• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

New NY guy on the hunt for a mep-002a...

Chrispyny

Member
294
12
18
Location
NY
View attachment 481340

There is probably a good chance the surge brake damper shock is shot. If so, it will make the trailer buck like a wild bronco when coming to a stop. However there is a simple remedy, just insert a 3.5" x 3/8 diameter bolt with nut on it through the damper lockout hole. Just make sure it is a stout bolt like a grade 8 so it does not end up getting bent which would make it difficult to extract later. (see silver bolt in picture).

Also, the lunette ring measures 23" off ground when level on my trailer. You will need adjustable Pintle type hitch to tow it level.
Awesome info. This is what im looking for. I'm considering renting a car hauler from uhaul and picking it up down in delaware. That way the cruise down is quick.

Still unsure.
 

Ratch

Member
586
5
18
Location
Chester County, PA
I'd take your trailer down to get it. Its mostly I95 I think, so shouldn't be a hassle to bring yours down. Unless you're on LI and have bridges to deal with.
I've hauled dozens of trailers right off the lot, but my max ride was 2.5 hours. For your distance, your best peace of mind is to load it until you can better check it out. Congrats, btw, I bid on that one, too.

On the trailers build fitness, I've done fully loaded runs from Long Island to PA at 70+mph without the trailer even swaying. They can do it if maintained and in good shape. I saw someone recommended locking the brake head for backing up, but in towing at least 15 different ones myself, I only had to do that on one that had a bad shock. There is something in the design that makes the head able to reverse without applying the brakes. Maybe its just the typical reverse speed doesn't have the force multiplication of inertia with the trailer weight.

I lost a wheel bearing once that almost had me leaving the trailer on the side of I78 until I could get help. If you have to do that with your rig, it won't be there when you come back for it...

Going back to your original question, your loads sounds like no problem at all for the 002. Gas appliances don't use much juice. The window shakers *might* tax it if all run at once, but definitely not enough to justify the higher fuel consumption of an 003. I think you'll be very happy with it, assuming you can tolerate the noise...
I use an 002 for my 4 bedroom house with electric water heater and stove, and while we manage those loads and have all LED lighting, I don't think I've ever run the gennie over 100% for more than a few minutes, and it was fine with that. I was going to go with an 003 or 004 so I could run the whole house without any worry, but the 002 has been so good, I'm sticking with it and it's fuel economy. I went through about 13 gallons of diesel in the last multi day outage. Two 5 gallon cans and half a 5-gallon bucket of old contaminated stuff that came out when I cleaned the tank. And my tank has a leak (again). Can't beat that.
 

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,994
4,545
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
Going back to your original question, your loads sounds like no problem at all for the 002. Gas appliances don't use much juice. The window shakers *might* tax it if all run at once, but definitely not enough to justify the higher fuel consumption of an 003. I think you'll be very happy with it, assuming you can tolerate the noise...
I use an 002 for my 4 bedroom house with electric water heater and stove, and while we manage those loads and have all LED lighting, I don't think I've ever run the gennie over 100% for more than a few minutes, and it was fine with that. I was going to go with an 003 or 004 so I could run the whole house without any worry, but the 002 has been so good, I'm sticking with it and it's fuel economy. I went through about 13 gallons of diesel in the last multi day outage. Two 5 gallon cans and half a 5-gallon bucket of old contaminated stuff that came out when I cleaned the tank. And my tank has a leak (again). Can't beat that.
So not meant to run quiet at all, I'm guessing. That right?

Is the engine even moderately muffled?
 

Isaac-1

Well-known member
1,970
50
48
Location
SW, Louisiana
They are muffled, but much of the noise is not from the exhaust (more of a roar not a sharp bark), noise level is on par with commercial lawn mower, but is at a calmer less screaming 1800 rpm engine speed.
 

Ray70

Well-known member
2,575
5,826
113
Location
West greenwich/RI
IMO the noise from a 002A is much less offensive than my previous generator.... a 7500W Generac.
One of mine has an ASK on it and you can hold a fairly normal conversation 10 feet away from it.
Still not as quiet as some of these new "Quiet Diesels" but definitely no louder than a riding mower and definitely quieter than an equivalent size gas generator.
 

Ratch

Member
586
5
18
Location
Chester County, PA
The noise has been discussed a lot, and everybody has to form their own opinion. "Noise" and sound comfort is extremely subjective. Personally, I have a background and a career in audio, so I try to protect my hearing as much as possible/reasonable. I just had it (my hearing) tested Monday, and its above average for my age, which may actually make me more sensitive to genset noise.





I disagree that it's like a lawnmower, but yes, its definitely a low roar. If I started my lawn tractor next to the 002, then started the 002, I would no longer hear the lawn tractor. The lawnmower may still be more *annoying*, though. The consistent and low rpm of the 002 makes the noise easy to acclimate to and tolerate, affecting the perceived loudness, but its not in any way quiet. I'm certain you'll hear the 002 at a distance long after the lawnmower has become indiscernible (low frequencies travel further anyway). If you're in a development with 1/3 acre lots, your neighbors will absolutely hear it and probably consider it annoying if they're grumpy.


Time of day is also relevant to perception. It's not noisy at midday in a city, but it's the loudest thing in the world at midnight in the country.


That being said, if you put it in a shelter, especially a large insulated shelter with the insulation on the interior and an air gap between it and the outer wall of the shelter, that will help a lot.


