reverse power?

[reiters]

I have an MEP004 that has been used very little (35hrs total). It has been updated to modern VR and exciter and converted to single phase. I have some solar so I no longer use the generator to power my house. Instead it's hooked up to an 80A battery charger and then the house runs from the batteries/solar/grid. Generator is glorified battery charger now. Thats great because in any event of power outage I just keep on trucking and if there isn't enough sun to charge the batteries, I turn on the genset for 2-3 hrs to fully charge batteries and then run the house for 8+ hrs off battery charge. Makes good use of fuel.

I just recently switched to this setup and have limited time using it. Typically I run the genset for 1hr a month to power the house just to keep it limbered up. This week I ran it for 3hrs (longest I've ever run it) to fully charge the batteries. It worked great. I went out today to do it again (I want to burn up 5 year old fuel and put fresh in) and now it's saying "reverse power" when I turn on the VR. There is nothing hooked to it except the battery charger (solar inverter with charger with no solar or mains hooked to it). To get my setup to generate power I have to start it as normal. The power bounces during startup and then goes back to zero. Once oil pressure goes to 60 I let off start then wait one second and bump the start again for one second. That wakes up the VR. According to the meter it's producing the right voltage and frequency but I have not tried to close the relay to see if I actually get power because I have never seen this warning before.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Guyfang]

OK,

Is the reverse power light on, as soon as you power up the controls, S2, (Start, Run and Stop switch) in the run position, the CB1, (DC control Cuircuit breaker) pushed in? But NOT start the engine?

Or is everything normal, until you get the set running, and THEN it comes on?

 

[reiters]

Because of my VR replacement the unit does not generate power immediately. I have to hit the start a second time for the VR to wake up. The light doesnt come on until I have the unit running and making power and then hit the output power relay. Sorry I'm not using the right terms. I toggled the parallel switch a few times. If I varied the voltage output then reset the warning light it would be off until I closed the relay again. I was able to get output by throwing the emergency switch and then closing the output relay. After that I shut the emergency switch back off and it kept on producing power. I was able to run it for 2 hrs before I turned it off and it ran fine.

I can't describe this but there is one other thing. The first time I started it today it sounded normal at start but while waiting for oil pressure it changed tone to something I hadn't heard. Didn't sound like crash and burn but just different. No grinding or anything. I shut it off when it did that and hasn't done it again.

 

[Guyfang]

Look on the right side of the gen set. Find the Tactical Relay Box. unhook the two cables. Remove the screws holding it on the set. Open it up. Find Item number 13. That should be the K15, Reverse Power relay. find wires P50JJ and P55JJ, and remove them. Tape off the wires. Put the Tac relay box back in, without the top. , use 1-2 screws to hold it in place, and try and start up the set, and close the CB2, (AC power output contactor. Tell me what happens.

Have you downloaded the TM's for this gen set? Are you somewhat familiar with using a DMM, (Multimeter)?

 

[reiters]

I'll dig in this weekend if I have some time. Freezing rain here for the next few days. I am familiar with a DMM. I have the manual. I guess I am being a little lazy. I am hoping a few minutes of guidance will save me hours of digging in manuals. If it's a bad relay that is only used when in parallel then I'm fine with bypassing it or whatever the case may be. Thanks Guyfang! You always come to my rescue.

 

[Scoobyshep]

It is only for paralleling sets, Its an anti motorizing thing (basically the parallel set is driving harder than this set so its no longer generating power and is basically now an electric motor turning a diesel engine.

 

[reiters]

Well if it's unneeded tech then I'd rather it eliminated so one less thing to break when I really do need the generator. Thanks!

 

[Guyfang]

Thats what taking the wires off is supposed to do. Take it out of the circuit.

 

[reiters]

ZOMBIE THREAD!!!!

OK so 2 years later I've "gotten round" to looking at this. It was surrounded by poison ivy and mud so I just never felt like dealing with that. Two weeks ago I did a little round up job and then waited. Few days ago I took out the dead stuff with a trimmer then put down weed block and gravel all around the genny. So much nicer than weeds and mud.

I started the big task of finding the relay box... oh, it's facing you when you open the electrical side. Easy! Took it out. Made the changes. Replaced as described. Crank crank and off to the races. Worked PERFECT! So excited. Ran it for a bit because it was due the monthly warmup anyway. Shut it down. Start re-assemble. Well darnit. I forgot the bolts inside the machine and they vibrated to who knows where (under the voltage change board). One and a half hours later I have all the bolts. Had to fetch another socket from the toolbox because one went somewhere but in a place it's not going to short anything and I have better things to do than look for a cheap socket.

All back together and working great. Thanks Guyfang for your help! Now I don't have to run it in battle any more.

-Keith

 

[Scoobyshep]

Glad you got it going