MEP-002 Awakened/ Spare Parts Questions

[Piper Cub]

Last fall I picked this genny/ trailer up from GL and just stuck it in the corner of the yard. I put the fuel strainer tube to soak in vinegar a couple months ago to remove the rust. Today it got new batteries and all the fuel filters and fuel lines cleaned and fresh diesel put in. The battery cables still need a little work to make them right so they had to be bypassed with some jumper cables. Once the starter solenoid had been tapped, in a cloud of dust, pine needles, flying bee hive chunks, and one heck of a roar, life burst forth from the engine! I didn't really believe all the posts about how loud it would be but I do now! It's probably almost louder than my 5 ton.

Here's a short video of it running:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRKU5dBe-Yk

Now for my questions:
This pipe thing was laying on the trailer when I got it. Does anyone know what it used to be? It's probably going to scrap but I'd like to at least know what it was for before I toss it.
(Pictures coming in the morning, it just keeps telling me upload of file failed but it only does that on this picture, I can upload others that are .jpg just fine?)



These two brackets were in the toolbox with the grounding rod. They look like some kind of lift points to put in the stake pockets, but I don't really think any part of that setup would hold up well to lifting. Is that what they're for or is there some other purpose?

 

[glassk]

Last fall I picked this genny/ trailer up from GL and just stuck it in the corner of the yard. I put the fuel strainer tube to soak in vinegar a couple months ago to remove the rust. Today it got new batteries and all the fuel filters and fuel lines cleaned and fresh diesel put in. The battery cables still need a little work to make them right so they had to be bypassed with some jumper cables. Once the starter solenoid had been tapped, in a cloud of dust, pine needles, flying bee hive chunks, and one heck of a roar, life burst forth from the engine! I didn't really believe all the posts about how loud it would be but I do now! It's probably almost louder than my 5 ton.

Here's a short video of it running:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRKU5dBe-Yk

Now for my questions:
This pipe thing was laying on the trailer when I got it. Does anyone know what it used to be? It's probably going to scrap but I'd like to at least know what it was for before I toss it.
(Pictures coming in the morning, it just keeps telling me upload of file failed but it only does that on this picture, I can upload others that are .jpg just fine?)



These two brackets were in the toolbox with the grounding rod. They look like some kind of lift points to put in the stake pockets, but I don't really think any part of that setup would hold up well to lifting. Is that what they're for or is there some other purpose?
View attachment 540092

If it's a brass thingy , I used mine for the AUX fuel set up,...

 

[Piper Cub]

If it's a brass thingy , I used mine for the AUX fuel set up,...

It's a steel or aluminum pipe about 1.5" diameter, 12 feet long with two ball joints on it two feet from the ends. I'll get another picture of it tomorrow morning and try to post it.

 

[cuad4u]

One thing for sure, as you described it, it has nothing to do with a MEP 002A.

 

[Rapracing]

The round piece sitting on the fender by the to brackets you picture if for the aux fuel Goes in a drum or tank. There is an metal extention pipe (mine 1/2 inch or so in diameter and about 3 ft. long) the screws into the bottom of it and gets inserted into the aux fuel tank. A quick connect hose goes from it to the aux fuel pump.

 

[Chrispyny]

Awesome that you got it running. Feels good donit? Also, i could be wrong but it sounds like you are letting it idle, or run far less than 1800 rpms. As others have written about here time and time agsin, idling your mep WILL burn out your expensive voltage regulator. Do no idle it. Bring it up to 1800 rpm(60hz) IMMEDIATELY upon start up. If im wrong, apologies. Trying to save you money.

Heres mine running to compare speeds. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mdTkys-urnA

 

[glassk]

It's a steel or aluminum pipe about 1.5" diameter, 12 feet long with two ball joints on it two feet from the ends. I'll get another picture of it tomorrow morning and try to post it.

Could be to route the exhaust away from the trailer, Do you see a PU-*** number on the data plate, mine is a PU-751 and has it's own TM,...

 

[Piper Cub]

Here's some pictures of the mystery pipe. It used to be straight and round. I don't have any PU- number on it. The trailer says US ARMY VC 1773 on the sides.

