60 Hz Right?

[croftonaviation]

I am thinking about buying a 5-10 KW generator as there are some coming up for sale close by. I want 60 Hz to run normal things around my house right? Just looking for some advice here, don't want to waste money. Thanks.

 

[nk14zp]

Yes you want 60hz.

 

[croftonaviation]

Yes you want 60hz.

Thanks, that's what I thought but I wanted to be sure.

 

[Westech]

I remember the Last FTX we had I was setting up the gen sets. One guy already had one running and I asked if he had the 120 v and 60 hz set.. he said yeah.. well he was pumping 220 volts and who knows what the hz were at.. well when the guys went in the tent (day time) and plugged in the cell phone charges well they did not like it one bit! so when they turned on the lights.. well there was a big flash I was told. Better to ask then just do and take a bunch of stuff out.

 

[Chinookpilot77]

You wont find anything but 60hz in the USA, the voltage may vary, but it'll usually always be 60hz.

One possible exception to this is aviation generators that will run at 400hz.

 

[glcaines]

I picked up an MEP-003A at Ft Jackson a few months ago. It was 120 / 240 V, 60 Hz and 10 kw mounted on a M116A2 trailer. I got lucky, it was in excellent shape, and started right up. I intend to power my whole house and got a transfer switch off E-bay. It is also diesel powered, has it's own fuel tank or will pull from a separate tank. I would highly recommend this model, but one caveat is that it is EXTREMELY noisy. I plant to mount a muffler on the trailer.

 

[jasonjc]

The Military uses ALOT of 400hz gen sets. In all the sizes you mite be looking at. Make shure you get a 60hz set. You can not change a 400hz to a 60hz. Well you can you take the 400hz gen off and put a 60hz on,but thats the only way.

 

[Speddmon]

I picked up an MEP-003A at Ft Jackson a few months ago. It was 120 / 240 V, 60 Hz and 10 kw mounted on a M116A2 trailer. I got lucky, it was in excellent shape, and started right up. I intend to power my whole house and got a transfer switch off E-bay. It is also diesel powered, has it's own fuel tank or will pull from a separate tank. I would highly recommend this model, but one caveat is that it is EXTREMELY noisy. I plant to mount a muffler on the trailer.

Do a search on the sight here...those MEP-003a's are awesome machines, but you will find that they already have mufflers on them. An additional muffler will help very little as most of the noise you are hearing is just normal diesel noise. And noise is relative, I have two of these sets, and I don't think they are all that loud...my compact diesel tractor makes more noise when I'm mowing the grass than these generators do

The Military uses ALOT of 400hz gen sets. In all the sizes you mite be looking at. Make shure you get a 60hz set. You can not change a 400hz to a 60hz. Well you can you take the 400hz gen off and put a 60hz on,but thats the only way.

There is a little more to it than just changing the generator head. Some of the instrumentation needs changed out, and the voltage regulators and bridge rectifier assemblies are totally different as well. Along with a few other little things...definitely not cost effective to try to change one over.

 

[NEIOWA]

I remember the Last FTX we had I was setting up the gen sets. One guy already had one running and I asked if he had the 120 v and 60 hz set.. he said yeah.. well he was pumping 220 volts and who knows what the hz were at.. well when the guys went in the tent (day time) and plugged in the cell phone charges well they did not like it one bit! so when they turned on the lights.. well there was a big flash I was told. Better to ask then just do and take a bunch of stuff out.

Cell phones? Go to the field and the stinking cell phones stay home with mom. If you need one, Uncle will give you one in OD. REMFs

 

[O.D. Fever]

you might need a cell phone with that guy setting up gensets...

 

[kc5mzd]

A 50hz (rare in US) can be changed to 60hz usually just by adjusting the rpm. I agree if you buy a 400hz generator and want a 60hz one you are basically just buying the motor. I wouldn't expect any of the generator parts to change over.

 

[Isaac-1]

If your having to ask the 60 Hz question, then there are a lot of information you need and decisions you need to make before shopping for a generator particularly a military surplus unit with limited parts availability and no commercial service support. What fuel is best in your situation (most of the modernish 1970'S tech) military units you find on the market are going to be diesel, although some of the slightly older MEP-016A/17A/18A (3,5,10KW) gasoline (can probably be easilly converted to natural gas/propane) units still turn up on GL, etc. Will the neighbors complain, the diesel MEP-016B,002, 003 are all loud without the relatively rare sound suppression kits, even with the kit my little 701a/016b with ASK, is as loud as a small lawn mower and the vibration can be felt through the ground 20+ feet away. Is 5-10KW the right size for you, everyones demands are different, what do you want to run with this generator?

Ike

 

[OPCOM]

If you get stuck with a 400Hz unit, it is possible to add an inverter or 2 or 3 or whatever to make all the 60Hz you want, but that is alot of cost to buy off the shelf. A big cost reduction can be done with engineering knowlege and re-use of electronic junk. It would only be worth it if the unit's large enough to warrant the black box full of time and materials. Don't do this at home. Do it at your neighbor's house

 

[m16ty]

I've been looking at the generators also. I've wanted to bid on some in the past but always chickened out. I'm leary of buying electronic equipment from GL. The generators aways seem to go for more than I want to put into a pile of scrap and I figure that's a fairly good chance what you'd get from GL. Are most of them good to go or only minor problems stright from GL?

