MEP004 Lugs

[Broke Down]

Guys bear with me as I am not great with technical terms sometimes.

I was reading a few things about the MEP004 and started searching what I'm about to ask with no luck so far. On my MEP004 there are some lugs for the power output. I wanted to get a picture before I left the house today but it was dark and raining so I'll get a picture later today if needed. On these lugs I speak of you can unbolt some plates and re route the power output between 3 phase, single phase, the break it down to specifics between 240, 208, etc. Well, a friend of mine followed my directions from the schematic provided on one of the MEP doors and now is running his whole house with an output of 240 single phase.

My question is: Did I miss something reading all of these post where people are talking about wiring modifications to run a house with a MEP004?

I swapped my plates last year but was too worried to try it due to what I was reading. My buddy had a good night rest with his A/C running poking fun at us.....haha! Anyway, if this is plausible then I would like to get some detailed info on this so I can post a detailed "how to" thread explaining how this works so we can find this in a search.

Also I learned to pull all emergency stops after you kill it so the batteries won't drain. I'm sure that was common knowledge but i thought i would add that in case someone was having the same issue.

Thanks guys for all the help.

 

[Munchies]

It might be that I have not had my coffee yet, but I don't understand the question. You got the 004 outputting 240v single phase, but then what's the problem. ?

 

[gimpyrobb]

Well, a friend of mine followed my directions from the schematic provided on one of the MEP doors and now is running his whole house with an output of 240 single phase. Thanks guys for all the help.

WIth friends like that...



I would say if he knows how to do it and won't come over and show you, its time to shoot his dog. Sounds like a REAL good friend you have there.

 

[Broke Down]

Ha ha , I showed him how to do it last year but I never did it to mine due to the fact what I was reading here. I understood that wiring modifications had to be done to make it work properly, I should have followed my hunch and went with my original plan. I'll grab some pictures later today to explain better what I am talking about.

 

[Broke Down]

Here are some of the specs

 

[Isaac-1]

In stock configuration there is no 120/240V single phase output option on the MEP-004 without modifying the connection board wiring, I suspect what you may have done is connect the MEP-004 at 120/208 3 phase then only run 2 legs and a neutral to your house, this works, but would only give you 208V to your 230V appliances and you will be limited to 2/3 of the max output power. Most household appliances work fine on 208V, although anything with a heating element (water heater, stove, etc.) will not get as hot at the lower voltage. Many well pumps and other motors are dual rated at 208-230V (check the data plates on your central air conditioner, well, pump, etc.) as some are rated at 230V only and will stall or burn out if connected to 208V.

Ike

 

[Broke Down]

In stock configuration there is no 120/240V single phase output option on the MEP-004 without modifying the connection board wiring, I suspect what you may have done is connect the MEP-004 at 120/208 3 phase then only run 2 legs and a neutral to your house, this works, but would only give you 208V to your 230V appliances and you will be limited to 2/3 of the max output power. Most household appliances work fine on 208V, although anything with a heating element (water heater, stove, etc.) will not get as hot at the lower voltage. Many well pumps and other motors are dual rated at 208-230V (check the data plates on your central air conditioner, well, pump, etc.) as some are rated at 230V only and will stall or burn out if connected to 208V.

Ike

That is the information I keep reading. He claims he has 240V single phase coming out.

 

[Isaac-1]

There are how to videos, etc. online to get 120/240 single phase out of a MEP-004, but they do require cutting connections on the boards, and adding a couple of jumper wires between the studs. After that there are some changes that need to be made to the metering, safeties, etc. in the cabinet to keep all of them working right. If you send us a photo of the connection board maybe we can see what he did.

Ike

 

[Broke Down]

He claims all he did was route the plates like i told him per the diagram on the generator. Pictures are a must at this point....lol.

 

[leedawg]

Then he is simply getting 208 out of it and not 240. As Ike has mentioned the only way to get the 240 single phase is to rewire the 12 lead gen head a little bit as is outlined in swezurk's videos. I believe it is called the low zig zag wiring method. I did this on my MEP 005 and it works great!

Here is a link to the method that I made reference to. Read through this thread you will find it very useful and watch the video.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/auxiliary-equipment/78616-re-wiring-my-mep-004a-different-voltages-including-single-phase.html

 

[tstone]

You won't be able to use this generator for house power, it is works at 400 CPS.

 

[Isaac-1]

You won't be able to use this generator for house power, it is works at 400 CPS.

Hmmm, did you accidentally reply to the wrong message thread here? The MEP-004 and MEP-005 that are being talked about are 60 Hz generators, just as issued only output 3 phase power.

Ike

 

[bimota]

Anyone try a transformer to accept the 208 three phase or split the phases off (1 5kw 120 volt phase) to auto transformer or other to get 240 single phase. Used transformers are not expensive and this is how the power company would do it.

 

[leedawg]

You could do that however you should only get 2/3 your rated output which in my case would be a waste of fuel and power. I actually use eighty percent of the output of the mep 005. I suppose if you had three services or split your panel up into three services you could get near 100% out of her. The power company has the luxury of every house to balance the loads across... I'm pretty sure they just split off two phases step down and feed a section then do the same down the line somewhere.... Most residential areas three phase power is not available or is very costly to have brought into your house.

 

[Isaac-1]

The power companies usual distribute 3 phase to the sub stations, then for residential areas they run 3 lines from each substation one for each phase.

Ike