MEP0003A ease of use and parts availability

[aczlan]

New to this site, but have a few MEP0003A questions. I am looking for a backup generator and there are a few MEP0003As somewhat locally on Cragislist.

I have come up with the following list of priorities (in approximate order of importance):

1. Easy to use - My wife or inlaws need to be able to turn a key and run it. Will that work with something like the MEP0003A or would it need a little tweaking after starting to be on frequency/voltage?
2. Diesel - I have had enough of messing with Gas in carburetors and we will have a diesel tank to fuel the tractors with anyway.
3. Reliable - When the power goes out, it needs to work (see 2)
4. 7-10k - Needs to run the house (no electric heat/cooking, but possibly some window AC units)
5. Parts available - I see lots of "Apache" generators and they look nice, but I worry about parts availability 5 years down the road. The Aurora ones also look nice, but I also wonder about parts availability with their units that are in my price range
6. Repeatable - I will probably end up setting up something like this for my inlaws once I get the bugs worked out
7. Water cooled - No mouse nests in the engine cooling fins to cook the head would be nice, but I can work around that if need be
8. 1800 rpms - Would be nice, but not a top priority with a good genset
9. Quiet - Sound levels are a not a top priority as this will probably be in the detached garage (single car garage across the driveway from the house) with a secondary muffler and a CO2 alarm.
10. Cost - I dont want to break the bank with this, but it would be worth a few grand to not have to worry about the power going out.

Anyone have any comments or experience with this unit?
Will it work in my situation?
I will be looking at a used Multiquip Whisperwatt 7k unit on Monday, but I like to have options and having 2 identical generators that I can stock parts for would be better than having 2 different generators.

Aaron Z

 

[SCSG-G4]

MEP-003 is not going to be quiet (#9), but when you have power and everything else is dark, you won't mind the noise (neighbors might).

MEP-002 and 003 share a lot of common parts (003 has twice as many cylinders as an 002), so you could get some 002's as spare parts (starters, IP, fuel pumps, gages, etc. (#5).

Others will post on the rest of your points.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Welcome to the Site, there is a wealth of knowledge here. I'll try and answer what I can as I am the proud owner of a MEP-003A.
1) Very easy to use. Once the genset has been set at the correct speed for 60hz, you should never need to adjust it again. Voltage adjustment is done by turning a knob and watching a panel meter.
2) The 003A is diesel.
3) Extremely reliable.
4) Lots of parts available, Delk's is a good choice for parts.
5) See #4.
6) Once you set a unit up, should be no problem setting up another.
7) Sorry, not water cooled, they are air cooled. Do your PM's to keep the mouse-house out.
Good choice they are 1800rpm.
9) Being quiet is not their strong suit. If installed inside a garage, be sure and vent both intake and exhaust to the outside.
10) They seem to be going up in price presently, shop around you can still find deals.
Hope this helps.

 

[aczlan]

Welcome to the Site, there is a wealth of knowledge here. I'll try and answer what I can as I am the proud owner of a MEP-003A.

Thanks, I have been lurking for a while on here.

1) Very easy to use. Once the genset has been set at the correct speed for 60hz, you should never need to adjust it again. Voltage adjustment is done by turning a knob and watching a panel meter.

That is great news.

4) Lots of parts available, Delk's is a good choice for parts.
5) See #4.

Is there a larger unit (perhaps a 12-15k one) that shares parts?

9) Being quiet is not their strong suit. If installed inside a garage, be sure and vent both intake and exhaust to the outside.

Was planning on venting the exhaust, hadn't thought of the intake, but not a big deal.
About how many dBs do they put out?

10) They seem to be going up in price presently, shop around you can still find deals.

What would you define as a good deal? I see them starting at about $1800 on craigslist

Hope this helps.

It does.

Thanks

Aaron Z

 

[steelandcanvas]

Is there a larger unit (perhaps a 12-15k one) that shares parts?
I'm not sure, maybe the more experienced genset Gurus will chime in. You probably won't need anything larger than a 10kw (003A) to power the house when it's off the grid.

Was planning on venting the exhaust, hadn't thought of the intake, but not a big deal.
Not mandantory to vent the air intake, it will just make it a little less noisy in the garage.

