Generator ID help

[MrAdmnsky]

Hello all,

First post here, and I don't yet qualify as a true member since the only ex military stuff I have is a bunch of ammo cans at the moment, but the posts are very interesting, educational, and are causing me to want to purchase equipment I have no earthly use for haha.

I have been playing with the idea of getting a diesel genset (or 2), and I was wondering if anyone can help me ID one? I have not seen it in person, but all I know if that it is a JR Hollingsworth, and these pics of it.

I just can't seem to figure out specifically what this is, and if it is 400hz or 60hz. I assume it is probably 3KW but who knows. I wasn't going to bid without knowing, and I can't figure it out based on the pics I have compared it to.

Anyone have any idea what percentage of the gensets sold on GL are truly junk and unfixable? As I said, I'm new to this and don't want to drive for a whole day to arrive home with a trailer full of scrap steel... plus that wouldn't help me convince my wife that we really need a bobbed m35a2!

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[gimpyrobb]

3KW diesel set. That used to have a steam pressure washer behind it on the trailer. Not 400hz.

 

[MrAdmnsky]

Thanks gimpyrobb... I assume it is capable of putting out 120 A/C? I assume so since it has standard looking pugs on the control panel. Assuming always works out real well! Any idea of a model number by any chance? Too bad the steam unit is gone.. would like one of those...

 

[gimpyrobb]

Not off the top of my head. I have bid on a few of them. Yes 120ac.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Try mep16b

 

[jbk]

might be a 701 3600 rpm.

 

[Isaac-1]

My guess is MEP-016b mounted in some special trailer ASK housing similar to the MEP-701a, this is not a 701a housing, section over the fuel tank where the end of the housing is missing is angled and removable on the MEP-701a. (MEP-701a is a redone MEP-016b in a special ASK housing, was a depot not field upgrade option, I have one, strange numbering as the MEP-002a with ASK becomes a MEP-002AA, but a mep-016B with ASK becomes MEP-701a) Good little generator if you don't need a lot of power:

here are a few highlights, 1 cylinder Onan built diesel (engine block only used in this model, and a few obscure things like air compressors), rated at 3KW, but this is ultra-conservative military 3KW (24/7) weight with ASK around 500 pounds, I would compare to an industrial model rated at 4.6 - 5 KW Output with lots of motor starting reserve and a real AVR reconnect switch for both 1 and 3 phase (120/208 wye), I leave mine set for 120V only single phase (there is no official 120/240V single phase output, not enough watts to run any of my 240V loads, except maybe my clothes drier set on low heat, but many units have been found to be wired with this as an option, easy rewire if not). Down side is it is a 3600 rpm diesel one banger, loud even in the ASK, I can feel mine running through my shoes 25 feet away it shakes the ground so much, about as loud as a typical push lawn mower. Fuel economy is about .5 gal per hour full load which is almost as much as the 1800 rpm 5KW MEP-002, they are equipped with an onboard 5 gallon fuel tank, and have a second transfer fuel pump that can automatically refill the onboard tank (mine is connected to a 55 gallon drum of diesel in the shed behind my house. engine Parts availability is very limited, the military started a program to retrofit these (and their over MEP-016A and C cousins with Diesel 1 cylinder Yanmars a few years back), the 3600 rpm does hurt life some, rebuild interval is every 3,000 hours instead of 5,000 for the larger 1800 rpm MEP-002, etc. Around the house mine will run all the important stuff, 2 window air conditioners (8,800 btu, 11,000 btu), freezer, refrigerator, some lights, tv. etc. in the winter take away the window air conditioner and put in furnace blower motor (gas heat).

Ike

p.s. there was a long thread on paperweight to runner ratio a while back, as I recall it seemed to work out around 25% run, 25% run with very minor repair (filters, clogged lines), 25% more major repair most often seems rebuild injection pump, and about 25% paperweight, some paperweights have more scrap value than others.

I paid around $450 for my MEP-701a with 900 hours showing 3 or so years ago on GL, at the time most were selling around $600

I should note that a 28V DC as well as a 400 hzversion of this same generator were also built, but you can tell them apart by the control panels although both the AC versions are very similar and both include the standard looking 120V outlets.

 

[KsM715]

Um this was halfway decent thread till the last part. You need to remove your last two posts.

Per the rules: Auction Postings: Please abide by the following rules concerning the posting of auction information in the forums:
• Do NOT post about future or current GL/GSA/eBay (including items for sale in buy-it-now formats)/local/city/state/Federal/estate auctions. You may post about any auction after the auction is closed.



It would be just fine to ask about that gen set after the auction closes

 

[derf]

I'm at 100% on getting MEP-701As to run, 6 for 6. One had a broken part, I found a replacement part on ebay for $40. One had a bad control cable (I had a spare). One I had to repair the fuel pump (not the injector pump) but it just needed to be disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled, no parts were required. Three had fuel and oil in the and ran immediately. All made power. All had either no battery or a bad battery. All had hours from about 250 to about 950. One, although running, has a 10HP Yanmar which I'm going to use for something else. It would be a waste to keep it on such a small gen head.
I got a MEP-016D that just needed the injector pump removed, cleaned, reassembled, and reinstalled.

 

[MrAdmnsky]

Done.. sorry about that. I missed that in the rules. I'll reread them before further posting.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[MrAdmnsky]

Derf... sounds like you have had pretty good luck! It's probably like a lot of things.. one mans paperweight is another man's easy repair, or if not easy, at least possible. I can't tell you how many small engine operated devices and other machines I have purchased from garage sales and the like that have needed 5 minutes or less repair to get them going, but most people nowadays wouldn't be able to change their own oil, let alone repair an engine or generator.

 

[derf]

Nowadays lawn mowers, weedeaters, and such are disposable. Most of the commercially available generators are, too. I would be very surprised if any gen from Home Depot would go past 1000 hours. They don't even put hour meters on most of them.

 

[Isaac-1]

I think you added an exxtra zero to those hours

 

[MrAdmnsky]

Isaac - LOL.. about right on the extra 0. I have an 8500 watt generator from Lowes (gas) that has probably been run about 20 and doesn't work worth a darn. That gen on GL went for at least $500, but that's the last I saw of it. Thanks for the replies.