MEP 002A Maximum Wattage

[cuad4u]

I have several MEP 003A generators and I kinda know what to expect from them, but I have almost no experience with the MEP 002A. All three of my MEP 003A's will easily load test to 13,000 watts without any trouble. They may produce more than 13,000 watts but that is the limit of my load testing capability.

Last week I bought a heavily cannibalized MEP 002A with 2300 hours off CL for $75.00. Originally I just wanted a parts unit. However lacking a project to keep me out of trouble, I spent several evenings "messing" with the MEP 002A just to see if I could get it running. I love a challenge. After several evenings of cleaning, adjusting, oiling, filter changing, replacing missing parts, etc, it started up and runs well.

I have searched every MEP 002A thread I can find on this site, but I cannot find what I am looking for. My question is, "How much continuous wattage or put another way, how many continuous amps at 240V at 300 feet above sea level with temperature of 80 degrees F should a typical "healthy" MEP 002A generator put into a purely resistive load before the engine RPM's, Hz, and output voltage start to fall off?"

The $75.00 MEP 002A I bought off CL has been load tested at 6500 watts or 27 amps continuously for over an hour with no problems. Obviously this is 33% or 1500 watts more than the 5000 watts the military rates it. However when I try to draw much more than 6500 watts or anything over 28 amps or 6700 watts, the engine RPM's start to drop and so do the Hz and eventually the voltage. At no time does the engine emit black smoke nor does it seem to labor. The RPM's just start dropping off. As far as I know the governor is working properly.

Is around 6500 watts continuous output about the limit of a "healthy" MEP 002A or will they produce more?

 

[Munchies]

You will pop the breaker before you have any Hz deviation from the engine struggling. Look in the big long main breaker thread for more max load information. Breaker could be bad, I think the guy with the 10k head on the 002a says he runs about 8500 watts on it.

Time for injector rebuild/reset, double check full throttle capability and report back.

 

[dependable]

Output of MEP-002a is half of what a MEP-003a would put out in similar operating conditions and similar condition of unit.

 

[Isaac-1]

I am at about 250 ft above sea level and have put about 7200 watts on my MEP-002a, it was not sounding happy, but was not dropping HZ, sounded much happier at 6500 watts, mine also shows about 2,000 hours on the meter for what good that is.

 

[Triple Jim]

If it were my 002A and it tested to 6500 watts for over an hour, I'd be happy with it and not spend any great amount of time and expense to try to gain more output. Not that you shouldn't though.

 

[cuad4u]

Thanks for the replies. A person who reads this site and who lives about 15 minutes away gave me a call. I did not know him before today. He offered to bring his trailer mounted 002A to my house. When I got home he and his 002A were waiting on me. First we load tested my 002A. As previously posted it was very happy producing 6500 watts at 240V at 27 amps. When we increased the load above 6500 watts, the engine started slowing down, but it did not seem to labor or be working hard.

Then we did the same test on his 002A. It happily produced 6500 watts. Then we increased the load to 7500 watts. His 002A was happy producing 7500 watts. Finally we increased the load to 8500 watts. The % load meter was reading 133% and the engine was obviously working hard, but the RPM's did not drop. We only ran his 002A at 8500 watts for maybe 5 minutes, but it did produce 8500 watts without much of a fuss. Amp draw at 8500 watts was 34.3 amps at 240V as read on my Fluke 337.

I probably will be happy with my $75 MEP 002A producing 6500 watts. I may consider asking Storeman to rebuild the injectors to see if that helps, but the generator starts and runs so well I feel the injectors are OK. No way I am spending $400-$675 for a rebuilt IP to go on a $75 generator.

Again thanks for the replies.

 

[jamawieb]

Same thing happen to me. I had storeman rebuild several of mine and they hold 8,000 watts as long as you need it. I also had one with the same symptoms but after having the injectors rebuilt, same results. It was only after having the IP rebuilt, I found the problem. I would try the injectors first. I've had storeman rebuild about 15-20 injectors and all have been perfect.

 

[CDR]

6500 is all ready more then it's rated for mine does the same thing I have never been able to blow the breaker

 

[Jimc]

i agree with these guys. it made a huge difference in engine power once i had storeman do the injectors.

 

[steelypip]

Another agreeing data point. I've run mine with the load meter pegged for 15 minutes or so until I decided it was time to dial it back to rated power. That was all resistive load, so 7500-8000 Watts sounds completely reasonable. I'm at about 800 ft elevation, and on that day the temperature was about 90 F. The responsive governor, lots of rotating mass, and large surge capacity means it'll start a lot more electric motor than you would think.

 

[rustystud]

Thanks for the replies. A person who reads this site and who lives about 15 minutes away gave me a call. I did not know him before today. He offered to bring his trailer mounted 002A to my house. When I got home he and his 002A were waiting on me. First we load tested my 002A. As previously posted it was very happy producing 6500 watts at 240V at 27 amps. When we increased the load above 6500 watts, the engine started slowing down, but it did not seem to labor or be working hard.

Then we did the same test on his 002A. It happily produced 6500 watts. Then we increased the load to 7500 watts. His 002A was happy producing 7500 watts. Finally we increased the load to 8500 watts. The % load meter was reading 133% and the engine was obviously working hard, but the RPM's did not drop. We only ran his 002A at 8500 watts for maybe 5 minutes, but it did produce 8500 watts without much of a fuss. Amp draw at 8500 watts was 34.3 amps at 240V as read on my Fluke 337.

I probably will be happy with my $75 MEP 002A producing 6500 watts. I may consider asking Storeman to rebuild the injectors to see if that helps, but the generator starts and runs so well I feel the injectors are OK. No way I am spending $400-$675 for a rebuilt IP to go on a $75 generator.

Again thanks for the replies.

My last MEP-002A cost me over $1400.00 . So if that was my generator putting a few hundred dollars more into it to make it a more powerful, and more then likely fuel efficient unit would be a no-brainer.