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Best Diesel Generator

bratpackdad

New member
1,131
6
0
Location
Middle America
I ask my friends here to offer their advice on the best home/shop diesel generator I should buy. I don't need anything massive just for the house/shop and in the back of the deuce for small jobs. I'm thinking around 6500 watts.

I'm no diesel expert which is why I ask for help from my buds here.
But maybe I shouldn't be looking at diesel at all??

Thanks
 

Sirblissfull

New member
470
7
0
Location
New Mexico
I am also looking for something Diesel about that size. Small frame is better since I want it mounted under the box on a M820.

I want Diesel or propane so I do not have to carry a lot of different fuels.
 

gimpyrobb

dumpsterlandingfromorbit!
27,785
747
113
Location
Cincy Ohio
I'd bet most guys here will say mep002. I was going to get one, but an 003 ended up in my lap for the right price.
 

Bill W

Well-known member
1,985
42
48
Location
Brooks,Ga
I also have a 003A
But I always felt a tri-fuel genset would be nice, it would give the the option of burning gasoline,LP or NG or even one that just runs on LP., You would never have to worry about old gas in the tank or carb and storing/buying LP is not a problem
 

Sirblissfull

New member
470
7
0
Location
New Mexico
Well propane is cost effective and I will already be needing a supply since I am doing RV conversion.

I like the benefits of having propane Solar and a wind turbine for power generation as back up for a expedition/hunting vehicle. Being able to burn the diesel as a 4th option if I some how get that desperate for power would be good as well.

Might just have to rig up one of each.
 

coyote62ny

New member
184
-1
0
Location
sherburne new york
i also have a mep-003a best $ i ever spent as well . we just got it hooked up to the house today and it runs the whole house plus any thing else i want to run even buzz box welder the mep-002 would be about the size you are talking about but i dont think you could ever fit that monster under a truck bed the military had a 5000watt gas gen set with a 42 ci 2 cylinder engine on it but they weigh around 500 lbs but a lot smaller than a mep-002 not shure of the but i think its a mep-017 or mep-018 hope this helps you
 

glcaines

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
3,835
2,399
113
Location
Hiawassee, Georgia
I'm another one that swears by the MEP-003A - a fantastic genset to power the house, shop, or whatever. Not good for your needs though if you want to mount it under a truck.
 

Speddmon

Blind squirrel rehabiltator
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,640
28
38
Location
Cambridge, Ohio
I'm gonna have to jump on the MEP-002 and MEP-003a bandwagon. The MEP-003a's are the best things I've seen in a long long time.

If you want something small to fit under a truck, you'll probably have to go civilian to get that. Maybe something out of a construction light plant?
 

Speddmon

Blind squirrel rehabiltator
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Cambridge, Ohio
Yup, you? we gonna make time to convert gimps genny sometime soon??



Sorry for the thread jacking, now back to our regularly scheduled program.
 

oldMan99

Member
479
12
18
Location
Polk County, Florida
Today I made a post in a thread where the OP was asking about some way to use his Deuce to power his home. Since my post there is actually fairly relevant here as well, I copied and will paste that post here. It may not exactly answer the question of this post but I beleive it might be someting the OP here may want to at least consider...

++++++++


Well... This may not exactly fit what your initially thinking of doing but it might be something worth considering.

Do you have air conditioning in your Deuce? (Would you like to have it?)
Do you have heat in your Deuce? (Would you like to have it? - Or more of it?)
Do you have a separate 12 volt DC system in your Deuce? (Do you want one?)

How about this:
20,000 BTU of ice cold A/C
13,500 BTU of heat
60 amps of 12 volt DC
6000 watts of 120 volt AC power

RigMaster Power - Features & Benefits


Mounts to the frame under the bed/cab like your fuel tank, batteries and spare.

Uses way less fuel than your primary engine. LOTS of stuff this thing can do, check the link above for more info.

New cost is about $8,000 but you can find these things all day long used and in great condition for about $2,000-2,500.

