How to fix Blowby

[fa35jsf]

Regarding # 1 on your list. A nice easy load tester can be had by using a 240V garage heater such as the type sold at Northern Tool or Rural King. Its fairly small & compact and provides a balanced load on each 120V leg of 240V. When not using as a load tester you can even use it as a garage heater!

Example of a 5 / 7.5 Kw unit: [URL="https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200631888_200631888[/URL]

Good idea but I’ve already bought the parts to build the breaker box. I’ll post pictures when I’m done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fa35jsf]

Ok. Here is the electrical setup. Still have some more wiring to do as it will have two banks of plugs.

This is about a $75 solution that has a few other purposes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fa35jsf]

Ok. Here is the final product for my breakout electrical box.

50A electric range plug (I already have the outlet installed on my generator.)
Circuit breaker box with two 30A breakers
Then splits off into two sets of plugs. Each plug box is on separate 120V legs.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fa35jsf]

Just an update. Load testing the generator. I’m using 5 space heaters. I can get up to almost 30 amps on one leg and 23 amps on the other. Unfortunately because of the setup I can’t even it out any more. Either way I’m running it over 100% per the gauge (which I’ve calibrated when I got the machine doing some simple math). It blows smoke at this power setting but if one of the space heaters kicks off because of over heat, it drops down to 85% load which does not smoke.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[devilphrog]

My 803A smokes at hard pull power settings. I think a resistive 100% load on a 240v setting for an 802 should be something around 21 Amps (going by 5000W / 240 V= 20.8 Amps). You had that machine running at 145% capacity. I wouldn't run it at that level for any serious length of time, but you should be impressed by the capacity of the unit! It sounds like you just need to exercise the engine and keep it healthy!

 

[fa35jsf]

My 803A smokes at hard pull power settings. I think a resistive 100% load on a 240v setting for an 802 should be something around 21 Amps (going by 5000W / 240 V= 20.8 Amps). You had that machine running at 145% capacity. I wouldn't run it at that level for any serious length of time, but you should be impressed by the capacity of the unit! It sounds like you just need to exercise the engine and keep it healthy!

Well remember that the military derated the machines to 80%. So the true max 100% load should be the 26A per leg on 240v that is listed on the placard above the fuel tank.

Am I wrong?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[devilphrog]

I think you may be correct Sir, but I believe the 26A is for inductive loads and the 80% is for resistive loads? I read something on one of the threads here from an Electrical Engineering type person who is way smarter on this stuff. I know with the unit that I had that had cracked pistons, it smoked the entire time from startup to load application and was harder to start.

 

[Light in the Dark]

The rating on the machine is at .8 PF, and is where the manufacturer (and Armed Forces) have rated the machine for its prime designation.

 

[fa35jsf]

The rating on the machine is at .8 PF, and is where the manufacturer (and Armed Forces) have rated the machine for its prime designation.

What does that mean? Does it hurt it to run it at or above a total draw of 52A continuously or not?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bmxenbrett]

Smoke coming out of a 802 with 52a is prob not a good thing. Stop taking the machine over its rated capacity, your not doing it any favors by doing this.

 

[Light in the Dark]

an 803 will handily support 52A... an 802? Never.

 

[Light in the Dark]

What does that mean? Does it hurt it to run it at or above a total draw of 52A continuously or not?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If we are talking about an 803, I routinely load bank test units I sell up to about 60A, and if she holds and everything works as it should, its good to go. The 803 is rated 52A (which at 240/PF1 = 12.5kw), so its got room to breath up above that... but I personally wouldnt want extended runs much above the panel rated amperage. But thats just me... I find the 802 to be perfect. In fact, if I ever get around to my BAPU conversion, thats going to do the running for overnights.

 

[fa35jsf]

I think I should clarify. I’m running average 26A per leg on 240V (meaning 26A on one 120V leg, 26A on the other), which is what the placard says. NOT 52A on each leg. They just happen to add up to 52A.

