Going through auction 803a

[smokem joe]

This configuration will be seen more and more. The idea to make remoted "stations" has been in the works a while. Everything from ADA to gun platforms. But like I wrote, if the original wire harnes has been "hacked", then the data plate should reflect a model change. That in turn requires a TM change. If someone has a newer TM CD, they can look. That's why I would like to get a look at the gen set data plate.

Check out post 29. Plate still calls it 803a. That would seem to imply not much change to original unit from what you are saying unless you see something different on data plate.

 

[Guyfang]

View attachment Scan0001.pdf
I hope you can read the above document. The long and short of it is that the document concerning the Modification to the MEP-803A is not to be sent, copied, used or disclosed by anyone not in the need to know group, of which we are part of. That's the bad news.

The good news, is all you need to do is remove the "foreign" wires, and reattach the normal wire harness, as I suspected. There is another mod, done to BOTH, (I think) electric fuel pumps. A thermostat was added to the auxiliary fuel pump, to keep it from burning up, should the auxiliary fuel tank go dry. Remember, this thing is supposed to be left someplace without supervision. The thermostat is attached to the electric fuel pump with epoxy, and hooked up to the electric fuel pump wire harness, P-21. If the pump runs without pumping fuel for a certain amount of time, and gets hot, the thermostat cuts the pump out of the system, to prevent overheating and eventual damage. In any case, its on the Aux pump. Check the main pump. Some were modified, some were not. While I think its a good idea in this application, I don't feel like its needed. Your decision.

As I also could not read the document, I suspect that this is about all you need. My friend told me its straight forward, just remove the wires and reattach the old ones. You CAN write Tobyhanna, and ask for permission to get and use the document. I can get the address if you want to do that. But I don't think its worth the time and effort, unless you want to keep the gen set modified.

 

[smokem joe]

View attachment 712768
I hope you can read the above document. The long and short of it is that the document concerning the Modification to the MEP-803A is not to be sent, copied, used or disclosed by anyone not in the need to know group, of which we are part of. That's the bad news.

The good news, is all you need to do is remove the "foreign" wires, and reattach the normal wire harness, as I suspected. There is another mod, done to BOTH, (I think) electric fuel pumps. A thermostat was added to the auxiliary fuel pump, to keep it from burning up, should the auxiliary fuel tank go dry. Remember, this thing is supposed to be left someplace without supervision. The thermostat is attached to the electric fuel pump with epoxy, and hooked up to the electric fuel pump wire harness, P-21. If the pump runs without pumping fuel for a certain amount of time, and gets hot, the thermostat cuts the pump out of the system, to prevent overheating and eventual damage. In any case, its on the Aux pump. Check the main pump. Some were modified, some were not. While I think its a good idea in this application, I don't feel like its needed. Your decision.

As I also could not read the document, I suspect that this is about all you need. My friend told me its straight forward, just remove the wires and reattach the old ones. You CAN write Tobyhanna, and ask for permission to get and use the document. I can get the address if you want to do that. But I don't think its worth the time and effort, unless you want to keep the gen set modified.

This is all I needed to know. I have no use for the monitoring system as I don't have the panel to go with it or loop back plug. I will remove it and restore the wiring to original spec. I had not opened up the fuel pump access panel yet. I have fuel line on order and the return line going back there is leaking so it was going to be opened shortly. I will take pics if there are mods on either pump. If anyone has any use for the remote monitor system on this set let me know and it's yours if you pay the shipping. If anyone wants more or better pics of this let me know asap before I start removing it too.

I suspect the other thread I found where the guy had this and had some documentation on it probably had the document you are referring to. Unless someone has the remote panel or feels like constructing one it probably isn't much good outside of military operation.

Thanks again for the help and running down the info!!

 

[jamawieb]

Just by the initial looks of the set-up, it does not appear to be a remote start function but merely a remote display or monitoring (less complicated). The wires look like they are connected to the AC voltage meter, DC Voltage meter and the emergency stop switch on the panel side. I would bet the only function of the loop cable, is to loop the emergency stop switch back into the circuit to make everything on the DC side function. Now I'm just making an educated guess based on my observations of the red wire leads. I would be interested to know what the yellow and green wires lead to (looks like they are going to the voltage regulator). I'll have some similar units coming in later this week and be able to really dig into it. Very interesting set-ups.