 

[Isaac-1]

I am not saying my luck is typical, but I have bought 3 generators from GL.

A low hour 125KW Onan Civilian model for work, $4,000 needed simple repair to get running (replaced engine control circuit board $300 , and clean some ground points) typical cost for same model in similar condition off ebay, etc. is about $12,000

The second was a 3,300 hour skid mounted 30 KW Kohler civilian model for $1,200, no muffler was included, the exhaust had been removed and taped over while it storage the tape/plastic had rotted away allowing water into the engine, it was lightly seized when I bought it, thankfully soaking for a few days in marvel mystery oil and Transmission Fluid freed it up and it now runs good other than a couple of minor issues (needed new battery (missing), new battery cables( crushed in storage) battery meter broken, local run/start switch does not always make contact, could be replaced for $80). Now in use as backup unit at my mother's house (all electric house, with well pump, etc.)

And most recently 900 hour 3kw MEP-701a/016B for backup at my house at about $450, dead 24V battery ($70 or so) , slight oil leak from oil cooler ($40 on ebay, bought one, but have not bothered to replace yet). No other problems, added oil, fuel, and jump started it from a pair of 12V batteries in series to make 24V within half an hour of pick up.

The trick is to look at the photos for any sign of missing parts, or damage and not bid too much, know there will be another along in a few weeks if the price goes too high.

Ike

p.s. on other electronic items, I bought an HP-9000HDN color laser printer that sold new 2 years ago for $13,000 for $250 from GL, only needed black toner/drum to get running. Only other problem is the bulk paper tray always shows full even when empty.

 

[croftonaviation]

If your having to ask the 60 Hz question, then there are a lot of information you need and decisions you need to make before shopping for a generator particularly a military surplus unit with limited parts availability and no commercial service support. What fuel is best in your situation (most of the modernish 1970'S tech) military units you find on the market are going to be diesel, although some of the slightly older MEP-016A/17A/18A (3,5,10KW) gasoline (can probably be easilly converted to natural gas/propane) units still turn up on GL, etc. Will the neighbors complain, the diesel MEP-016B,002, 003 are all loud without the relatively rare sound suppression kits, even with the kit my little 701a/016b with ASK, is as loud as a small lawn mower and the vibration can be felt through the ground 20+ feet away. Is 5-10KW the right size for you, everyones demands are different, what do you want to run with this generator?

Ike

I'm not worried about neighbors my cabin is in the middle of 110 acres. Last year we had an ice storm that left us without power for 11 days, some people down the road were without for several weeks. My monthly average power consumption is 400 KWH, so I figure a 5-10 KW should power my cabin as long as I am watching what is on at any given time. I heat with wood, and cook with propane, so I really am just needing lights, deep freezer, small dorm fridge, and a 20 gallon water heater. Last year we used a small generator which could handle the freezer and lights but that was all it wanted, I am wanting diesel as I already have a 300 gallon tank (it's for the deuce I'm trying to get home).
As for commercial support I fix most things around the place and worst case I figure I'll buy a spare for parts.

Thanks for your reply and I look forward to your response.

Tom

 

[Speddmon]

5 to 10 KW should easily run what you have in your cabin. the largest concern is going to be the water heater, but even with a 5 kw MEP you should have plenty of power available to run everything else too.

 

[Divemaster920]

A GOOD WAY TO SET ENGINE SPEED/GENERATOR FREQUENCY.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST BE CAREFUL WHEN DOING THIS OR YOU COULD END UP BEING A CRISPY CRITTER!

Since the North American power grid runs at a very accurate 60 Hz frequency, it is about the best standard you can get for checking your generator frequency.

Here's how you do it. First and -very- important, connect the neutral of the genset to the neutral of your commercial power source. Do the same with the grounds.

Now, take a couple of identical (say, 60 Watt) 120 volt light bulbs and hook them in series so you have, in effect, a 240 volt light bulb. The reason you need 240 volts worth of bulbs is that, when the generator output sine wave is exactly opposite the sine wave from the commercial power, there will be twice the line voltage across the lamps.

Now, connect one end of the series string to the 120 volt hot lead of your generator and hook the other end of the series string to the 120 volt hot lead of your commercial power. With the generator -not- running, the light bulbs should be at half brightness.

Now, start the generator. The light bulbs will vary from full on (240 volts) to full off (zero volts) at exactly the difference frequency between your generator and commercial power.

If your generator speed is close, the bulbs will flicker. To find out if you're fast or slow, nudge the governor a little fast and see if the flicker rate increases or decreases.

- If the flicker rate increases, you are running fast and need to adjust the governor a little slower until, without any other load, the lights go on and off about twice a second. This will mean that you're running at about 62 Hz.

- If the flicker rate slows down when you nudge the speed upward, you need to adjust the governor up until the lights are -very- slowly changing brightness then increase some more until the lights flicker about twice a second.

Now, if you have a way to load your generator to near full load, do so, leaving the bulbs connected. The flicker rate should be about 2 cycles -below- the 60 Hz of commercial power or about 58 Hz.

This was stolen from Elden.


I've used this method of adjusting genset speed several times and it works well.

 

[OPCOM]

That is a great way to do it! HOOAH! Field Expedience rules!

 

[kc5mzd]

And to think I used to have to use a frequency counter to set those things...
Next time I will know better