MEP701a start up, Click, Click, Click

[MidKnightBomber]

They are Napa brand.

 

[Ray70]

At first I was thinking you had an MEP-002A for some reason, now I see it's a 701. I'm not familiar with the batteries in a 701, are they small, like a lawn and garden type battery? A typical replacement battery for a 002A would be a group 51r which typically are 450-550 CCA. 200 CCA might be a bit small, even for a 701, but I have no experience with that generator. Also, looking at the HF load tester, 19.5V from a pair of 200 CCA batteries might not indicate a bad battery. It's hard to tell in the picture, but it looks like the acceptable voltage for an individual battery that small is around 9.5v after loading it with 100A for 10 seconds. The load tester is $19.99, if it's worth trying one?? I do a fair amount of automotive work and I've found it to be very helpful diagnosing charging and battery problems, unfortunately I'm at work now, so I can't look at it in person. Hopefully the more experienced guys here can say if 200 CCA is enough, if so, and they test good, just make sure they stay charged up.

 

[steelypip]

I've been bitten by this one too - trying to start up the 002A during a power outage in a snowstorm. Batteries were at ambient outdoor temperature, and they're smallish, hadn't been topped up recently. Solution was to take them into the garage and hit them with the charger running off the small generator for a bit. The diesels, because of higher compression, are much less forgiving of a weak battery.

 

[MidKnightBomber]

I did hook up a solargizer to the batteries now that they are fully charged. I assume that will maintain them but I have also heard conflicting info that the solargizer doesn't actual charge....only maintains??

 

[Isaac-1]

It depends on which generation of the solargizer you have, the early ones did nothing to charge, just de-sulficated, later ones did a small amount of charging as well, enough to make up for self discharge rate of most batteries under most outdoor lighting conditions

 

[MidKnightBomber]

How do I know which one I have? Mine has a blue board. Here is a photo

 

[Isaac-1]

I think that is the older one, most of the newer ones have a couple of more solar cells, look up IS 24L Solargizer, those are the common most ones that charge a little also.

 

[MidKnightBomber]

I think that is the older one, most of the newer ones have a couple of more solar cells, look up IS 24L Solargizer, those are the common most ones that charge a little also.

I found the box mine came in and it says IS-24-L (see photo)

...so does that mean it charges a bit?

 

[Isaac-1]

yes, it should, but just a bit

 

[MidKnightBomber]

Cool thanks.