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Best gen set for home backup.

glcaines

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It’s not a bad idea on a trailer. Hummm I’m going to take a look at gov planet and eBay. How well do the m116 trailers hook up to an suv? That would be cool the more I think about it.

My MEP003A is on a M116A2 trailer. I was lucky in that the trailer had an almost perfect tarp and bows on it. When I first recovered the unit, the shock absorber in the tongue was shot. It was a commercial shock and I replaced it easily. I pull the trailer with genset mounted fairly often with my previous F150 and now with my current F250. The trailer pulls great with no issues and the brakes work very well.


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DieselAddict

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Efland, NC
Wow they made a 10kw air cooled diesel gen set. That’s really cool that’s kinda the reason I liked the 831 low maintenance. If the inverter wasn’t such a finicky thing it would be a solid unit.


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Yep, I have one with around 250hrs on it. I sold it to a neighbor and it turned out to be WAY too much for him so I got it back when they moved. I need to go through it and get it up to spec before putting it up for adoption.
 

DD58

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Yep, I have one with around 250hrs on it. I sold it to a neighbor and it turned out to be WAY too much for him so I got it back when they moved. I need to go through it and get it up to spec before putting it up for adoption.
Keep me in mind when you want to put it up. I’m definitely interested!!


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Ray70

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I'm next door in RI. and might have some things you may be interested in.
Got a 2010 802 with under 30 hours on it, on the aluminum HMMWV trailer.
Also have an 831 with around 140 hours and Kurt's controller in it.
Plus a handful of real low hour 002's , but those don't seem to be on your wish list.
 

DD58

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I'm next door in RI. and might have some things you may be interested in.
Got a 2010 802 with under 30 hours on it, on the aluminum HMMWV trailer.
Also have an 831 with around 140 hours and Kurt's controller in it.
Plus a handful of real low hour 002's , but those don't seem to be on your wish list.
Is the 002a the air cooled 5kw predecessor to the 802? I’m also interested in the 802


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Evvy Fesler

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Roxboro, North Carolina USA
@Evvy If newer tires (no signs of checking) & under cover out of direct sun UV light they last for several years. I've had all my trailers sitting outside in the elements for a few years now they were already X yrs old when I bought these Power Units & they are holding up OK. I wouldn't trust them on a long road trip but travelling to close-by destinations... gas station, neighborhood & on the property hasn't presented any tire problems.

As with any tires they will eventually age & will need to be replaced regardless of looks. I think the rule of thumb around here is most tire places won't remount a tire if its beyond its service life of 8 - 10 yrs. depending on the tire store. Though depending on your local climate, UV + Heat & excessive weight & mileage are the tire killers. However, if you put parking tire covers on them when left parked on premises, & they are exercised now & then & not left to flat spot they can last for a fairly long time.

Also, the mobility factor is good to have in case of an approaching disaster event... wildfire, hurricane, etc. We are prone to fast moving wildfires living out West during summer drought season. My plan if fire is imminent is to hookup to genset trailers & move those & other ranch equipment into our large sandy horse arena where they won't be exposed to any nearby flames.

Same could be said for those in path of hurricanes with enough notice to bug out in time & get to higher ground or out of projected path. However, having a placed genset on its own foundation with generator shed over it has its own advantages... sound deadening, spare parts & servicing materials on shelfs/toolbox has its appeal as well.

Guess it all depends on one's circumstances & intended usage factors.
Mobility is attractive to us. I work for the American Red Cross, and Bob is a volunteer for them. One of the many functions of the Red Cross is disaster relief. We believe that MEP is a valuable asset that we can lend should our area of North Carolina experience a catastrophic event. If nothing else, because I work at home, I would be online and available to work. The tires that came with it are in very good condition and I suspect that they will hold up well. Have you or anyone reading this used something like jack stands to get tires off the ground? I wonder about stability.

