Check those MEPs!

[Pleased2fly]

So, this is a new wrinkle. I purchased a double MEP-802 gen set about 4 months ago and have spent a lot of hours on this board learning and downloading, etc. They came with the VM fuse mod as an inline type, but I added the "little blue disc thingy", sorry forgot what it is called.

So, today, I started the process of prepping them for first start. I checked the fluids and thought I would just fire them up for a short run and then change the fluids and filters. I found something nagging me and so decided to double check the oil levels again.

Noticed something strange, one labeled 2 cylinder, and one labeled 3 / 4 cylinder and obviously different lengths. Now I'm a bit unhappy, but can't imagine that the one gen with low oil (longer stick) would not have auto-shutdown if it had lost pressure. The good news for me is I also bought a newly rebuilt engine at auction for the 802, so I guess, I won't be listing it for sale until I determine if the front generator has any damage due to the incorrect dipstick.

So, to the other newbies like me, check and double check everything when you are a successful bidder!!!!

 

[glcaines]

That was a good catch you made seeing the wrong dip stick. Many might have missed that. You are probably OK. There is a safety margin with the oil levels. Also, as you mentioned, lack of oil pressure should have shut the engine down unless someone has bypassed the switch. Buying this stuff is like buying a 'pig in a poke'. I've bought a lot of surplus stuff over several decades and I've been very lucky so far. However, I'm still amazed at some of the !!!! I've come across.

 

[doghead]

Are the dipstick tubes both the same?

 

[reset2]

So, this is a new wrinkle. I purchased a double MEP-802 gen set about 4 months ago and have spent a lot of hours on this board learning and downloading, etc. They came with the VM fuse mod as an inline type, but I added the "little blue disc thingy", sorry forgot what it is called.

So, today, I started the process of prepping them for first start. I checked the fluids and thought I would just fire them up for a short run and then change the fluids and filters. I found something nagging me and so decided to double check the oil levels again.View attachment 792559

Noticed something strange, one labeled 2 cylinder, and one labeled 3 / 4 cylinder and obviously different lengths. Now I'm a bit unhappy, but can't imagine that the one gen with low oil (longer stick) would not have auto-shutdown if it had lost pressure. The good news for me is I also bought a newly rebuilt engine at auction for the 802, so I guess, I won't be listing it for sale until I determine if the front generator has any damage due to the incorrect dipstick.

So, to the other newbies like me, check and double check everything when you are a successful bidder!!!!

Good catch!! I will have to check my 802 today. You mentioned the "front generator" did you purchase a "power plant" on a trailer? Been looking at them as they go across the block.
Who out there knows about the transfer switch on the power plant trailers. Will it automatically sync the generators to 60 cycles or is there a procedure to follow. Forgive me (and tell me) if this is in the TM but just asking.

 

[Pleased2fly]

Are the dipstick tubes both the same?

Yep, exactly the same, it is drilled opening, but the same never the less. Luckily, the shaft length is imprinted with the number of cylinders it is applicable for.

 

[Pleased2fly]

Good catch!! I will have to check my 802 today. You mentioned the "front generator" did you purchase a "power plant" on a trailer? Been looking at them as they go across the block.
Who out there knows about the transfer switch on the power plant trailers. Will it automatically sync the generators to 60 cycles or is there a procedure to follow. Forgive me (and tell me) if this is in the TM but just asking.

Yes, it is a 2 generator setup on a trailer. The transfer switch will allow you to sync the cycles and transfer the loads, and yes there is a TM describing that procedure.

 

[Guyfang]

Good catch!! I will have to check my 802 today. You mentioned the "front generator" did you purchase a "power plant" on a trailer? Been looking at them as they go across the block.
Who out there knows about the transfer switch on the power plant trailers. Will it automatically sync the generators to 60 cycles or is there a procedure to follow. Forgive me (and tell me) if this is in the TM but just asking.

There is nothing automatic about it. But its not hard to do.

There is a data plate supposed to be on the PP, (Power Plant) explaining how to use the box. There is also a TM that has that info also. Tell us what model PP you have, by model number, and we can tell you what TM to read.

 

[mciikurzroot]

Yes, it is a 2 generator setup on a trailer. The transfer switch will allow you to sync the cycles and transfer the loads, and yes there is a TM describing that procedure.

I think i'd back up on a part of this where you're talking about SYNCing these 2 sets up,, running and transfer between the sets is fine, but about the last effort i'd try is synchronization of these two sets together or to a grid, IMO this will result in a pile of melted or burned wiring and pretty much destroy the set. But it's your call. best. mac/mc

 

[Guyfang]

I hope no one here thought I was talking about syncing to the local net. These boxes were ment to sync between two LIKE gen sets. But not in any way to the local net.

 

[Ray70]

Pleased2fly, You may have just saved me an angry customer and possibly a damaged motor.... Had a customer coming for an 802 Sat. and I knew which of the 2 he was going to choose from, so I was double checking everything before he came and thought of this thread. Wouldn't you know it! one of the machines had a 3&4 cyl. dipstick in it. It was reading full, but when I put in the correct dipstick, she needed almost 3 more quarts.
Lucky I had extra 2 cyl. dipsticks around and LUCKY I hadn't let it out the door like that. Thanks man... you saved me 1.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I hope no one here thought I was talking about syncing to the local net. These boxes were ment to sync between two LIKE gen sets. But not in any way to the local net.

Funny story, I was firing up a 2000kw gas turbine generator on my destroyer to prepare to get underway that day. I synced it to shore power to transfer over, hadn't done it much but had the book open to the procedure. Closed the breaker and all hell went loose, gauges pegged out, lights dimmed, motors made demon wails of agony, and I quickly opened the shore power breaker. All returned to normal. Phone rang, was the chief engineer, who came onboard at 3am for some reason wanting to know what was going on. Told him swapping to ship power but didn't know why it went like it did, but all good now.

Looked back, and figured out I was open to the wrong page- paralleling ship gens. So for a few micro seconds, my single gen tried to match output with the Norfolk city power grid... I still don't know why nothing melted or exploded. I'd still be paying for that making small rocks out of big ones in Leavenworth.

 

[Guyfang]

I saw this happen in 1973. We were in AIT, Advanced Individual Training. A member of my class, a guy from a foreign land who spoke almost no English, tried to parallel a 750 KW gen set in the school, to the loacl grid. We were all allowed to do this on post to learn how simple it was. All you had to do is wait until the lights were off, meaning the two different power sources were in Sync. When the Greek took his turn, he proudly closed the Circuit breaker shut when the signwave was 180 out. Lights on. All the circuit breakers and relays popped open, with contacts burnt and sparks showering the class room. Then the lights went out. And not just in the class room. It was a long time before power on Post came back on. No one was happy with our class. There was lots of trash to be picked up on the Potomac. In the winter.