If the placard says 26A for a 240v configuration, then is it wrong to run the unit at that continually? Or should I bring it down to 21A to make it match the 80% PF?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Light in the Dark]

No an 803 should support 26A per leg. If you are getting smoke... is this new? Have you had the machine at full rated output for any extended time? Could be wet stacking remnants burning up.... not an uncommon thing from its previous life. Any sign of creosote runout from the exhaust flange? Even with the smoke, how does the machine sound at this load?

 

[fa35jsf]

No an 803 should support 26A per leg. If you are getting smoke... is this new? Have you had the machine at full rated output for any extended time? Could be wet stacking remnants burning up.... not an uncommon thing from its previous life. Any sign of creosote runout from the exhaust flange? Even with the smoke, how does the machine sound at this load?

Ok. Let me try again. It is an 802. Let’s talk in watts of power.

L1 to neutral, 23A x 120V = 2,760W
L3 to neutral, 26A x 120V = 3,120W
Total wattage = 5,880W

Now my understanding was, by the placard posted on the machine, is that it could do 26A on both L1 and L3 giving it a wattage output of 6,240W. If you multiplied that by 80% you come out with just under 5,000W which is what the military called these generators.

As far as the smoke goes, if I keep it below 90%, the smoke is almost imperceptible. It is only once I push it harder that we start getting visible smoke. The machine runs fine, no strange sounds or fluctuations. The smoke stack has always had a light layer of black on it, but it has never been sticky or wet looking or feeling. Always dry and light layer.

Also, I haven’t really ever run this machine at these loads for a long period of time before. It’s usually just peaked up here on startup loads.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zed254]

The MEP802A is good for 26 amps, single phase 240 volts (see attached plate). 26amp x 240 volt = 6240 watts....6.24Kw. This is maximum rated power output with a resistive load...like an electric stove. Now hit that with the 20% de-rating to cover intermittent motors starting up (AC compressors, refrigerators, fan blowers) and you get .8 x 6.24 = 4.99Kw. The military's 5Kw rating.

My 802 has pulled ~26 amps on both the red and black wires: this is what my clamp meter reads. No addition of the legs: I'm simply reading my clamp meter when wrapped around the red or the black wire (not both). I've run it with my electric stove during tests at 26 amps, but this is rated max with a resistive (stove) load. When in general use I de-rate the generator to 20.8 amps.

My stove has 120volt controls, so the neutral will have a few amps on it while the black and red both have very close to 26 amps during a 100% test run. I don't have actual numbers to report for the 802 but do for the 803.

I would not push my 802 over 26 amps for very long.

 

[fa35jsf]

The MEP802A is good for 26 amps, single phase 240 volts (see attached plate). 26amp x 240 volt = 6240 watts....6.24Kw. This is maximum rated power output with a resistive load...like an electric stove. Now hit that with the 20% de-rating to cover intermittent motors starting up (AC compressors, refrigerators, fan blowers) and you get .8 x 6.24 = 4.99Kw. The military's 5Kw rating.

My 802 has pulled ~26 amps on both the red and black wires: this is what my clamp meter reads. No addition of the legs: I'm simply reading my clamp meter when wrapped around the red or the black wire (not both). I've run it with my electric stove during tests at 26 amps, but this is rated max with a resistive (stove) load. When in general use I de-rate the generator to 20.8 amps.

My stove has 120volt controls, so the neutral will have a few amps on it while the black and red both have very close to 26 amps during a 100% test run. I don't have actual numbers to report for the 802 but do for the 803.

I would not push my 802 over 26 amps for very long.

Ok. Thank you. That’s what I thought and that’s what I’m doing as well. Using a clamp meter on red and black wires (each separately). Since space heaters are my load bank, they are all resistive. Thanks for clearing that up


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
To give you some testing results, and video's, you can browse over my load bank thread Acquired a Military Load Bank

MEP-802A = 26 amps
MEP-803A = 52 amps

 

[Light in the Dark]

I assumed you were running 240, my apologies for making you write it three times .

 

[Bmxenbrett]

At 5,880w out of a 802 im sure a bit of smoke is normal. Your really at the top end of what that set can produce. Mine does 5,500w and thats it.

Where you getting alot of black chunks out of the exhaust? If not your set dosnt need to be ran way up in the range as its not wet stacked.