Generator Repair Training Materials Recommendation Needed

[Beerslayer]

The easiest thing to do when you don't know how to do something is to ask for help.

I have an MEP-701 [MEP-016b] generator that starts and runs fine but does not put out any power.

I have spent several weeks off and on reading every thread on this I can find both here and at SmokStak and find that the information I need is fragmented, but also almost hopelessly cluttered up with irrelevant posts. I have used the search function

What I realized is that even though I am a journeyman electrician, I don't know squat about generators and that I need to learn how to troubleshoot and repair them.

Can any of you guys who have training and experience in this subject recommend and link to training materials that will get me started in the right direction?

Here is what I have found so far:
Operation, Maintenance and Repair of Auxiliary Generators

Small AC Generator Service Manual, Volume 2

Small AC Generator Service Manual, 3rd Edition

Since


Here is a cover pic of
Operation, Maintenance and Repair of Auxiliary Generators

 

[NEIOWA]

That's an easy one.

Power Generation Equipment Repairer | GoArmy.com

Now raise your right hand and repeat after me....

 

[porkysplace]

Generator repair is best left to trained professionals , they are capable of killing if done incorrectly .

 

[Isaac-1]

You did not ask for it, but the most likely failures to result the problem your describing are bad rotating rectifier diodes on the end of the rotor, or bad automatic voltage regulator. If it is the votlage regulator there are schematics in the tech manual, several people have replaced them with the cheap Chineese import Stamford Newage SX-460 clones sold on ebay in the $50-$75 range.

Ike

 

[Beerslayer]

Thanks Ike, I really appreciate your helpful answer. I was going to get around to asking for it but thought I should try learning more myself first. I have pulled out and tested diodes on a different genset before, had to unsolder the leads. What was annoying was that the diodes were fine and I was never able to solve the problem with that genset. Time to learn more!

 

[Speddmon]

Your first and easiest step would be to visit the site "Liberatedmanuals.com" and find and download the TM's for the MEP-701 generators. If they are not there, you need to find them somewhere. Ike probably knows the exact manuals you need and might even have them since the 701 is basically an 016 (I Think????) with the ASK. They are the same things that the Army depot rebuild guys use. If they are good enough for them, they are good enough for you to troubleshoot any problems that you may encounter...you just need to be able to read and understand them.

But, I suspect the same things as Ike mentioned...although I would lean more toward the voltage regulator than the rotating diode assembly. Mostly because the voltage regulators can be damaged and tend to go bad much more frequently than the diode assemblies.

An easy way to check, is to remove the 2 field output wires from the voltage regulator, start the generator and connect 12 volts DC to the wires (be sure to maintain correct polarity) and if the set starts to produce power (it will be unregulated power, but should be very close to the rated voltage output) then your diode assembly and the generator head are in working order. The problem then lies with the voltage regulator, or what feeds and powers the regulator.

 

[Isaac-1]

I do have the MEP-701 manuals on my computer at home, let me know if you can't find them at Igors site.

Ike

 

[Beerslayer]

Thanks for the diagnosis tips, I will get out there and test the VR as soon as we get a break in the rain. If the rotating diodes are anything like most generators it is quite a project to get to them. Last one I checked, I had to unsolder the leads, what a pain.

I thought I had the correct TMs for the 701/016, and had printed out any useful looking pages. Of all I read, there was nothing about diagnosing generator output. Will read them again.

 

[Speddmon]

The 701/016 TM's might not spell out the steps for checking the generator head output by using a battery, but it would be the same procedure as on the larger generators since the heads are all the same design...3 phase, brushless, rotating field