MEP-002 recovery

[sewerzuk]

Picked up my first GL purchase last week after 96 DAYS of waiting for my EUC to be approved.
I bought a MEP-002 with 2053 hrs from Ft. Lewis for $410. Althought this is my first GL purchase, this was not my first MEP-002; I got one in a scrap lot from a local wildlife refuge that I repaired and sold. So, I was familiar with the machine and already had the associated TM's on hand.
I changed the oil on it, flushed the fuel system, hooked a pair of jumper cables up to my deuce, and turned the switch. No more than 2 seconds of cranking and she fired right up...and at idle the voltmeter was pegged high. At 60hz, it was producing 360V single phase. That's a little too much
I did a little troubleshooting, and narrowed the problem down to the VR board. I was busy tagging the wires for removal, when I noticed that leads 13 and 14 were reversed...so I put them where they belonged, and sure enough the machine worked perfect. The board was dated about 6 years newer than the genset, so some mechanic must have replaced a bad board and got the wires crossed when installing the new one.
I have a gen inlet plug with a 200A transfer switch hardwired into my shop, so I plugged it in and powered my shop for about 4 hours. I ran it at almost 100% load for quite a while with no problems, and a few passes with my welder pushed it well above the 100% mark.
I'll post a video of it running a little later; it's a great little machine and it looks good on the bed of my deuce

 

[Speddmon]

Congrats on the recovery, and finding the problem with your VR. However, you are pretty new to the board and may have missed posts about it....DO NOT idle the engine on your generator!!!!!! If you allow the engine to idle you will be replacing that VR sooner or later, and/or the bridge rectifier board. These engines and generators were designed to be started and taken right to operating speed (the TM even states to start the set and bring it right up to operating speed). The best advice I can give is when you get it running and it is up to temp, do ot mess with the throttle. Just shut it down and leave the throttle alone. This way when you start it up next time it will go directly to speed and not be idling.

 

[sewerzuk]

DO NOT idle the engine on your generator!!!!!!

I read that in several posts when I was digging through them for info on my first MEP; thanks for the tip though. I have been careful to bring both of my MEP's up to speed within seconds of starting and haven't had a problem with either one. Fortunately, both the VR and rectifier boards are heavy, the components are well spaced, and all of them are inexpensive analog components...quite easy to repair. That WAS my plan before I found the swapped wires

 

[sewerzuk]

Both of my sets required holding the start switch in the "start" position for several seconds after the engine fires off to allow the oil pressure to build up; I've read that this is normal, but it just seems unorthodox to hold the switch in the start position for so long. Even knowing that I have to do it, I still release it too early almost every time I start the set.
So, to solve this, I am adding a time delay relay into the circuit. I'll post pics and part numbers when I'm finished; but basically a time delay relay will remain closed for about 5 seconds after releasing the start switch. During those 5 seconds it will bypass the oil pressure switch and give the engine the required time for the oil pressure to rise above the setpoint.
This might be a little thing...but I like those little details.

I purchased 2 new group 51 batteries from my local costco yesterday...now my MEP doesn't need my deuce to provide it with starting power anymore

All 3 petcocks on the fuel filter bowls are broken (2 came broken and I broke the 3rd while trying to get it open), so 3 new ones are on the way. And, the battery meter was also not working, so I picked one up on ebay for $15 (though it isn't an exact match).

I'll have her at 100% in a few days!

 

[Speddmon]

You don't need to worry about holding the start switch...if you are keeping the throttle set at running speed, once the engine fires and immediatly goes to 1800 RPM's the starter lock-out switch will disengage the starter while you're holding the switch to build up oil pressure. But if you prefer the timer, have at it, and post pics, cause we like pics.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Congrats on your new green toy! As you already know, there are a few Guys on here that know their stuff, I read every thread in Auxiliary Equipment. Subsequent purchases from GL won't require that length of time for EUC approval, you're "over the hump" now.

 

[sewerzuk]

You don't need to worry about holding the start switch...if you are keeping the throttle set at running speed, once the engine fires and immediatly goes to 1800 RPM's the starter lock-out switch will disengage the starter while you're holding the switch to build up oil pressure. But if you prefer the timer, have at it, and post pics, cause we like pics.

I just don't like the feeling of holding the start switch in start after the engine is running; even knowing that the lockout is there, I still instinctively release the start switch every time I fire up the set.
I'm just trying to make the genset feel more conventional. I was thinking that I may need to also flash the field with my time delay relay...I'll avoid doing that if I can, but if I end up with any starts with zero output then I'll wire that in as well. I'll post some pics and video when I get it put together...

 

[rosco]

You mentioned crossed wires. I have often seen "surplus" equipment like that. I suspect that it is often done dellebertly to justify the replacement, without seriously damaging the machine.