Just Purchased my first MEP803A!

[rickf]

Charge rate right after starting should be around 28 volts but it will drop down as the batteries come up. Fuel usage will sit right around a gallon per hour at full load. And are you aware that you can run a 55 gallon drum or other container with the Aux fuel line in that and it will automatically fill the regular tank once the level drops to a little less than half. This way you do not have to keep filling the small tank.

 

[Mweiss]

Yes I am aware of the auxiliary fuel input and I actually tested it with a 5 gallon container and ran the auxiliary pump and got the last gallon out of the tank. So what I'm interested in knowing is where I can get a recommended auxiliary fuel tank that's low profile and safe to store next to the generator. 55 gallon drums are okay for a temporary but they tend to rust out pretty quick.

Regarding the battery charging, it's just that I've noticed on several videos of these generators that the battery charged meter swings to the right and then settles back down after starting. Mine doesn't seem to do that.

I would appreciate some recommendations for a good 100 to 150 gallon tank that I could use and also the hardware to connect it. And finally recommendations for some kind of rubber isolation bumpers to mount under the skids when it's pad mounted so it doesn't transmit vibration into the pad.

 

[Light in the Dark]

Charge rate right after starting should be around 28 volts but it will drop down as the batteries come up. Fuel usage will sit right around a gallon per hour at full load. And are you aware that you can run a 55 gallon drum or other container with the Aux fuel line in that and it will automatically fill the regular tank once the level drops to a little less than half. This way you do not have to keep filling the small tank.

The batteries in his machine were installed new the afternoon before delivery.

 

[Light in the Dark]

Yes I am aware of the auxiliary fuel input and I actually tested it with a 5 gallon container and ran the auxiliary pump and got the last gallon out of the tank. So what I'm interested in knowing is where I can get a recommended auxiliary fuel tank that's low profile and safe to store next to the generator. 55 gallon drums are okay for a temporary but they tend to rust out pretty quick.

Regarding the battery charging, it's just that I've noticed on several videos of these generators that the battery charged meter swings to the right and then settles back down after starting. Mine doesn't seem to do that.

I would appreciate some recommendations for a good 100 to 150 gallon tank that I could use and also the hardware to connect it. And finally recommendations for some kind of rubber isolation bumpers to mount under the skids when it's pad mounted so it doesn't transmit vibration into the pad.

Some have used those thick rubber stall mats like you can get a Tractor Supply/your local grain store.

 

[rickf]

You can also buy rubber/viscous machine isolators from places like Grainger or Wharton.

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www.vibrationmounts.com

 

[Guyfang]

What we liked to use for an Aux, fuel tank was a fuel tank from a 5 Ton, (or larger) truck. We mounted wheels under it to make it easy to move. Something like this. But any kind is good. They are made to hold fuel and the holes in the tank you need foe plumbing are all ready there.



This was my favorite when we had a permanent site. 600 Gallon tank.

 

[rickf]

Keep in mind that modern diesel fuel does not keep like the old stuff. It is more lake gasoline anymore. After a year you are going to so very noticeable drops in performance. Also be sure to treat large amounts that will be sitting with Biocide. Algae loves to grow in diesel fuel.

 

[Mweiss]

Those tanks must be hard to find and expensive!

I wonder how #2 heating oil works in this genset? That's what I plan to run. My 2000 gallon main tank for heating has probably got some oil in there from 20 years ago, as I top off the tank every other year, so I never use up all the old oil, it just gets diluted by new oil.

 

[Light in the Dark]

It will burn it just fine, but if you care about your injectors you will run a quality lubricity additive with HHO.

 

[Mweiss]

Would that be this stuff here?

 

[rickf]

That will work, I use Powerservice myself, but since this is going to be outside still be sure to add a biocide. A tank with algae and fuel worms will clog filters like you would not believe.

 

[Mweiss]

What do you recommend for a biocide? I'm building a shopping list.

 

[2Pbfeet]

Bio-kleen, or FPPF Killem, or BioBor JF. I highly recommend reading and following the PE recommendations as some biocides are extremely toxic. (None are non-toxic!)

However, keeping the fuel dry is the #1 priority. If the fuel is damp or has water in it, there will still be corrosion and eventual bacterial growth. If the fuel is damp, or wet, treating the tank by draining the water off and with physical absorbents is step one, then, pumping the fuel over water blocking filters, followed by 0.2micron filters will help clarify it and remove gunk. Once tanks get gunked up, the tanks will benefit from cleaning, and treatment to passivate the tank if it is steel.

All the best,

2Pbfeet

 

[rickf]

The biocides are only toxic if you ingest them, or dump them in the water. You hopefully would not do that. I mean, diesel fuel and gasoline are also toxic. You do not need much biocide in the tank. And he lives in Ct. so he WILL have condensation issues on a large tank. You are not going to stop nature. I put biocide in all of my tanks where fuel is stored before I have the problem. And follow the directions on the bottle, you do not need very much and more is not any more helpful other than cost more money.

 

[Mweiss]

From what I can tell reading the label, it appears I need only 0.1oz of biocide per 10 gallons of diesel. Stuff's expensive, but when you realize one bottle treats almost 2000 gallons, that's pretty good.

I'm on the lookout for either a good clean 55 gallon drum, or a used oil tank for this.

 

[Light in the Dark]

Fuel is too important to me, money is fleeting. I normally dose my fuel 3-4x the concentration required because I want to make sure. Of all additives.

 

[rickf]

Unless you plan on running it a lot I would not go any bigger than the 55 gallon drum. One thing you can look for is the saddle tanks from diesel trucks in junk yards. I have a 70 gallon saddle tank for the bed of my Dodge which gives me a total of almost 110 gallons. The biggest problem with them is paying the bill at the pump!!!! If you figure 1.5 gallons per hour, which is on the high side, then that gives you 36 hours of run time on the drum plus 6.5 hours on the tank. Guess the size of the tank depends on how much you will need to run it. You don't want the fuel getting stale over a year plus sit.

 

[Mweiss]

Guys, thank you for all the advice on the fuel tanks. I am thinking that 55 gallons should be enough, but I want a tank that the oil delivery guys will not have a problem with filling.

That said, I've watched many MEP803A startup videos and in every one of them the battery meter moves to the right briefly upon startup.
On mine, the meter never seems to move. So I did a test today:

Disconnected the battery negative terminal. Observed that the meter is still on the border of red/green scale.
Reconnected battery, started generator. Disconnected battery while generator running. Generator continued running. Reconnected battery.

My conclusion is that the battery meter isn't working. I would think it would go negative if the battery were disconnected, or is it a shunt meter in series with the load where the resting "zero" point is at the red/green marking? At least it seems that the charging circuit works, but I'm not sure about that meter at all.

 

[Ray70]

Not sure that test is valid. With batteries disconnected the gage will probably stay at zero because the set is running off the alternator and not "discharging" the batteries. the meter measures current flow in and out of the batteries.
That said, you are correct that the gage usually moves up to the right briefly when starting, then slowly returns to zero or just barely above zero, depending on your battery health.
It should also be dead on zero when not running.
Sounds like you're saying yours never moves at all, ever....

 

[Light in the Dark]

Pull the FU1 out when its off and turn it on, does the gauge register negative?