Search results

My rule of thumb is always use the smallest breaker you can get away with. That said, inrush might be 250% of rated current, so you need the thing to not trip on starting during the 25+ amp inrush. If you can get away with 10A, great, but I wouldn't expect to.

Churchill's memoir has a bitter story of this as well: When the Germans attack he flies to Paris to coordinate UK assistance of the defense, looks at the situation map at HQ and says, "Ou est la masse de manoeuvre?" (Where's the reserve force?). Gamelin answered, "Aucune." (There is none.)...

It's kind of like the rule of counting for the Holy Hand Grenade: The number of the grounds shall be one. Two is too many, and zero is not enough. Three is Right Out. One ground rod to ground them all, and EVERYTHING grounded to that one rod. This prevents the ugly phenomenon known as a...

A panel interlock is the cheapest solution that will probably meet code. If your house (rented or not) burns down, you will need to prove that you met code to the insurance company. Be forewarned that some municipalities don't allow panel interlocks for generator connections and insist on a...

As long as you allow for the difference in fuel consumption in your disaster fuel storage sizing, you're fine. I'd keep the 003 + ASK as well, but do be careful of mice living in there and eating the wiring.

Looks like it's all there. Definitely a keeper even if it has internal problems. Be careful to remove and clean out the fuel tank before you try to start it.

Ike covers the high points well. Like him, I've decided that the best way to avoid moisture (and thus biology) related problems in fuel is to store it in airtight containers. This is a little trickier than it seems because of thermal expansion and contraction of the fuel and particularly the...

Maybe your friend has these gensets confused with the 400 Hz versions which are indeed not suitable for home use. The MEP-002A, MEP-003A, MEP-016 and MEP-701A sets make exactly the same kind of electricity in exactly the same way that the power company supplies your house.

I'm another IT guy - do server administration mostly. You have my appreciation and comiseration for your hard work well done.

Looks like it's still ready to repel the Southern invaders. Was it originally a USMC tank?

I will admit looking longingly at the smaller TQGs mostly for the quietness and creature features, and would consider one if it popped up at the right price. North of $1k for a 2 generation old MEP-002A genset with 500+ hours on it, no guarantee of function, and a drying-up parts pool? Sheer...

Yes! more pictures! You must remember how many of us are curious, living vicariously, or both...

MEP-003A is a vernier throttle. You push in the button in the middle of the knob, and pull the knob out until the engine is close to the right speed. Then you let go of the button and turn the knob left (slower) or right (faster) to get exactly where you want. Don't trust your panel Hz meter...

First, do you have a link to volume 2? I'm curious after reading through most of volume 1. Second, there was some very interesting reading in there relating to several recent threads. What I found most telling were the causes of the MTBF for MEP002A and 003A gensets. Simply put, problem #1...

Welcome to the club. You may find the initial housebreaking a chore, but as long as you read and follow the TMs and play safe, you'll end up with a stout and simple genset worth a whole lot more than you have in it.

And this is why copper is not on SAE's list of allowed plumbing materials after about 1950. Brass, yes, copper, no.

And the video nails it down for us. It's an A3. Or at least the lower hull is A3. Here's your proof: See those exhaust stacks and the door. That's A3. Here's another A3 for comparison: And here's an A2: See, no door and completely different exhaust. Fun video, btw, but it was so artsy...

Easy answer to the A2/A3 question: does it have a rear engine access door or not? If not, it's an A2. Yes, the dual-bank 6-71 is a really nice powerplant, but I bet there are a lot of parts made of pure unobtanium. It would, however, positively be a Marine machine, as I think only USMC got...

You've basically got 2x a car starting/charging system here. So all the voltages are twice as high. A 12v lead-acid battery is fully charged at about 12.8 volts. To get it to charge, you have to put about 2 more volts in than the battery voltage, so charging voltage on a car is specd in the...

No on 1 - you should see battery stack voltage below about 29 volts at all times. If the batteries are OK, you're cooking off electrolyte, yes on 2: if it's the old-school mechanical-movement hour meter then it probably had grungy points which were 'surprised' into working with a combination of...