It finally arrived, MEP-803a

[Farmitall]

Just returned from the pallet mill down the road where I had the generator off loaded from the delivery truck to my trailer. Been waiting for it for a little over a week as I delayed the shipment due to bad weather.

Looks better than I thought. Now waiting for a little warmer weather to go through it and thoroughly check things out before starting it. Strangely, it has a solar panel silicone to the top of the case, guessing its used as a battery tender. I know its putting out voltage because the primer worked when I rotated the switch around checking it travel.

Anyone else have a set come with this solar panel addition? Now to get a set of batteries.

Will post some pics soon.

 

[Light in the Dark]

Congrats on taking delivery. I find Group 51R batteries fit quite well for both 802 (OEM spec) and 803s, with standard tie downs. Tractor Supply has the best price I have found on that group size: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/exide-classic-auto-truck-suv-battery-51rc

My local store never asks for a core, which makes it that much better of a deal. Have fun with the machine!

 

[csheath]

Mine came with the solar panel. I have seen quite a few with it.

 

[Guyfang]

It's a very common mod. I installed hundreds to gen set here in Germany. Simple to use, easy to install and it works like a charm.

 

[kloppk]

My 802 came with one installed.
It's kept in the garage so I disconnected it. I use a pair of Battery Tenders to maintain the batteries.

 

[Guyfang]

So where are the pictures?

 

[Farmitall]

So where are the pictures?

Working on it.

Well the day warmed up a littles so it was off to go buy a couple of batteries and install, check the fluids and air filter.

Dead cranked it for about 20 seconds then started it....it fired right up!

Some very light blueish smoke(normal for a long sitting diesel) for a minute but it cleared right up and runs like a top.

Oil pressure holds steady at 41 psi, frequency meter and throttle adjustments work as they should.

Battery charge meter works as it should, shows charging right after start then tapers down to 0 in a few minutes.

There is voltage output on the legs and the convenience outlets but the AC volt meter is not indicating so will have to trace that out and see why...(any hints from the more experienced???)
AC ammeter not registering because there's no load on it...hopefully it will register when loaded.

No fuel leaks, no oil leaks, fuel strainer screen is clean and unobstructed.
The fuse/ MOV mod is not done so will have to install that as soon as I can dig out the parts that I have on hand.

Now to scrounge up some loading devices and build a load bank.

Very satisfied with my purchase and hope it serves me for years to come.

 

[Guyfang]

What Position is your S8 and S6 in? Have you measured at the load terminals for AC voltage? Have you measured at the meter terminals for AC voltage?

 

[Farmitall]

What Position is your S8 and S6 in? Have you measured at the load terminals for AC voltage? Have you measured at the meter terminals for AC voltage?

AC interrupter switch on, green light lit.

S8 is in 120/240 position 1ph

S6 tried on all three right hand side positions.

There is proper output voltages at the load terminals and the convenience outlets.

At the back of the meter itself, 1.56 vac to 1.75vac and it varies with the voltage adjust pot on the panel.

Do I have my switch designations correct?

 

[wvlyon]

I'm right down the road from you Farmitall! Burnside here. My son and I just picked up 2 803a's yesterday at Columbus and back by 4:30 offloaded with friend's forklift right across from Guthrie's. I sure would have 1/3 the gas bill with you if I'd known. This is a great site! I've got an old 4 burner household oven I'm going to use for a load bank. Noticed neither of mine had the fuse/MOV mods either. Gotta get busy gathering the parts for that, etc.

 

[Farmitall]

I'm right down the road from you Farmitall! Burnside here. My son and I just picked up 2 803a's yesterday at Columbus and back by 4:30 offloaded with friend's forklift right across from Guthrie's. I sure would have 1/3 the gas bill with you if I'd known. This is a great site! I've got an old 4 burner household oven I'm going to use for a load bank. Noticed neither of mine had the fuse/MOV mods either. Gotta get busy gathering the parts for that, etc.

Excellent! We need to meet up at some point and have a chat. I'll pm you my phone #

Are your units in working order?

I would definitely have split the fuel bill but mine came from the other direction in Georgia. Maybe in the future, thanks.

 

[Guyfang]

First try some contact cleaner on S6. And work the switch back and forth at the same time, about a million and a half times. Lets see what that brings.

 

[Farmitall]

First try some contact cleaner on S6. And work the switch back and forth at the same time, about a million and a half times. Lets see what that brings.

I was out doing just that a while ago. Trying to find the right place to get it into the switches, where would you suggest?

Also, I've got 4.51 vac to 5.45 vac at the meter(varies with the voltage adjustment pot). These meter movements are D'arsenval types so they require DC to operate. Unless there are diodes internal to the meter, any input reading would have to be DC, not AC.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
Point of thought.

If you open the panel and the fuse mod is NOT applied. I would strongly suggest you do not start it, or anything. If you happen to not start right up, and cranks a little, you can have bad things happen.

The fuse mode for the quad windings is a must.

Military MEP generator reset information PDF page 29 has the MEP-8xx 5kw and 10kw fuse mod

Buss BM6031SQ and a FNQ-R-3 and some wire and spades

 

[Farmitall]

Howdy,
Point of thought.

If you open the panel and the fuse mod is NOT applied. I would strongly suggest you do not start it, or anything. If you happen to not start right up, and cranks a little, you can have bad things happen.

The fuse mode for the quad windings is a must.

Military MEP generator reset information PDF page 29 has the MEP-8xx 5kw and 10kw fuse mod

Buss BM6031SQ and a FNQ-R-3 and some wire and spades
View attachment 716619 View attachment 716620

Thanks, I will install a 3 amp fuse temporarily this morning until I can get the pictured items.

