Mep-003a charging problem on 120/240 single phase setting

[Wolfe]

Got my new to me 003a up and running great. Charges great on 208 three phase and 120 single phase. All gauges work great also on these two settings, but when you switch to 120/240single phase the %load gauge is at 110% and the motor loads up. Checked the power lugs and no volts are showing. My electrician says we can hook it up to the house using two of the three phase lugs on the 208 setting but I would like to get the generator fixed properly.any ideas on which wires might be hooked up wrong that would load up on the 120/240 single phase setting? Thank you very much for all your help!

 

[Isaac-1]

It sounds like you likely have a problem in the reconnection switch, if you have no need for ever running it in 3 phase power mode, you can remove the reconnection switch and wire up the output leads manually in the configuration for 120/240V single phase, just like would be done on any 12 lead reconnectable generator that does not have a reconnection switch.

Ike

 

[Speddmon]

I'm not seeing where a charging problem comes in?

 

[Wolfe]

the charging problem is that i guess you loose about 30% of your total amps usage when you only use two of the three phases when the switch is in 120/208 three phase. This 10Kw generator is replacing a 5 kw one so im thinking i will not need all the power that the generator can produce. Just wanted to see if there was a simple fix to the wiring problem. Would the mechanics in the military have a reason to move the wires on the reconnect switch so that it would only do three phase and 120 single phase? Is possible or smart to loosen up the end bolts on the reconnet switch and spray some type of lub to see if maybe one of the tumblers is hung up so that it might work fee? When i got the switch it was already pointed to the 120/208 three phase side but it appeared to turn ok. Thank you for all the help and advice!

 

[Triple Jim]

As in a similar recent thread, I wonder if this is caused by the jumper added to the reconnect switch, described in the TM to eliminate a "double fault".

Edit: The similar thread was also started by Wolfe, on the smokstak board: http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?p=966295#post966295

I gave the specifics of the jumper there.

 

[Wolfe]

I looked but was unable to find any jumper from the two post mentioned in the other thread. I did however, find two or three post that were loose.

 

[Speddmon]

The "double fault" jumper you are refering to is not the issue. That jumper has been placed in each of my generators and in every reconnection switch I have and have sold...no issues.

As Ike mentioned, the problem more than likely lies in the switch itself. It is not in the generator windings since it does not do it in the 3 phase mode. As to the switch not moving freely, it is a "snap" type of switch meaning that it moves smoothly until it is actually a little past the point where you want the pointer to show, then it will snap the mechanism into place. I few people have had luck lubricating them. If yours moves through all of the positions, you may just need to rotate it through all of the positions about a dozen times. Some people have had similar issues and this resolved the problems. It seems that sometimes all of the contacts of the switch don't go to their proper positions but working the switch helps free things up.

Also, none of this is a charging issue. Charging relates to the DC battery charging circuit. This is a generation issue.

 

[Triple Jim]

Thank you for that! I've been unclear as to whether that jumper has to be removed when the generator is not used for 120V-only power, and I never tried to sort through the 12 wires and three configurations to figure it out.