MEP-803 voltage erratic

[bosko]

Hello, this is my 3rd 803. I hope to install one at my parents house and another at mine for emergency power. I just got this mep started after doing some cleaning up, oil, filters, anti freeze, belts, quad fuse, mov then breaking free a sticky IP, fuel lines.... After getting this one started I noticed the voltage meter readings were wobbling +/- 20 volts. I couldn’t find my fluke meter at the time to see if the gage was correct.

Has anyone else experience this before?

This Mep has 500hours on the gauge.

https://youtu.be/4zbyEJ2DZSs

 

[Light in the Dark]

Are you getting hertz fluctuation as well? I cant see all of the gauges on your video (too shiny). You should have one of these, for situations just like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/P3-International-Kill-A-Watt-EZ-Meter-P4460/202196388

It will give you an instantaneous readout of voltage and hertz... so you can see if the gauge is lying to you or not.

 

[kloppk]

Have you tried adjusting the voltage to see if it jitters regardless of where it's set?

 

[jamawieb]

That's a gauge problem. Your gauge would never be able to keep up with changes like its reading, if it was actually the generator. Use your fluke and you'll see perfect voltage.

 

[Dock Rocker]

Yea, until you verify it with a meter there isn’t much troubleshooting that can be done.


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[Zed254]

Exercise AM-VM switch with a few squirts of contact cleaner. My switches needed some exercise to remove corrosion. Also the voltage pot.

 

[Farmitall]

Exercise AM-VM switch with a few squirts of contact cleaner. My switches needed some exercise to remove corrosion. Also the voltage pot.

Agree, my volt meter wasn't working at all in one of my sets. Cleaned up voltage pot and S6 and exercised it and it works perfectly.

If those rotary switches were more element proof, they would be far more reliable.

 

[Farmitall]

That's a gauge problem. Your gauge would never be able to keep up with changes like its reading, if it was actually the generator. Use your fluke and you'll see perfect voltage.

I didn't think those meter movements had that much dampening.

 

[Guyfang]

Could also be a loose wire. The meter take its signal from S6. So if you mesure at the load terminals or the 120 volt outlet, and the voltage is steady, then take your readings straight from the terminals on the back of the meter. Good? Meter bad. Still not good, Go to S6, and work your way back to the meter. And like everyone has mentioned, clean out S6.

 

[maniatopoulosg]

Agree, my volt meter wasn't working at all in one of my sets. Cleaned up voltage pot and S6 and exercised it and it works perfectly.

If those rotary switches were more element proof, they would be far more reliable.

I had exactly the same problem but initially I thought my controls were just dirty but it turns out that the two left terminals on the voltage regulator wires were loose my suggestion is go through the machine carefully slowly and methodically check every screw


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[maniatopoulosg]

Could also be a loose wire. The meter take its signal from S6. So if you mesure at the load terminals or the 120 volt outlet, and the voltage is steady, then take your readings straight from the terminals on the back of the meter. Good? Meter bad. Still not good, Go to S6, and work your way back to the meter. And like everyone has mentioned, clean out S6.

I had the same problem and that’s exactly what it was for me loose wire on the voltage regulator


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[maniatopoulosg]

Hello, this is my 3rd 803. I hope to install one at my parents house and another at mine for emergency power. I just got this mep started after doing some cleaning up, oil, filters, anti freeze, belts, quad fuse, mov then breaking free a sticky IP, fuel lines.... After getting this one started I noticed the voltage meter readings were wobbling +/- 20 volts. I couldn’t find my fluke meter at the time to see if the gage was correct.

Has anyone else experience this before?

This Mep has 500hours on the gauge.

https://youtu.be/4zbyEJ2DZSs

Spray everything with a good cleaner Check the terminals on the voltage regulator one of them might be loose slowly wiggle everything see if any crimped connection has come apart


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