802a power output issues

timberrrrrr · Saturday at 11:04 AM

Hey folks
I've got an 802a generator about 2500 hours
It has never given the rated power output. It is usually happy at about 2,000 watts. Anything above that and it surges.

It just started disconnecting power and the red overload light comes on. Only pulling 1600 watts of power. I have my inverters programmed to only take that much power and I can read how much is being pulled in real time.

Any thoughts what the issues might be?

Guyfang · Saturday at 11:46 AM

MEP-802A noob, having contactor and 24v charging issues,, also fuel gauge inop.

I know I need to RTFM on the TMs, but I'm juggling an awful lot so hoping for a little luck and grace here. Recent purchase of a 2005 unit in non-working condition (so they say). Filters, oil change, fuel, batteries, replace some return fuel line and the incomplete holder for F1, and it starts...

www.steelsoldiers.com

Read this thread. It might help. And if we bump Ray, like this: @Ray70 , he might jump in here.

Digger556 · Saturday at 9:25 PM

timberrrrrr said:
Hey folks
I've got an 802a generator about 2500 hours
It has never given the rated power output. It is usually happy at about 2,000 watts. Anything above that and it surges.

It just started disconnecting power and the red overload light comes on. Only pulling 1600 watts of power. I have my inverters programmed to only take that much power and I can read how much is being pulled in real time.

Any thoughts what the issues might be?

Read the other post, but the overload light can likely be solved with Deoxit. ( I just did this today and my 802a pulls 5000 watts without issue)

The surging may be a result of an over aggressively tuned droop control. This is pretty easy to adjust.

timberrrrrr · Saturday at 10:55 PM

Thank you for the replies, good info!

I ordered some deoxit today, and will report back when it arrives and I try it out.

How do I adjust the droop control?

Digger556 · Saturday at 11:05 PM

timberrrrrr said:
Thank you for the replies, good info!

I ordered some deoxit today, and will report back when it arrives and I try it out.

How do I adjust the droop control?

There is a plug you remove on the front of the engine and an adjuster underneath.

Page 4-16 and 4-17, droop adjustment. Increasing the droop will make the generator more stable.

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/attachments/tm-9-6115-641-24-old-pdf.888627/

Guyfang · Sunday at 7:08 AM

Read the TM, don't just wing it.

Ray70 · Sunday at 7:33 AM

Sounds like you guys got it covered..... I was late to the party!

Guyfang · Sunday at 2:13 PM

You are never too late Ray! Just unfortunately detained elsewhere.

timberrrrrr · Sunday at 10:07 PM

Thank you all!

I've got some reading to do . . .

timberrrrrr · Monday at 12:07 AM

OK I did some reading, have a few more questions . . .

If the droop is adjusted wrong, will it prevent the generator from giving full power? I've had the generator for 2000 hours, never gotten more than 2kw from it.

I will deoxit the AM VM switch and the AC selector switch. Need to confirm that the AC selector switch is the switch just to the left of the voltage regulator that selects between 3 phase, 120 and 240?

While looking around inside the front cover I discovered a fuse holder with no fuse. I couldn't find a missing fuse anywhere, I attached a picture. Anybody know what this is for, and what fuse should be in there?

I have the fuse mod already installed it came with the generator but not the MOV mod, is the MOV mod something I should add to the generator?

Thank you for your help, you folks are awesome!

kloppk · Monday at 6:01 AM

Some droop shouldn't cause an overload.
The MOV just helps the VRs Quad input circuit from shorting out wrecking the VR.
That fuseholder in the pic is the fuse fir the convenience outlet. Some sets were made with GFCIs that didn't have the built in circuit breaker so that fuse was added to protect the outlet.

Ray70 · Monday at 8:34 AM

timberrrrrr said:
OK I did some reading, have a few more questions . . .

If the droop is adjusted wrong, will it prevent the generator from giving full power? I've had the generator for 2000 hours, never gotten more than 2kw from it. If your power is limited to 2Kw due to the engine bogging down then YES it could be the droop adjustment. If the overload trips at 2 Kw, that is NOT caused by an incorrect droop setting.

I will deoxit the AM VM switch and the AC selector switch. Need to confirm that the AC selector switch is the switch just to the left of the voltage regulator that selects between 3 phase, 120 and 240? Yes, but you will need to remove the top cover to properly clean the switch.

While looking around inside the front cover I discovered a fuse holder with no fuse. I couldn't find a missing fuse anywhere, I attached a picture. Anybody know what this is for, and what fuse should be in there? That fuse holder is not an original part for that generator, someone has added it. Perhaps see where the 2 leads go and let us know.

timberrrrrr · Monday at 9:12 AM

Thank you for the intel

I will report back my findings

Guyfang · Monday at 4:33 PM

Some droop shouldn't cause an overload.
The MOV just helps the VRs Quad input circuit from shorting out wrecking the VR.
That fuseholder in the pic is the fuse fir the convenience outlet. Some sets were made with GFCIs that didn't have the built in circuit breaker so that fuse was added to protect the outlet.

This is a very old set, or someone scarfed up an old, old GFI. This type GF! is older than some of the SS members.

And if it were me, I would look at the GFI in your set. See if it is a newer one and has the reset switch on the side. If so, the fuse holder and wire may be connected to nothing. One end of the wire should go to TB5-6. The other should go to the J1, (120 volt outlet.)

Guyfang · Monday at 5:00 PM

See here? It shows where the fuse holder is shown. The newer GFI's just have two wires and a built in reset.

timberrrrrr · 2025-03-25T00:54:00-0400

Makes sense, I don't use the convenience outlet, so probably doesn't matter there isn't a fuse.

If some droop shouldn't cause an overload, any thoughts as to what the issue might be? It doesn't trip the overload (that's a more recent issue that I will try to fix with deoxit when it arrives) but if I give it more than about a 2kw load it surges and the inverters kick it off the system temporarily. When it surges, the meter shows that it is 100% loaded

FarmingSmallKubota · 2025-03-25T07:45:53-0400

If I read correctly you have run this Generator at 2 kw for 2000hours if that is the case is this thing wet stacked?

Ray70 · 2025-03-25T09:38:52-0400

I'd suggest using something other than your inverters to load test it.
Use an old electric oven, some heat guns etc. something you can use to step up the load sequentially.
I'd first clean the switches, then perform the wet stack cleaning procedure by loading it up to say 1Kw for 1/2 hour, then bump it up a little and run another 30 minutes, bump it again.... rinse and repeat until you get to full load without any major smoke or carbon particles falling out of the sky!

timberrrrrr · 2025-03-25T09:46:55-0400

Good suggestion, I will try that.
I don't notice any unusual deposits or sludge outside of the exhaust. I will work on it and report back
Thank you

timberrrrrr · 2025-03-25T09:56:38-0400

is 14d151k the resistor needed for the MOV Mod
I think this is a 95 volt resistor, shouldn't we use a 120 volt resistor?

802a power output issues

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