its a mobile, quiet(er), long lasting portable power system for me or any friends who need it, as long as I have power.

For now I'll keep her covered up nice.

 

[ITman496]

However I will say with how big this thing is, I do have a strong desire to just pour a pad for it next to the house and make some kind of small shed for it and never move it again. I wish they had those horizontal garbage can storage sheds big enough!

 

[dependable]

If you are storing it outside, be aware rodents can can damage wiring and wasps like to build nests in them. Not a problem if running all the time, but most of us don't them use that way. While not as much a problem w a non-ASK 002 as w ASK equipped units and the 802s, it is something to consider.

I'd build an encloser for mine if I did not have a machine w forks and a shipping container for my generators.

 

[ITman496]

Yeah, I wish I had the ability to easily move mine, but its definitely a....... pain. I need bigger toys!

 

[Chainbreaker]

Yep, rodent damage is something to seriously consider & head off. Unfortunately those lil buggers can climb up onto trailers. I've found mouse droppings on my trailer decks many times. So far no damage but since our feral mouser cat died there is no "mouse patrol" anymore. I plan to set some traps out for any that get near my generator trailers to keep the rodent population down as much as possible.

If you do construct a pad and erect a shed over your generator leave yourself plenty working room to perform maintenance/repairs. You could end up having to take off some ASK panels to effect any future repairs. Also, if you ever decide to use the auxiliary fuel tank feed you should make sure you have room under the shed for a 55 gal drum or aux tank to sit on foundation underneath shed cover. You will thank yourself later.

 

[Mullaney]

Yep, rodent damage is something to seriously consider & head off. Unfortunately those lil buggers can climb up onto trailers. I've found mouse droppings on my trailer decks many times. So far no damage but since our feral mouser cat died there is no "mouse patrol" anymore. I plan to set some traps out for any that get near my generator trailers to keep the rodent population down as much as possible.

If you do construct a pad and erect a shed over your generator leave yourself plenty working room to perform maintenance/repairs. You could end up having to take off some ASK panels to effect any future repairs. Also, if you ever decide to use the auxiliary fuel tank feed you should make sure you have room under the shed for a 55 gal drum or aux tank to sit on foundation underneath shed cover. You will thank yourself later.

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Agreed!

There is no such thing as a building that is too large!!

 

[eric67camino]

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Agreed!

There is no such thing as a building that is too large!!

Agreed, until you have to pay the taxes on it.

 

[Mullaney]

Agreed, until you have to pay the taxes on it.

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I can't argue with that - but I don't have to like it.

Sad part is that you still need the bigger building...

I could unleash a stream of words about the tax man, but would be a waste of the air that the rest of us breathe.
I am pretty certain that we could spend our money more efficiently than the government too...

 

[eric67camino]

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I can't argue with that - but I don't have to like it.

Sad part is that you still need the bigger building...

I could unleash a stream of words about the tax man, but would be a waste of the air that the rest of us breathe.
I am pretty certain that we could spend our money more efficiently than the government too...

Definitely. I'm working with no shop right now, so just about anything, even a small one, would be nice. I keep looking at options based on what I need/want/can afford/can fit on my property. I keep creeping up to ever grander plans. Then I think about how this property isn't really the place I want to be, so there's no sense in building a nice shop for the next guy. Be better to invest the money in the next property.

Then, I have to work on something outside and wish I were inside, starting the whole planning cycle again. Oh, well.

Back on track now. I keep a look out for a trailer to mount it on, but I am looking at building an enclosure for my 002a if not. Something to help with the sound and to keep it out of the weather.

 

[Mullaney]

Definitely. I'm working with no shop right now, so just about anything, even a small one, would be nice. I keep looking at options based on what I need/want/can afford/can fit on my property. I keep creeping up to ever grander plans. Then I think about how this property isn't really the place I want to be, so there's no sense in building a nice shop for the next guy. Be better to invest the money in the next property.

Then, I have to work on something outside and wish I were inside, starting the whole planning cycle again. Oh, well.

Back on track now. I keep a look out for a trailer to mount it on, but I am looking at building an enclosure for my 002a if not. Something to help with the sound and to keep it out of the weather.

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Nail on the head... I am in a similar situation. My garage is the great outdoors...
Not a lot of fun when it rains, when it is miserable hot, or miserable cold.