 

[smokem joe]

Just by the initial looks of the set-up, it does not appear to be a remote start function but merely a remote display or monitoring (less complicated). The wires look like they are connected to the AC voltage meter, DC Voltage meter and the emergency stop switch on the panel side. I would bet the only function of the loop cable, is to loop the emergency stop switch back into the circuit to make everything on the DC side function. Now I'm just making an educated guess based on my observations of the red wire leads. I would be interested to know what the yellow and green wires lead to (looks like they are going to the voltage regulator). I'll have some similar units coming in later this week and be able to really dig into it. Very interesting set-ups.

I don't think it has the capability to start the unit but I could be wrong. It is my understanding from looking at it that it is all for remote monitoring of gauges. I think you are correct in the guess on the stop switch but I'll know more when I start to dissect it. Yellow and black wires go down by the power hook up area and are just chopped off. If my memory is working right I think the yellow goes to ground but I wouldn't swear to it.

 

[Guyfang]

I don't think it has the capability to start the unit but I could be wrong. It is my understanding from looking at it that it is all for remote monitoring of gauges. I think you are correct in the guess on the stop switch but I'll know more when I start to dissect it. Yellow and black wires go down by the power hook up area and are just chopped off. If my memory is working right I think the yellow goes to ground but I wouldn't swear to it.

Jamawieb and Joe are right. All this thing does is monitor the gen set, and emergency stop it. Nothing more.

The cut off wires probably went down to a now empty hole on the right side of the set. That in turn was for a connection to the aux fuel tank, so the fuel level could be also monitored. Do you have a new hole just behind the right side door? There should also be a new hole, with rubber grommet, in the control cube that this wire goes through. Now if someone wants to come up with a remote monitor system, this would be a good start on one. I was told, the monitor control panel was originally for the tunnel gen sets, and was repurposed for the monitoring system. The original tunnel gen set CONTROL panel had all the start/stop and load control functions, just like the generator control panel. When it was repurposed, only the monitor functions were wired up. But the switches were left on the panel, unconnected. So in theory, if you could come up with a compleat tunnel gen set remote control panel, and this modded wire harnes, you would be able to work up a remote control panel for a gen set.

 

[Demoh]

Heck, if you were closer Id trade you one of my non modified sets for the modified sets as the remote monitoring is actually something that would be nice for my application.... When I had my shop I had a control panel by the door with red/green lights that indicated which circuits in the shop were activated with push buttons to control the shunts on those circuits to turn them all off on the way out (did wonders for my power bill)...

Needless to say I am a nut when it comes to monitoring.

 

[smokem joe]

Heck, if you were closer Id trade you one of my non modified sets for the modified sets as the remote monitoring is actually something that would be nice for my application.... When I had my shop I had a control panel by the door with red/green lights that indicated which circuits in the shop were activated with push buttons to control the shunts on those circuits to turn them all off on the way out (did wonders for my power bill)...

Needless to say I am a nut when it comes to monitoring.

You can have the system for the cost of shipping. It don't look like it is much to unhook. I think all the wires have labels on them to mark where they go. Or Jamawieb looks to be a whole lot closer to you and he has some coming in. I won't speak for him but maybe contact him about getting one or trading

 

[Demoh]

You can have the system for the cost of shipping. It don't look like it is much to unhook. I think all the wires have labels on them to mark where they go. Or Jamawieb looks to be a whole lot closer to you and he has some coming in. I won't speak for him but maybe contact him about getting one or trading

Ill keep that in mind, shipping would be out of the question but a road trip wouldnt be. Sometime in the next year or 2 im supposed to be picking up a sewing machine in Indiana thats been in the family for generations. My mom has really been harping on me for the better part of a decade to go get it. Maybe I make it a multi-stop trip to make it efficient but the problem is Im so busy right now anyways and I havent gone through all the gens I do have right now. I wouldnt trade/sell a gen unless I fully went through it, replaced all hoses, load banked, etc... (unless it was apples to apples both leak but general operations work, similar hours, etc...)