If you add a bank of 12 volt deep cycle batteries (Personally I would use 4) you can run a good size inverter to give you 120 vac (volts AC) for several hours. The unit can be set so that it senses battery voltage and automatically starts the APU to recharge the battery bank, (Completely unattended - no need for you to get up at 0-dark thirty to start the engine) Once the batteries are topped off the unit shuts down. If you want/need more power than your inverter can put out just run the APU and get 6kw of good AC power.

Additionally, you can set the APU to start up automatically at a given time/date and run the A/C or heat for you. This can cool or heat your cab for you before you ever get in the truck. For somebody with a MV camper conversion this unit is almost a no brainer.

I know somebody is going to point out that in order to get the A/C or heat from the unit while your driving down the road you have to have the APU running as well as the main engine. Yes, this is correct. However, the APU uses so little fuel it is not really an issue. Also, consider that most people in large RV's do the same thing because the dash air of the RV is no way enough to cool (or heat) the entire RV while underway so most RV people run the generator so that they can run the roof A/C unit(s) while driving.

With the APU unit referred to here installed in your Deuce (and an inverter) you could install a small office type refrigerator in your cab and run it off the 110/120 VAC inverter that is running off your 12 VDC battery bank. When the batteries need recharging the APU fires up and takes care of it for you while your sitting in the Cracker Barrel having a nice dinner on the way back from the MV rally... Or whatever...:driver:

Read the page I linked to above and you'll see that it does a lot more as well. While this system may not be exactly what you asked about, I thought you might at least find it interesting.

++++++

I hope this "Re-post" is not to unrleated and is of some use.
 

AceHigh

Well-known member
2,175
29
48
Location
Princeton WV Lake City FL
I love Oldman's idea, 'cept for one little issue. Truck cost $2,000 and rigmaster costs about $9,000. 6KW ain't too shabby though. If one were making a true bug out vehicle or going off grid, it is perfect.
 

Aswayze

Member
250
6
18
Location
Martinsburg Wv
I suppose it depends on what you are doing with it.

my biggest issue with gens of any size is getting them small enough to handle the more moderate electrical demand I usually have for them. I generally only use mine in the field and since I am running DC lights and such even running full tilt on my MKT and with all my battery chargers running I can't even come up with 2kw worth of draw.

As such, I was happy to get my hands on a few MEP-531a 2Kwgenerators. They are small, light (I can move them myseF) and are quite easy to start. I have 4 of them that were bought more or less as a pile of rubble and from the ashes has arisen one that runs just lovely and 2 more with running engines that do not make power. The last engine will probably run as well, I just need to tinker on it a bit.

Anyhow, if they ever become more commonly available, I reccomend the heck out of these little fellas.
 

steelandcanvas

Well-known member
6,187
85
48
Location
Southwestern Idaho
I am also a MEP-003A fan. It will power everything in the shop or the house, no problem. (not both)
I originally purchsed it to power my well pump and furnace in case of an extended outage, since then I have found alot more uses for it.:idea:
 
Last edited:

oldMan99

Member
479
12
18
Location
Polk County, Florida
I love Oldman's idea, 'cept for one little issue. Truck cost $2,000 and rigmaster costs about $9,000. 6KW ain't too shabby though. If one were making a true bug out vehicle or going off grid, it is perfect.
I would not even consider getting a new one unless I was using it to make money. (As in if I was a OTR driver and living in the truck and running the thing all the time). For "Our" use a decent used one is just fine and as noted are available for about $2,000-$2,500.

Still, when compared to the cost of the average Deuce is close to what the truck cost.

But... Don't forget, your ALSO getting a complete A/C system, a complete heat system, a totally independent 12VDC system along with plenty of 110/120 VAC power to run almost everyting you would ever want to and pretty much everything you will truly ever "NEED"... And it is all in one compact relatively easy to mount package instead of 4 separate systems each needing independent mounting and installation.
 
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