Calling all Generator Owners

[Peterod]

Don't mean to hijack this thread , just looking for help with a genset , and can't figure out how to post new thread(newbie)
have a 1953 30kw with hercules jxld gas engine, where do I find the military number of it ? Like the m number?
Just purchased this , engine was stuck , got it runnin , but voltage
knob selector is missing
Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[derf]

Gas? Or Diesel? Some of the really old ones (and Deuces) can run on either.
Does it look like this?
http://imgur.com/HXprS

If so, maybe some clues here:
http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103737

If not, post a pic and any other info you can find on it. It's probably a pre "MEP" model, before they started using MEP designations.

 

[derf]

Here's an old 30kW with that motor.
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=14538

One of the tags says fuel -gasoline.


Does your motor have spark plugs?

 

[Peterod]

It's a gas engine , I've ran it some and hopefully haven't hurt anything yet , voltage seems high when I test it
142 on the 110 outlet with regulator knob adjusted all the to left
prevouis owner let it set outside with open exhaust for. 4 months
it had one stick valve , I lil tap of the valve spring and retainer and a lil marvel mystery oil and she's puttin like a kitten

 

[rickf]

I would check the frequency and if high that would explain the high voltage. The governor will need to be adjusted to bring the rpm down some.

 

[FloridaAKM]

Subscribed!

 

[Dale1936]

Just purchased a 30 KW JR Hollingsworth and the journey begins

The thread about what to do before you attempt to start a generator has been priceless. So much information. I live in Pensacola, FL and am trying to find out who on the forum lives close. Experience cannot be measured and cannot be replaced. I look forward to hearing from anyone close to me. Thank you.

Dale

I'll throw my 2 cents in. On my MEP-003 I did what one of the earlier posts mentioned and changed the air, fuel and oil filters. Because of the crud in the fuel tank of the my first MEP-003 and the rust in the second MEP-003 I disconnect the fuel line that goes from the tank to the pumps and the return line from the injection pump and stick them in a jug of FRESH diesel with a good shot of Sea Foam. I run the pumps until I get clean fuel coming out of the return line. Since off road diesel is dyed red that's easy to see. BT Post on the smokstack site suggested pulling the glow plugs and squirting some oil in the hole a day or so before you hit the starter. I also make sure the main breaker is off until I know everything is running good.

Because of health problems my two generators sat for three years before I started them, but they started right up.

I was able to get my pressure washer down into the fuel tank that had the crud in it and I got it pretty clean. I did blow three holes in the bottom, but, it is much better to find the holes then rather than when you filled the tank with fresh fuel. I am not sure if I will be that lucky on the second one. There was so much rust the retainer chain for the cap was rusted in half.

Joe Roach
Crestview FL

 

[Light in the Dark]

The thread about what to do before you attempt to start a generator has been priceless. So much information. I live in Pensacola, FL and am trying to find out who on the forum lives close. Experience cannot be measured and cannot be replaced. I look forward to hearing from anyone close to me. Thank you.

Dale

Check this out, Dale: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?98548-Member-Map

 

[ApolloKnight]

Very excited to join the SS! After reading several pages on here, I purchased a used MEP-003A from a private party a couple hours away. Actually going tomorrow to pick it up. After Irma, my wife finally ok'd the funds to get a generator and I knew I wanted a Military unit for the durability. 9 days without power sucked!

 

[rickf]

Buying right after one hurricane and before another HAD to be PRICEY!!!! Welcome to the club. Keep in mind that this is not your Home Depot plug and play generator! There are a few more things you need to do with these to be safe. Mainly grounding and bonding. There are a lot of threads on the subject, look through them now since when the power goes out that is not the time to try to learn.

 

[Chainbreaker]

ApolloKnight, good move on the MEP-003a purchase! You will be in a much better situation for the next outage.

BTW, after using search and reading through various posts if you don't understand something or have a unique problem do feel free to post your own thread. When you put your model and problem description in the post heading you will get quicker and better focused help. Often times people don't get the right people responding to their needs because they either tag on to a different thread that doesn't focus on their specific issue because it gets buried in another thread.

 

[Guyfang]

Double down on Chainbreakers post. Welcome and let's see some pictures!

 

[ApolloKnight]

Buying right after one hurricane and before another HAD to be PRICEY!!!! Welcome to the club. Keep in mind that this is not your Home Depot plug and play generator! There are a few more things you need to do with these to be safe. Mainly grounding and bonding. There are a lot of threads on the subject, look through them now since when the power goes out that is not the time to try to learn.

I really wanted an 803A or an MEP003A with the ASK but I just couldn't find out in my price range (sub $1k). Does the ASK ever come up for auction or for sale without the genny?

 

[rickf]

I have not seen an ASK alone for a long time and if you got that set for under a grand you did very well indeed, ESPECIALLY in Fla. under the current circumstances!

 

[ApolloKnight]

I have not seen an ASK alone for a long time and if you got that set for under a grand you did very well indeed, ESPECIALLY in Fla. under the current circumstances!

****! That could be a problem. Has anyone ever built one? I've been looking through here to find but it doesnt appear so. It's quite a bit louder than I thought lol

 

[Guyfang]

There is a guy right now selling a MEP-006A, 60 KW. With a crap load of extra parts, so he can clear out his back 40 I think. In the backround, I saw MANY things. Makes me wish I was in the states. In any case, he in the forum, TRUCKDRIVER47, (I think) is his name. Ask him if he has an ASK. It looked like he had two of just about EVERY OTHER thing in the world. Cant hurt!

I simply loved the 002 and 003A. But hated the ASK. Yes, it reduces the sound tremendously. But it's a pita to work on the set. And I cant SEE the thing. Like the Pinball Wizard, I need to see, hear and feel a gen set, when I am troubleshooting. I know, I am strange.

 

[jamawieb]

Have not seen just the ASK surrounding in many years. Extremely rare and are also rare to find units that have them. Most were stripped before being sold. I've bought and sold several hundred 002a-003a's and have only had 4 003a's that had the ASK and 6 002a's with the ASK. Just build a doghouse enclosure around the unit and make sure you have a vent for fresh air / exhaust. You would be surprised how much quieter they are with just plywood around them. In the service, they would dig a hole and then build a wall around with sandbags; that way noise waves went up into the air.

 

[rickf]

You can build an insulated shed as long as you have airflow for the set. Leave the top open so the noise is directed up and not out to the sides. I saw a demonstration on You Tube a long time ago where a guy made a sound reducing system with nothing more than angled pieces of plywood. If I remember correctly he had the plywood around the generator about ten feet back and angled in about 45 degrees so that it bounced the sound into the ground. The difference outside of the plywood was amazing. This was with a smaller but still noisy generator. You would just have to stand the plywood on end and use more of it. Just do a Google search for "soundproofing generators".

 

[rickf]

I actually found that video I was talking about while looking for something totally different. The plywood was right on it not spaced away. And here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zwc5mdEbDI

 

[Guyfang]

There is a thread here, from 2 years ago? Someone "improved" the sound absorbing panels for a -803A? Take a look see at it, because I remember he much improved the original material.