MEP-803A Amperage/load questions

[CombatJack]

I was using an MEP-803 I had laying around for when Beryl hit here in Houston.
Installed a 50 AMP interlock to quickly plug in when needed.
My question is this: How can I get my generator under more of a load? When I get damn close to 50amps, I am still only running my gen at around 40% of its allowed load on the gauge. Experience has taught us all that running these generators under too small of a load for too long of a time will wet stack them, and cause issues. How do I get that gauge to the 75 or 80% mark without going over the allotted 50amps?! Yes, I read the manuals and didn't find ANYTHING that helps me with actually using the generator to pull power.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jeepadict]

Find a used electric range to use in conjunction with your regular load, adjust the number of burners and level to fit your needs. Opinions will vary as to how much and how often to include it, watching your machine for signs of wetstacking will be your best guide. That range should be enough to singularly fully load that machine for a regular maintenance run whenever you feel the need.

Also, don't trust your gauges without verifying them with a meter...an amp clamp is your friend.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

 

[Light in the Dark]

Are you using this in 120V mode only?

 

[Scoobyshep]

Quite simply Add load

Long answer: wetstacking can be an issue however it doesnt happen overnight. What i do is after an outage or on a periodic basis wire in a set of heaters and let it bake. If you are really concerned that it needs to happen now any heavy load appliance will do ( Bake a cake,plus you get cake!)

 

[FarmingSmallKubota]

If you have an electric dryer, Range, or water heater. Might be a good time to do laundry or cook a nice meal

 

[Light in the Dark]

If you have an electric dryer, Range, or water heater. Might be a good time to do laundry or cook a nice meal

He won't run any of those if hes in 120V only, pulling 40% on the load gauge... because those are all 240V appliances. Thats why I ask the question above, what hes actually producing.

 

[CombatJack]

Are you using this in 120V mode only?

no 120/240VAC is the settingwe had it on

 

[CallMeColt]

The better question here is, are you sure the gauge is reading correctly? Never trust the gauge unless you have confirmed it is correct.

If you are and 40% load is the best you can pull, sounds like you'd be better off selling the MEP 803A & getting an MEP 802A so you are sized properly. Save yourself fuel and run at rated load. Then, walk away with some extra money.

I have had a lot of people contact me about buying generators, wanting an MEP 803A. When they talk about what they need, they don't need one, they just want one. An MEP 802A will meet most peoples needs in a single story home that doesn't have a well. Folks forget, when running under emergency power, it is just that. You don't need everything on at once. The goal is to keep things you need going and stretch out your fuel as long as possible.

 

[Digger556]

I was using an MEP-803 I had laying around for when Beryl hit here in Houston.
Installed a 50 AMP interlock to quickly plug in when needed.
My question is this: How can I get my generator under more of a load? When I get damn close to 50amps, I am still only running my gen at around 40% of its allowed load on the gauge. Experience has taught us all that running these generators under too small of a load for too long of a time will wet stack them, and cause issues. How do I get that gauge to the 75 or 80% mark without going over the allotted 50amps?! Yes, I read the manuals and didn't find ANYTHING that helps me with actually using the generator to pull power.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Jack,

You indicated that you are running 120/240 Vac and you are measuring 50 amps of current. My question is what leg are you measuring 50 amps on? In a split-phase system running a house, the loads on L1 and L3 are rarely balanced and the difference is current flows on the neutral line. I mention this because if you look at this picture off the AM/VM switch, the load meter is only measuring the current on L3, so it's possible you are measuring 50 amps on L1, but comparing it to the load on L3.

If you measure you current loads again, record the amperage on L1, L3, and the neutral lines.

 

[kloppk]

Actually with the set in 120/240 and the AM-VM switch in the 3 o'clock position the Load meter will show the total load of L1 and L3 combined, not just L3's load.
The Load meter is measuring the current produced by the gen head windings, not what's being drawn from each lug (except in 3 phase mode)
CT3 "L3" is measuring the winding currents of the T3 and T9 windings. T3 and T9 contribute to power to the L1 and L3 lugs.

 

[CallMeColt]

Actually with the set in 120/240 and the AM-VM switch in the 3 o'clock position the Load meter will show the total load of L1 and L3 combined, not just L3's load.
The Load meter is measuring the current produced by the gen head windings, not what's being drawn from each lug (except in 3 phase mode)
CT3 "L3" is measuring the winding currents of the T3 and T9 windings. T3 and T9 contribute to power to the L1 and L3 lugs.

This. That is why I suggested making sure it is reading correctly.

If the CT is dropping the reading from one leg, it will read half. 80% becomes 40% on the gauge with everything seemingly working properly.

Never trust the gauges on these machines until you confirm they indeed are giving you a proper reading. They are old & tired. I'm getting older & more tired... I don't always give the right answer anymore either.

 

[Scoobyshep]

Gauges are nice, but can't beat a fluke

 

[Digger556]

Actually with the set in 120/240 and the AM-VM switch in the 3 o'clock position the Load meter will show the total load of L1 and L3 combined, not just L3's load.
The Load meter is measuring the current produced by the gen head windings, not what's being drawn from each lug (except in 3 phase mode)
CT3 "L3" is measuring the winding currents of the T3 and T9 windings. T3 and T9 contribute to power to the L1 and L3 lugs.

Thanks for correcting me. That's refreshing that is accounting for the total load and not just L3 as shown.

 

[kloppk]

It is misleading that L3 is stenciled there at that switch position.