MEP-002a low output current

[jrcampbe]

Ok, I stripped the plug off an extension cord and hooked it across L0 and L3, then L0 and L1. Same results:

120.2 V before turning on load.

Turn on 5hp shop vac, drop momentarily to about 110V, then recovered quickly to stabilize at 118.5 volts. Low power on vacuum suction. Added halogen shop light. No noticeable voltage drop, shop light dim.

Thank you for helping me...

Jim

 

[jrcampbe]

How can I test for this? Which is terminal 6? I will check the manual, but you may know right away.

 

[glassk]

I'm wondering if you have a bad connection at or near terminal 6 of the reconnect switch. That becomes the neutral, L0, and if that were floating around, you'd always have 240 from L1 to L3, but trying to draw a 120 load would shove L0 (neutral) off center and you'd get less than 120 on that side, and more than 120 on the side without the load.

You know with the first post he said a short, that could have made an Open Delta set up, a long shot at best .

Volts there but current phase shift like you say would push it down,...

 

[dependable]

Am not an electrical expert like some others here. My first MEP-002 had a stuck reconnection switch which turned out to be a good thing. In the process of fixing that I found that one of the main T leads had rattled off switch and a few other screws were loose. Something like that has potential to cause the problems you are having and could also fry the gen head.

 

[Triple Jim]

Ok, I stripped the plug off an extension cord and hooked it across L0 and L3, then L0 and L1. Same results:

120.2 V before turning on load.

Turn on 5hp shop vac, drop momentarily to about 110V, then recovered quickly to stabilize at 118.5 volts. Low power on vacuum suction. Added halogen shop light. No noticeable voltage drop, shop light dim.

Thank you for helping me...

Jim

It sounds like you have no problem at all. It is perfectly normal for a fairly large load like a big shop vac to drop the output voltage from 120.2 to 118.5. This is backed up by the fact that the shop light didn't cause the voltage to drop noticeably more. If you were working in direct sunlight, maybe that made the light seem dim. Maybe your shop vac's filter is clogged. I'm not trying to be silly here... it seems that you have good power at the generator.

 

[jrcampbe]

Well, I think you may be right, and perhaps I mistakenly concluded the service outlets weren't putting out much current. I took apart the transfer switch at the house and found something that looked like it could cause a bad connection on one of the hot legs. I soldered it with a little torch and I seem to be running my well pump, refrigerators and freezers now.

Whoever set up this transfer switch (I'm renting this house) apparently didn't feel the need to connect any outlets except for in the mechanical room.

Anyhow, thank you to all of you. You were a big help in sorting all this out even if it didn't turn out to be the generator.

Thanks again, you guys are great.

Jim