 

[Piper Cub]

Awesome that you got it running. Feels good donit? Also, i could be wrong but it sounds like you are letting it idle, or run far less than 1800 rpms. As others have written about here time and time agsin, idling your mep WILL burn out your expensive voltage regulator. Do no idle it. Bring it up to 1800 rpm(60hz) IMMEDIATELY upon start up. If im wrong, apologies. Trying to save you money.

Heres mine running to compare speeds.

Thanks for the tip. In the video it's a little above idle but not much. I'll keep it revved up higher in the future. I was a little nervous about giving it too much throttle since it hadn't run for so long.

 

[ageregunner]

The MEP-002A is a great generator. I have mine wired into my house panel through a transfer switch panel, and it will run all the important circuits in my house. My plans are to eventually plumb it into my two fuel oil tanks to eliminate having to fill it from 5 gallon diesel containers. You will be very happy with your new generator.

 

[Keith_J]

These are Onan engines, not Briggs and Stratton. They also have fixed injection timing which can be hard on the engine when running at slow speeds.

The pistons have three compression rings plus oil control ring. They run fine at 1800 RPM straight out of the gate.

 

[glassk]

These are Onan engines, not Briggs and Stratton. They also have fixed injection timing which can be hard on the engine when running at slow speeds.

The pistons have three compression rings plus oil control ring. They run fine at 1800 RPM straight out of the gate.

Makes maintenance important to have good oil flow and pressure and let warm up some before adding a load ???

 

[steelypip]

Makes maintenance important to have good oil flow and pressure and let warm up some before adding a load ???

You can't get an MEP-002A or -003A to run after releasing the start switch unless there's sufficient oil pressure. As for warming up, the only way you can get them TO warm up is by applying a significant load for a half hour or so. They're wildly underrated beasts and are built to be worked hard.

My standard run test cycle is to power the whole house off my MEP-002A for at least 30 minutes. If the generator is loafing too much (less than 50% indicated load) I'll turn on the water heater or something else to make sure it works for a living. The oil filter never gets too hot to touch, and the air shutters never open more than about 1".

 

[Rapracing]

Thanks for the tip. In the video it's a little above idle but not much. I'll keep it revved up higher in the future. I was a little nervous about giving it too much throttle since it hadn't run for so long.

Set it to 60 HZ and you will be at the 1800 RPM.s. That is how you get the proper RPM. I run mine at 61.5 HZ.

 

[Keith_J]

Makes maintenance important to have good oil flow and pressure and let warm up some before adding a load ???

That is why the oil pressure gauge is visible to the operator, you let off the start switch once you see 15 PSI or more. The starter cuts out above 600 RPM. Oil pressure builds fast at 1800 RPM. The only load is the blower fans, you should never start a generator with breakers closed. Once you get stable engine speed as referenced by the frequency meter, then you can close breakers to apply load.

No need for warming up, that is a by product of making power. Even in the summer with 100 F weather and running. 200 amp stick welder on three phase, the shutters open only an inch and a half.

 

[lxawolf]

Going back to the original post, I am not sure what that pole is from but its not for your MEP-002a. When I picked up mine it had all kinds of extra goodies that someone sometime had just placed on the trailer. Most was just trash and went to the recycle center, like a gallon bucket of totally rusted bolts and nasty water. I did get a nice 2" aluminum pipe that I think was originally for a tent. It was perfect for a breaker bar that I needed when switching out a float gauge on my heating oil tank. So before you get rid of it you may end up having a reason to keep it in the corner of the garage.

 

[BobbyT]

I would bet the pole is part of the pole system that holds the canvas top up on the trailer.

 

[glassk]

Makes maintenance important to have good oil flow and pressure and let warm up some before adding a load ???

Are you going to build Good pressure without Maintaining it,...???

 

[Piper Cub]

Lots of good info. Thanks guys! My next steps are fixing battery cables, battery hold downs, repairing everything the GL forklift broke under the trailer, and repainting the trailer bed.

 

[Piper Cub]

I would bet the pole is part of the pole system that holds the canvas top up on the trailer.

I don't think it is. The pole it too long for the trailer and the bows are on it already. It looks like it might be some type of tent part? I think I'll just cut the ball joints off before it goes to the scrapper. The pipe is crushed, plus I've got enough junk to trip on already.