@DD58, this is your thread. Obviously I’ve hyjacked it. Say the word and I’ll post a new thread. 💕
 

Evvy Fesler

Well-known member
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Location
Roxboro, North Carolina USA
It’s not a bad idea on a trailer. Hummm I’m going to take a look at gov planet and eBay. How well do the m116 trailers hook up to an suv? That would be cool the more I think about it.

On the power side I’ve had concerns about “clean” power. That the whole reason I didn’t get a generac was because of the tv my server and range. i need a good clean 60hz the mep831 on an oscilloscope looks pretty good. And I took it under assumption that the larger units would produce the same kinda power. I know there not inverter units but should produce some clean power.

This form is great so many great ideas. So now I need a drive in bunker just for my gen set hahahahaha


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I didn’t see where anyone answered the “how well does an SUV hookup to the trailer?”

Bob and I towed ours with an F150 for about 40-miles. It was fine. Ring hitches - jerk forward and back - more than a ball hitch does. It's just something to get used to. Be sure to talk to Ritchie Brothers (GovPlanet) ahead so you’ll know if the tires have and hold air, and if the ring hitch is attached, aligned and solid. You’ll need a pintle hitch on your SUV. We bought one from Harbor Freight. Electrical connection won’t translate. We chose to risk a ticket, but you could arrive with a plug for your SUV rig and cut and connect on site. Someone could follow you home, too, should you decide to avoid the constables 👮‍♀️. Bring duct tape for anything that’s loose on the set like access doors.

Only you can estimate tongue weight, hilly terrain, etc., to see what your comfort level is.

That’s all that I can think of.
 
Last edited:

DD58

Well-known member
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63
Location
Connecticut
Mobility is attractive to us. I work for the American Red Cross, and Bob is a volunteer for them. One of the many functions of the Red Cross is disaster relief. We believe that MEP is a valuable asset that we can lend should our area of North Carolina experience a catastrophic event. If nothing else, because I work at home, I would be online and available to work. The tires that came with it are in very good condition and I suspect that they will hold up well. Have you or anyone reading this used something like jack stands to get tires off the ground? I wonder about stability.

@DD58, this is your thread. Obviously I’ve hyjacked it. Say the word and I’ll post a new thread.
Nope your good I welcome all comments


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Ray70

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West greenwich/RI
You will want to look in the Generator TM section. Look at the Power unit TM's for the 802 and 803.
The PU-797 is an 802 and PU-798 is 803 10K unit.
They came is a couple different versions, steel and aluminum.
Steel has leaf springs, aluminum is torsion tube
And a couple different body shapes.
The one I have is this one. It is an aluminum body with a detachable crank jack, unlike the steel version with the fold up leg.
Mine has also already been converted to a civilian 7 pin round plug and has LED marker lights as well as LED reverse spot lights installed.
Torsion tube suspension and the toolbox.

PU-797A.JPG
 

DD58

Well-known member
148
345
63
Location
Connecticut
I didn’t see where anyone answered the “how well does an SUV hookup to the trailer?”

Bob and I towed ours with an F150 for about 40-miles. It was fine. Ring hitches - jerk forward and back - more than a ball hitch does. It's just something to get used to. Be sure to talk to Ritchie Brothers (GovPlanet) ahead so you’ll know if the tires have and hold air, and if the ring hitch is attached, aligned and solid. You’ll need a pintle hitch on your SUV. We bought one from Harbor Freight. Electrical connection won’t translate. We chose to risk a ticket, but you could arrive with a plug for your SUV rig and cut and connect on site. Someone could follow you home, too, should you decide to avoid the constables . Bring duct tape for anything that’s loose on the set like access doors.

Only you can estimate tongue weight, hilly terrain, etc., to see what your comfort level is.

That’s all that I can think of.
Oh ok. I’ll make sure to get drop hitch and flip it around the 4Runner is about 3 inches lower at the hitch then f150. I’m going to grab a trailer to just to have some night reading. The most I’ve towed was. 3600 and it did alright. I’ll look up what they weigh.


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