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Mep-803 Aux fuel tank

Kenny0

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Leland, Iowa
Welcome to SS! No, it doesn't. This isnt a gravity feed system. It will pull the fuel out of a tank that is below grade. How far down... I don't know. But it will pull the fuel.
I agree 100%. If that's your setup, I would say that that should work. If it doesn't, I would recommend disconnecting the supply line from the generator and take a container of diesel and hook it to generator connection held up high to take advantage of gravity and try that, it could be that the fuel pump is dry and needs a little exercise. How much depends on each individual pump. Any pump will always push liquid better than pull it. If it gets too far down you will need to put a pump near the bottom of the tank. Even if the fuel connection comes out on top of the tank with an internal tube to the bottom, it will work the best if the fuel pump is at or near the bottom of the tank. If the tank is too low and need a pump at the supply tank, I might try to remove the built in pump and locate it at the bottom of the supply tank and run the same wires to the new location. This would keep the system automatic. You would have to splice the line where the fuel pump was removed. Another option would be to get another 24 volt pump to put on your supply tank, remove the wires from internal pump and route those to the new pump at the bottom of the supply tank, it should pump fuel through the internal pump keeping it in place.
 
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Daybreak

2 Star Admiral
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Howdy,
Something seems suspect.

OK,
some of the first things you need to do. Verify the aux fuel system works. Verify the aux fuel pump pumps fuel. Verify the aux fuel pump kicks on when low, and kicks off when full (80% full) If you do not verify these things, a few bad things can happen. You are depending on the generator. The aux fuel pump might be bad. The hose might be bad. The aux fuel kick OFF might not work and the pump keeps running and you then have all that diesel on the floor.

The MEP-8xx aux fuel pump can pump with a head of approx.... I think Dewie38 said something like 15ft
 

Guyfang

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Chris has it right. If your electric fuel pump, wont pump fuel from that tank, junk it. The normal aux fuel pump for an 802 and 803, should have no problem with that set up. I routinely used a 55 gal drum, lower than the gen set with a 25 foot aux hose. No problem.

Mike has a good point about testing the FL1 and FL2 switch. It is suposed to cut off delivery to the set fuel pump, from an aux fuel source, when the tank is full. Easiest way to test it is turn the S1 to the normal run position. That way the set runs from the internal fuel tank. Let the set run down to, say, 3/4 empty. Then switch the S1 to the AUX/RUN position. Wait until the gen set refills the tank. If it doesn't run over, its good. You can even remove the front gen set cove to feel the Aux pump run and cut off if you want. It doesn't take long. There is always the chance it will fail two days later. But you know, you cant worry about everything. Or do like soldiers do. Every few hours go out and fill it up. Personally, I would rather sleep. I never worried about it, and only saw it happen a few times. Mostly due to crappy fuel, gumming up the float.
 

Gifford82

New member
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Location
Jensen Beach, FL
Thanks for the help. Removed air from fuel line and pump picked right up. I never ran generator for more than a few hours, but thanks to hurricane Irma it has been running 48 hrs now without a problem.
 

jgilman

New member
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Location
Tilton, New Hampshire
I am new to the forum. I have an MEP 803 which works fine, EXCEPT the aux fuel pump won't run. I have followed the above suggestions, it still doesn't pump. I have replaced the aux fuel pump, also a new float switch which shuts the gen down when the bottom float is down, THIS part work.s, BUT with the bottom float up, the gen runs fine, and if I move the upper float down, there is 21.5 volts delivered to the pump. Apparently the aux pump needs at least 24 volts to run. I am doing these tests with the tank full and with the float switch outside the gen plugged into the appropriate connector. I don't believe that should matter, since the bottom float tells the electronics the tank is not empty and the upper float tells the electronics in its down position that the tank needs the aux pump to run. I have studied the wiring diagram and schematic for hours and I was Navy Electrician so I know up to a point how to read the schematics. I get lost in the complexity of the relays interactions, and the fault indicator module, since the fault indication module seems to be involved when the aux pump should run. There are NO warning lamps except when I make the low fuel float at the bottom position, then the fault lamp no fuel comes on. Also the connectors with the screw bottoms in the rear panel, do I screw them out with the twisty idem at the bottom of the plug, or do I simply rotate the twists screw then a quarter or half turn then pull up. I don't want to assume I am disconnecting the jacks right and mess them up. So I don't pull them too hard. I want to see if all that is going on is a loose connection, or high resistance connection, or a bad relay, or module. I need pin out readings on what voltages to read on S1, and the relays to trouble shoot this. I have and have read the manuals, not enough info on this specific problem. Any ideas would be much appreciated !! Thanks, Jeff
 

Guyfang

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Jeff, I started a thread for you. Its titled MEP-803A, AUX fuel pump won't work. I will explain how to do it right to you in a PM. This way you are up and running at last.
 
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