Jamawieb? were you planning on de-modding these or run them as-is? Im not in a hurry to jump or anything as in my above paragraph but curiosity

 

[smokem joe]

I wouldn't trade the gen as I haven't even had it running. I am taking the system off though so that could be shipped in a flat rate box for a couple dollars. I have a return line leaking pretty badly and didn't even attempt to start the unit. With this system on in its current configuration I don't think it would even start without either a monitor panel or loop back plug

 

[jamawieb]

Ill keep that in mind, shipping would be out of the question but a road trip wouldnt be. Sometime in the next year or 2 im supposed to be picking up a sewing machine in Indiana thats been in the family for generations. My mom has really been harping on me for the better part of a decade to go get it. Maybe I make it a multi-stop trip to make it efficient but the problem is Im so busy right now anyways and I havent gone through all the gens I do have right now. I wouldnt trade/sell a gen unless I fully went through it, replaced all hoses, load banked, etc... (unless it was apples to apples both leak but general operations work, similar hours, etc...)

Jamawieb? were you planning on de-modding these or run them as-is? Im not in a hurry to jump or anything as in my above paragraph but curiosity

More than likely de-modding because I resale all my units. I bet I can just hook the emergency stop back up as stock and the unit will work. So I may leave everything and just do the minimal but I won't know until I can see how they are hooked up.

 

[jamawieb]

Demoh, I believe smokem joe was talking about shipping the wiring harness to you for shipping charges, not the entire generator.

 

[Demoh]

Oh, then I am absolutely up for that. I misunderstood. Not enough sleep and I didnt have my coffee this morning... It was downhill from there.

The question would be would it be worth it for me to re-mod from a pile from a de-mod on one of my primary units. I guess you guys will have to tell me yea or nay when you remove them if it was a bear or a breeze. I havent done my homework on these Tobyhanna units but as far as I can tell all I would need is which pins would go onto what open pin of the diag port so if somebody with a unit that is removing it could document that would be great.

And my eyes are drooping right now as it is and forgot what I wanted to say, hence the edit.

 

[smokem joe]

Ok it was only about 10 minutes to unhook and remove this thing. All the wires are marked and very easy to install or uninstall. I changed the fuel return lines and it fired right up! As I'm wiping up fuel in the bottom I find the stupid loop back plug!!! They threw it inside and it rolled to the one corner inside. The aux pump was the only one with a thermostat. It is just glued on like Guy said. All the other mods were returned to stock and it runs so I'm happy so far. I had it inside so only ran it for 5 minutes and didn't have my meter to check voltage but gen meter was showing 240v and 61Hz. As soon as I get it all back together I will get it outside and run it longer before load testing it.

 

[smokem joe]

Also, I discovered something on removing the water separator that could help others. Mine was put on by a gorilla and it manged the bottom half trying to get it to move. I know there is a thread about this issue already but here is what I did. I removed the upper panel right next to it and was able to get a strap wrench on the top next to the housing and it spun right off. It took about 2 complete turns before it got loose, but it did come off without having to chisel it off so I was thrilled.

 

[smokem joe]

Demoh this mod had its own plug and the diag plug was taken out and laid in the panel behind it. If you want the system it will fit in a medium flat rate box for sure.

 

[smokem joe]

I've looked in the parts manual and done a search but not finding much info on the rubber washers in the fuel filter. There is one inside and one at the bottom of the bolt. Mine is slightly weeping and I'd like to replace it. Anyone have a source?

 

[Demoh]

Thats awesome its running now, I hope it load tests well for you.

I see the diag in picture 6 post 24, so looks like diag and this mod were mutually exclusive, Thats fine by me. Ill be sending you a PM.

 

[jamawieb]

I've looked in the parts manual and done a search but not finding much info on the rubber washers in the fuel filter. There is one inside and one at the bottom of the bolt. Mine is slightly weeping and I'd like to replace it. Anyone have a source?

I have a box of assorted O-rings I use to replace the rubber washers you are referring to. Usually you can find them at any auto parts store.

 

[Demoh]

I have a box of assorted O-rings I use to replace the rubber washers you are referring to. Usually you can find them at any auto parts store.

Have you had luck with generic orings in the place of the square cut ones?