Echo5Bravo
New member
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- Location
- Greenville, SC
Hello. I am new to the forum, but have spent many hours reading the posts here over the last couple weeks. I must first say this forum is a wealth of knowledge and I have learned tons of useful information as well as located all the TMs for a generator I am working on. Thanks to everyone out there that has worked to share their expertise on this forum.
I recently bought a MEP-804A generator from a GP auction. It was manufactured in 2005, had a tier 2 reset in 2011, and is showing about 800 hours. Before purchasing the generator, the place I bought the generator from provided a video of a function check they performed shortly before. During the function check the generator started, and the gauges were showing that electricity was being produced. After buying the gen and getting it home I put 2 new 12V car batteries in (installed in series using the labeled cables provided in the battery compartment) and started it up. The gen started up pretty easily, but the gauges indicated no voltage or frequency except during excitation when S1 is held to start position. When S1 is released voltage and frequency drop to 0. That is when I found this forum and learned all about my generator.
After some digging I found an obvious issue that I had been overlooking, the voltage regulator fuse (FU2) was blown. I got another fuse, different brand (an ATM-3) but according to the manufacturer is equivalent to the KTK-3 that is standard, put it in and it blew right away after starting up the gen. I read a post here where someone else had a FU2 blowing right away and it was recommended that his voltage regulator was bad.
So next I performed the voltage regulator test that I found in the TM. I have a TRC (P/N 19870) voltage regulator. I performed each step to test the VR and after each test I received measurements that were in the expected range of the test. I then got to the part of the test where the TM says this -
If steps h, j, and I are as indicated above, AC voltage regulator is defective and must be replaced.
Now I've seen other people ask this question, but I've never found a definitive answer. I would assume that if the measurement I took during the test were within the specified range, that would mean my VR passed the test. Even though the wording of the above statement might make it sound like the VR is bad only if the measurement are in the specified ranges, I don't think that makes sense.
Even if my voltage regulator passed the test, I know it's just a general test and doesn't necessarily cover all scenario where it may be bad. So I have 2 questions.
1. Does the problem with the blown fuses mean that the VR must be bad or does anyone have any other suggestions? I did take a voltage measurement on terminal 1 on A1. When S1 is in the run position I get 7VDC. When S1 is in the start position it jumps to 200VDC and stays around that level until S1 is released to run and then it very slowly loses voltage until it returns to around 7VDC.
2. Does anyone know where I can get a TRC (P/N 19870) voltage regulator? I've searched the web and looked on the big auction site and found many for a MEP-805 and other models, but can't find one for the MEP-804.
I'd be glad to take more measurements or provide any further information that would help troubleshoot. Thanks for reading my long post!
I recently bought a MEP-804A generator from a GP auction. It was manufactured in 2005, had a tier 2 reset in 2011, and is showing about 800 hours. Before purchasing the generator, the place I bought the generator from provided a video of a function check they performed shortly before. During the function check the generator started, and the gauges were showing that electricity was being produced. After buying the gen and getting it home I put 2 new 12V car batteries in (installed in series using the labeled cables provided in the battery compartment) and started it up. The gen started up pretty easily, but the gauges indicated no voltage or frequency except during excitation when S1 is held to start position. When S1 is released voltage and frequency drop to 0. That is when I found this forum and learned all about my generator.
After some digging I found an obvious issue that I had been overlooking, the voltage regulator fuse (FU2) was blown. I got another fuse, different brand (an ATM-3) but according to the manufacturer is equivalent to the KTK-3 that is standard, put it in and it blew right away after starting up the gen. I read a post here where someone else had a FU2 blowing right away and it was recommended that his voltage regulator was bad.
So next I performed the voltage regulator test that I found in the TM. I have a TRC (P/N 19870) voltage regulator. I performed each step to test the VR and after each test I received measurements that were in the expected range of the test. I then got to the part of the test where the TM says this -
If steps h, j, and I are as indicated above, AC voltage regulator is defective and must be replaced.
Now I've seen other people ask this question, but I've never found a definitive answer. I would assume that if the measurement I took during the test were within the specified range, that would mean my VR passed the test. Even though the wording of the above statement might make it sound like the VR is bad only if the measurement are in the specified ranges, I don't think that makes sense.
Even if my voltage regulator passed the test, I know it's just a general test and doesn't necessarily cover all scenario where it may be bad. So I have 2 questions.
1. Does the problem with the blown fuses mean that the VR must be bad or does anyone have any other suggestions? I did take a voltage measurement on terminal 1 on A1. When S1 is in the run position I get 7VDC. When S1 is in the start position it jumps to 200VDC and stays around that level until S1 is released to run and then it very slowly loses voltage until it returns to around 7VDC.
2. Does anyone know where I can get a TRC (P/N 19870) voltage regulator? I've searched the web and looked on the big auction site and found many for a MEP-805 and other models, but can't find one for the MEP-804.
I'd be glad to take more measurements or provide any further information that would help troubleshoot. Thanks for reading my long post!
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