What would you define as a good deal? I see them starting at about $1800 on craigslist
I have not priced any gensets being offered by the general public, I do follow them however on GovLiq.

About how many dBs do they put out?
I can't answer that right now, I don't have the TM's with me. Again one of the Gurus might speak up.

Here is a link to the TM's you should download and keep handy. This might answer some other questions you haven't thought of yet:
JATONKAM35S MEP GENERATORS TECHNICAL MANUALS PAGE

 

[gimpyrobb]

The oo3 is rated at minimum performance. Most would agree it puts out 15kw. There was a video on youtube of a guy running a 15kw heater off one.

 

[steelypip]

Unless you have resistance heat or a grow-op, you probably won't need more than 10 KW continuous as long as you do even minimal load shedding. The MEP-002A and 003A have huge surge capacity/overrating. I've loaded my 002 to 120% of rated output on a resistance load just to see what would happen. What happened was that my 6 KW load was powered just like my 5 KW load had been. No black smoke, no drama. Just a little louder exhaust note and a little wider opening on the cooling control doors.

 

[SCSG-G4]

The oo3 is rated at minimum performance. Most would agree it puts out 15kw. There was a video on youtube of a guy running a 15kw heater off one.

Chris is right. The rating as specified by the military is at 8,000 ft elevation and 120 degrees F. lower elevations and temps give it more available output.

And it's a 24/7 rating, with PM stops every 100 hours of operation (change engine oil and filter - .4 hour), and every 500 hours of operation clean the crankcase breather (half hour job) (PM per LO5-6115-585-12 which was in reach as I sit by the computer).

 

[aczlan]

Not mandantory to vent the air intake, it will just make it a little less noisy in the garage.

Ok. I will look at that when I install it.

What would you define as a good deal? I see them starting at about $1800 on craigslist
I have not priced any gensets being offered by the general public, I do follow them however on GovLiq.

How much do they run there?

Chris is right. The rating as specified by the military is at 8,000 ft elevation and 120 degrees F. lower elevations and temps give it more available output.
And it's a 24/7 rating, with PM stops every 100 hours of operation (change engine oil and filter - .4 hour), and every 500 hours of operation clean the crankcase breather (half hour job) (PM per LO5-6115-585-12 which was in reach as I sit by the computer).

So, that is its "Prime" rating. Good to know

Thanks all

Aaron Z

 

[Keith_J]

If you are installing it in a semi-permanent location, noise can be damped out with insulation. The majority of the noise is from the indirect diesel cycle, this is the hardest to quell. The blower fans make a lot of noise, this is easily baffled. See the ASK versions.

As far as parts, you can find filter elements at NAPA, the oil filter kit has an incorrect shell gasket so I have found Viton o-rings in 4-1/2" OD and 1/8" section work great. McMaster-Carr has these. The kit has the correct hard fiber outer washer and rubber washer for inside. I've done the same 0-ring treatment on the fuel filter housings. makes life so much easier on changing as they won't twist and leak.

Air filters should last forever unless you live in the desert with dust storms.

About the only issue is running the generator every week and keep clean, fresh fuel in the system. Draining the tank to keep water out and turning the tank valve to closed when not running will greatly help. This might be a problem for untrained operators, using the remote fill as a vent through a dessicant filter will remove this issue and keep water out of the tank.

I have an 002A, the half-pint version of the 003A. I can probably run my home AC off of it, that is a 3 ton unit. An 003A will drive nearly any reasonable house with slight limitations. Well, you won't run resistance heat in Fairbanks AK but then again, does anyone?

 

[mitchdaly]

Keith_J,
Please tell me more about using the reomte fill as a vent to keep water out of the tank. The idea intrigues me, but I'm not totally sure of the procedure your eluding to. Thanks!!

 

[Keith_J]

Use the 3/8" NPT boss on the top of the tank for a desiccant breather. Cap off the remote fuel line to keep it clean.

You could install a tee on this port so you could have the breather and remote fill but that would be more prone to damage. Always store the generator with a full tank and keep the tank's cap vent closed unless running.