 

[Guyfang]

I was out doing just that a while ago. Trying to find the right place to get it into the switches, where would you suggest?

Also, I've got 4.51 vac to 5.45 vac at the meter(varies with the voltage adjustment pot). These meter movements are D'arsenval types so they require DC to operate. Unless there are diodes internal to the meter, any input reading would have to be DC, not AC.

No. the meter should read AC volts. Look at the schematic. The M1 takes its reading directly from the S6. The S6 gets its voltages from the S8. The S8, (S6 also) is nothing but, from front to rear, side to side, AC voltage. The one wire goes to phase, terminal 32. The other, depending on the S6 position, ( terminal 15, 19, 23 or 29) will be neutral. Did you notice that the M1 had plastic caps on the end of the meter terminals? No other meter has them. Why? Because there is 120, or 208 or 240 volts, depending on the S8 position on those terminals. Lay your bare arm across those baby's without caps, and you wont need Viagra at night. Don't assume anything. Look, read, ask questions.

As to where to squert it in, what kind of S6 do you have? Old style? New style? If you don't know, post a picture.

 

[Triton]

If anybody is interested in selling one of those green solar panels and chargers let me know!

 

[Farmitall]

[/COLOR]
No. the meter should read AC volts. Look at the schematic. The M1 takes its reading directly from the S6. The S6 gets its voltages from the S8. The S8, (S6 also) is nothing but, from front to rear, side to side, AC voltage. The one wire goes to phase, terminal 32. The other, depending on the S6 position, ( terminal 15, 19, 23 or 29) will be neutral. Did you notice that the M1 had plastic caps on the end of the meter terminals? No other meter has them. Why? Because there is 120, or 208 or 240 volts, depending on the S8 position on those terminals. Lay your bare arm across those baby's without caps, and you wont need Viagra at night. Don't assume anything. Look, read, ask questions.

As to where to squert it in, what kind of S6 do you have? Old style? New style? If you don't know, post a picture.

I wish I had a paper schematic to look at. My unit is in a trailer presently and viewing the one mounted on the door is difficult. I've not seen a paper schematic yet, that is my next quest for sure.

Ok on the AC voltages. Oddly, I went out this morning to spray and exercise the switches again and the meter started reading, with S8 in the 120/240 position and S6 in the L1-L3 position. The voltages were reading pretty true as measured at the load terminals.

Then, I turned off the set, came back to it and back to the condition of no readings. Frustrating.

I've got to pull the top off and inspect the back side of S8, its gritty and doesn't feel right.

 

[CapePrep]

Farmitall-Guyfang responded to one of my posts with this. You asked about paper schematics, this is what you need! He was spot on. I printed these out tonight. It will make your life much easier.
Go to the TM forum. Look at the thread, "All the manuals you need for the MEP-802A". Open the thread. Look down to the last row. First TM on the left side, is not a TM. It just has a TM cover on it, and is labeled "Schematics for the 10 KW". Keep in mind, there is for all practical purposes, no electrical difference between the 5 and 10 KW gen set. Download this "TM". It has all the schematics you need, in a size you can print and use. The quality of the printing, is not the best, but its what we have until several of us get something better worked up.

If you have not downloaded everything in that thread, and at least scanned through it, you might think about doing it now.

To make it easier to find and identify parts and widgets, the "electrical" name is normally printed next to the widget. It makes it very much easier to get acquainted with your set, if you remove the tops, and leave them off, while working on it. The more often you look at something, the more it sticks in your head. I also am a meanie. I often refer to widgets only by their electrical name, so to encourage folks to look at the schematics. Don't forget, you have them also on the doors of the gen set. You are starting to get the hang of it. Have patience with yourself.

 

[Farmitall]

Farmitall-Guyfang responded to one of my posts with this. You asked about paper schematics, this is what you need! He was spot on. I printed these out tonight. It will make your life much easier.
Go to the TM forum. Look at the thread, "All the manuals you need for the MEP-802A". Open the thread. Look down to the last row. First TM on the left side, is not a TM. It just has a TM cover on it, and is labeled "Schematics for the 10 KW". Keep in mind, there is for all practical purposes, no electrical difference between the 5 and 10 KW gen set. Download this "TM". It has all the schematics you need, in a size you can print and use. The quality of the printing, is not the best, but its what we have until several of us get something better worked up.

If you have not downloaded everything in that thread, and at least scanned through it, you might think about doing it now.

To make it easier to find and identify parts and widgets, the "electrical" name is normally printed next to the widget. It makes it very much easier to get acquainted with your set, if you remove the tops, and leave them off, while working on it. The more often you look at something, the more it sticks in your head. I also am a meanie. I often refer to widgets only by their electrical name, so to encourage folks to look at the schematics. Don't forget, you have them also on the doors of the gen set. You are starting to get the hang of it. Have patience with yourself.

Thanks, I'm all about familiarization with any piece of equipment and take any and all input constructively. I'm very visual oriented and can absorb the physical picture of things very readily.

I'm many years schooled in electronics and can read schematics. Getting familiar with any piece of equipment and its schematics and terminology and designations used takes a bit of time. I'm generally not the "plug and play" type of person.

I did find the thread you referred to and was looking at the schematic this afternoon. I'll figure out how to print it out to use as a reference at the work area.

As I posted, the genset is sitting in my dump trailer and reading it and going to the actual area of the parts requires jumping up and down off the trailer.....it gets old fast.

I'll pull the top off tomorrow and also print out the schematic and proceed from there. No piece of equipment or radio has defeated me yet.....this generator will NOT be the first, its not that complicated in the big scheme of things.

Thanks to all for their much appreciated input, it is all helpful!!!