power connections

[WagonMaster]

OK, I am trying to understand the power connections for my MEP-002. I do not understand the "hieroglyphics" on the door and after going through TM I seem to be more confused. I understand that for a single phase 120 I connect my neutral and ground to L3 and also run a wire to my ground stud. I then connect my "hot" to L1. If I want to run 1 PH 240 it does not give detailed instructions or I could not find it.

 

[derf]

It has been covered. Search this forum. Ike or one of the others may chime in to re-hash.

 

[WagonMaster]

I searched for power connections...no luck

 

[Isaac-1]

The correct ground wiring will depend on if your using the generator in stand alone mode like the army tended to do, or if your going to connect it for home backup power connected to your household wiring through a transfer panel or switch.

Ike

take a look at the discussion here it is talking about a MEP-016 series, but should be similar (maybe different output studs) on yours http://www.steelsoldiers.com/auxiliary-equipment/92309-mep-016d-voltage-wiring.html

 

[fireman5199]

Try this. Its for a MEP-003A but the hook up is the same.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/auxiliary-equipment/40290-mep-003a-hook-up-question.html

 

[WagonMaster]

The correct ground wiring will depend on if your using the generator in stand alone mode like the army tended to do, or if your going to connect it for home backup power connected to your household wiring through a transfer panel or switch.

Ike

It would be as a stand alone unit, I can not put a switch in where I live. Was thinking I could have a panel made so I could use cords to power what I deeded in case of outage. most would be just regular household plugs however my AC is 230v with a plug that kind of looks like a regular plug but one post is horizontal.

 

[WagonMaster]

Try this. Its for a MEP-003A but the hook up is the same.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/auxiliary-equipment/40290-mep-003a-hook-up-question.html

That helps but why would you run a ground wire from L3 to ground stud in a 120v setup? In these pics ground goes right to stud. TY for link I did not get anything with key words I was using.

 

[fireman5199]

Search Northern Tool for portable power box it might give you some ideas for boxes. I don't know I used that post to hook mine up. Speddmon is also a good resource, plus he has those spin on oil filter adapters.

 

[Isaac-1]

The problem is it depends on the voltage mode what you are doing and what you are calling ground. Note the NEC refers to grounded conductor as well as grounding condutors, they are not the same.

 

[mistaken1]

If I want to run 1 PH 240 it does not give detailed instructions or I could not find it.

L1=phase 1 (black)
L3=phase 2 (red)
L0=grounded conductor (white)
frame=grounding conductor (green)

Get a ground rod and drive it in the ground where the generator sits. Use a short piece of #6 copper wire to go from the ground lug on the frame to the ground rod.

Your best bet is to use a small 60A 120/240V power panel. Feed it with some 4-conductor #6 cable from the generator. Mount a number of 20A GFCI receptacles next to the power panel and feed each one off a 20A breaker using 3-conductor #12 cable.

 

[derf]

Someone should get all this organized and added to the wiki. It seems like this comes up frequently.

 

[Isaac-1]

Someone should get all this organized and added to the wiki. It seems like this comes up frequently.

I agree, but it needs to cover 120 as well as 120/240 and maybe even 120/208 3 phase

 

[storeman]

NEVER ground L3!!!! It is a live terminal! Your ground is L Zero regardless of hook up. If you want 120/240 simply hook up L one and L three and send ground and neutral to L zero and you have house power.

No need to complicate it unless you are connecting to your house power panel, if so, disconnect the generator ground to the frame and send ground/neutral to your house.

I'll leave the preaching about house hookup to others.

Jerry

 

[Isaac-1]

L0 may be ground on the MEP-002a and MEP-003a, however the reconnection switch on the MEP-016 family and perhaps others is not so simple where ground connection depends on the operating mode.

Ike

 

[storeman]

Sorry Ike, but he asked about a MEP-002a. I wasn't presuming to be all-inclusive.

Jerry

 

[WagonMaster]

NEVER ground L3!!!! It is a live terminal! Your ground is L Zero regardless of hook up. If you want 120/240 simply hook up L one and L three and send ground and neutral to L zero and you have house power.

No need to complicate it unless you are connecting to your house power panel, if so, disconnect the generator ground to the frame and send ground/neutral to your house.

I'll leave the preaching about house hookup to others.

Jerry

OK, so I went through the post suggested and the TM is almost useless for the questions I have. I am not going to hook this to my house I just want to run as a stand alone unit to power 1 240 outlet and 3 120 outlets separate from plugs on front of gen set.I have a ground rod and the unit properly grounded. If I use the 120/240 single ph setting and I am running 4 wire my red would go to L1, black to L3, and both white and bare ground to L0? There is no need to run bare ground to ground terminal on gen set? If that is the case when wiring 120 plugs after connecting one hot leg to copper do I still connect white to silver and bare copper to ground? When wiring the 240 outlet I have 2 hots and a ground. Do I connect both the white and bare copper to ground terminal on outlet? I know I have a lot of questions and appreciate the input.

 

[storeman]

Someone else will have to address a stand alone unit to be safe.
Jerry

 

[mistaken1]

OK, so I went through the post suggested and the TM is almost useless for the questions I have. I am not going to hook this to my house I just want to run as a stand alone unit to power 1 240 outlet and 3 120 outlets separate from plugs on front of gen set.I have a ground rod and the unit properly grounded. If I use the 120/240 single ph setting and I am running 4 wire my red would go to L1, black to L3, and both white and bare ground to L0? There is no need to run bare ground to ground terminal on gen set?

The stock unit from the military should have a connection from L0 to the ground terminal on the frame. Verify that this is in place.

If that is the case when wiring 120 plugs after connecting one hot leg to copper do I still connect white to silver and bare copper to ground?

When you take 120/240 off the generator run it to a small power power panel. Use a single pole breaker to feed the receptacle. When using 12/2 with ground type NM/NMB cable then at the receptacle black to copper, white to silver and bare to green/ground. Use GFCI receptacles. At the power panel put the black on the breaker, the white on the neutral bus and the bare on the ground bus.

When wiring the 240 outlet I have 2 hots and a ground. Do I connect both the white and bare copper to ground terminal on outlet?

Use a two-pole breaker to feed the 240V receptacle. When using 12/2 with ground type NM/NMB cable (or larger) then at the receptacle black to copper (L1), white to copper (L2) and bare to green/ground. At the power panel put the black on the breaker (L1), the white on the breaker (L2) and the bare on the ground bus.

I know I have a lot of questions and appreciate the input.

google how top wire 120/240 house panel and receptacles for diagrams. Your generator connection is the utility, use a power panel for distribution and safety plus it will make it easier to wire the outlets. Use GFCI outlets for the 120V receptacles for safety. If you are not sure of what you are doing hire a licensed electrician to do the hookups for you.,