Light tower trailer with MEP-017A

[tennmogger]

I have just picked up a light tower trailer equipped with an MEP-017A generator. Looking around on SS I don't see anything like it. My intended use is for radio communications so the lights have been taken off.

This is an older set, 1970. It has been painted white but is OD underneath.

Here's some miscellaneous data plate info:

Gasoline engine, Onan Division of Studebaker model SF-5.0-MD, TM-5-6115-332 (Engine built by Hercules, model 2A042, standard military engine.)

Trailer is “Floodlight set self-contained telescoping and Trailer Mounted Generator”.


Federal stock number 6230-181-2498
MFG part No: OG4-2/TMA
MFG S/N: 2581
CONTRACT NO: DAAJO1-71-C-0080(P1G)
DATE 12-70
WEIGHT 1850 LBS
International lighting systems
Division of Towtellite Corp
Sherman Oaks, California 91403


I have yet to try to run it because the oil looks like sludge so it's getting a new filter and oil first. Need to discover what filter it uses.....



This is my first question, what oil filter does an MS-35801 refer to? That number is on the filter housing but means nothing to a parts search.


I will post pictures soon but had to disassemble the trailer to haul it home.



Here are pictures of the load though! The generator is in the pickup, the little trailer is on top of the Unimog, and the tower is under the 'mog.


When it goes back together it will again be OD purty.

 

[Carl_in_NH]

Saturn Surplus has the correct filter for the MEP-017; I got several different parts from them to get my 017A running.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The MEP 017 is loud and thirsty but plenty cool. I've had a few. Here at the FL Rally site we have its little brother, the MEP 016. We use to run the 3 phase power to operate the mil shower. It sat since last years rally and despite the fact it has an electric starter, I was able to start it from sleep in 5 pullls of the rope.

 

[tennmogger]

Here is a progress report on my tower/generator trailer. So far the trailer has been completely stripped and repainted with primer. Next job is to shoot it with 383 Green as first step toward a 3 color camo paint job.

The MEP-017A is not running yet (just haven't gotten to it) so is not on the trailer. The tower works great and is just a little over 30 ft high. I have had it up temporarily but without the additional ballast of the MEP-017 generator it seems a little top heavy.

I had thought this was a military trailer because of some OD paint showing through, and the MEP-017A generator. Now I'm not sure. The main trailer body did not have OD paint, only redish primer, PINKish paint, yellow, and white layers. The pink must have been put on when it served with the Amazon Army of the Avocado Jungle.

However, the generator had been OD, and the stabilizers, too.

So, is this just a commercial light trailer built using a surplus generator?

Various picturtes show stages of stripping the many layers of paint (needle scalers are GREAT), and painting. New tires too!

 

[Isaac-1]

You never know on pink, last time I was making a pickup at the local GL site they had 2 or 3 rough looking pink/purple CUCV's sitting by the gate. This was at Ft. Polk which is home of the JRTC so they have lots of role players, mock up villages, etc. perhaps the pink was something they use to designate role play stuff.

Ike

 

[tennmogger]

The light tower trailer has been completed. It received the last coat of '383' Rapco green today.

My intended use for the tower/trailer does not require a large generator so the MEP 017A will not be reinstalled. Instead, for use here for my ham station the trailer will be set up in the field with a weight to provide stability. Without the generator it seems a little light without ballast. When I take it camping it will use a 600 lb 24v battery pack for a ballast. I can run a lot of radios for a long time from those batteries!

At last report I had not started the MEP-017A but it has now been run. The engine is strong and smooth. I still have to understand the switching and output interconnects better because it's only putting out 120 vac on one phase, at least nothing shows when I switch the voltmeter. That output was the one wired to the outlets on the generator, and was wired to the multi-kilowatt flood lights so that's all that was needed for operation.

As mentioned on an earlier post I was not sure this was a military trailer (Not all components had any OD paint). However, found the following stencil on the tower:

USAICS 6230-00-181-2498



That's a National Stock Number and gets several hits from a search, nothing very definitive, but possibly used for emergency airport illumination.



USAICS is the United States Army Intelligence Center & School, which was/is in Ft Huachuca, AZ.


So, looks like it was military after all.

Bob WB4ETT

 

[derf]

Look for a MEP-026. You could use it to charge your 600 pound ballast. I have one that is a basket case I'd let you have really cheap. Ideally, find a 016D (Diesel) with a bad gen head and use the Yanmar to power a 026. Then get a 55 gallon drum of Diesel and you could rule the airwaves for quite a while.
I also have a basket case 017 motor and frame (no gen head) that I'd be happy to sell very cheap.