I say large because much of the noise with it comes from combustion air intake, cooling air intake, and exhaust. The rotating assembly and block harmonics also add noise, but moving air turbulence is probably the bulk of the radiating noise. Since the genset needs all that air to run, its hard to control it. A large insulated space allows all that air to be turbulent, while absorbing much of the vibration within the containment. And then, its best to vent the shelter at the top so that what noise does escape through those necessary openings, dissipates in the atmosphere, rather than reflecting off objects that eventually reach your ears.


Eventually, I will find the dominant exhaust frequency and add a stub to null it, but that won't help the clean air noise.


Short answer; their "noisiness" is very subjective and different people will have different answers that you may find completely wrong.
 
Last edited:

Ratch

Member
586
5
18
Location
Chester County, PA
Also, regarding the 002 muffler, is it actually a muffler? The darn thing is so small and ineffective, I thought maybe it was for adding backpressure more than sound mitigation.
 

AceHigh

Well-known member
2,175
30
48
Location
Princeton WV Lake City FL
What makes my 003 sound loud is when I am running it the other homes are dead silent- no ambient noises at all. No heat pumps, no refrigerators, washing machines and so on. Still, in my opinion it is not "too" loud, I sleep with it 15 feet from the window and I relax hearing the constant tone.
 

dependable

Well-known member
1,720
188
63
Location
Tisbury, Massachusetts
I added a CUCV muffler on my best 002 with ASK, and it is pretty quiet. The ASK does a pretty good job with the mechanical noise, but the little MEP muffler needs the extra help to bring exhaust noise down.

Unit is one on right.
 

Attachments

Last edited:

dangier

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
341
7
18
Location
Orange, VA
I fixed my generator noise complaints from my neighbor--sold him a 002a. :) Now I can't hear his over mine....
David
 

steelypip

Active member
769
68
28
Location
Charlottesville, VA
The 002 and 003 sets without ASK are loud. They're above 90 dB at 2 meters. If you don't think they're loud, you need to talk to a licensed audiologist.

That said, they're not noisy. The firing noise is a 30 Hz hum (60 Hz on 003), and there's blower roar, fin ring, and mechanical sounds superimposed over that. None of the sounds are obnoxious in quality, for all that the set is pretty loud. Indeed, I think they sound rather nice for a generator set. The fact that it's an 1800 RPM set makes some difference, but I think the large size of the cooling blower and lack of whine helps too.

A 3600 RPM contractor generator with a small muffler is much noisier, for all that it may not be as loud on the SPL meter. My neighbors can hear my 002 running, but it's just a distant hum for them. We're on one of the smaller lots in our neighborhood at 2.5 acres. My set is drowned out by the neighbor down the way with the 8 HP Briggs on the old 4kw contractor set even in my front yard.

Humans just like lower-pitched machinery noises more than higher-pitched ones. People with 6-1 Listeroid generators have reported neighbors stopping by and smiling at their sets during test runs. That's what you get when you have a water cooled four-stroke Diesel running at 650 RPM. Five firing pulses/second is a pleasant sound.

In 1/4-acre-lot suburbia I'm pretty sure that an 002 or 003 would be somewhat objectionable, and an ASK or homebuilt equivalent would be necessary. If I were in a neighborhood with small lots I'd be all over an 802, because ASKs for the 002 are rare and expensive. But then again, if the 802s don't come down in price you can parallel a pair of EU2000 Hondas for the same kind of money, get better fuel consumption and shelf life (amazingly efficient and they come equipped for propane), and nobody will be able to hear your generator.
 

reset2

Active member
180
68
28
Location
Myersville MD
Also remember to mod your genny when you get it. In this pic you can see civilian fuel filter and water separator, also a small part of the Lowe's roof panels that fit perfectly on the top bows. First mod should be Speddmon's oil filter.
Great Idea for the roof panels.
From post #43
 
Last edited:

Chrispyny

Member
294
12
18
Location
NY
Well, my friend and i just got home a couple hours ago. We left last night, stayed at a super 8, woke up and had first appointment for load out at 830. All went well. Nice people at the New Castle, Delaware Truckcenter.com place. One guy in particular, didn't get his name was very helpful.
It has been a long 24 hours or so. Everything went perfectly. I need brakes on at least one axle, thats for sure.
mepallsmiles_zpsba583fb7.jpg

More pics to come. I'm shot for tonite. She looks nice. in garage now. Took canvass rails off and going to take MEP off trailer tomorrow. If anyone wants a M116a2 trailer in good shape and is around Albany, NY let me know. It's for sale as soon as the generator comes off tomorrow.
 

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,994
4,545
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
Well, my friend and i just got home a couple hours ago. We left last night, stayed at a super 8, woke up and had first appointment for load out at 830. All went well. Nice people at the New Castle, Delaware Truckcenter.com place. One guy in particular, didn't get his name was very helpful.
It has been a long 24 hours or so. Everything went perfectly. I need brakes on at least one axle, thats for sure.
View attachment 482508

More pics to come. I'm shot for tonite. She looks nice. in garage now. Took canvass rails off and going to take MEP off trailer tomorrow. If anyone wants a M116a2 trailer in good shape and is around Albany, NY let me know. It's for sale as soon as the generator comes off tomorrow.
She does. Clean. Nice catch.
 
Last edited:

Chrispyny

Member
294
12
18
Location
NY
Oh yea, stopped at a familiar place for lunch .. awesome place to look at cool stuff ... hehe .. and they have a restaurant off the side ! .. great food, healthy portions, well priced .. i was pleasantly surprised! .. maybe some of you recognize where we were today .. it was dead as a door nail .. being Bike Week in Florida and all ..

9635a189-b8bb-485d-a734-7f17a27f0398_zpsbac28437.jpg
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks