MEP803A Sound Levels

[mchlsprgn]

Yes it's an issue. These sets are made to run with a load on them. Look up "wet stacking". You can try and add resistive loads such a electric heaters to add more load to your set but honestly it sounds like you really needed a 802 instead of a 803.

I have a 65 kw honda gen it runs my house ok . but it can't start my ac I don't know if an 802 would ?

 

[Josephml21]

I have a 65 kw honda gen it runs my house ok . but it can't start my ac I don't know if an 802 would ?

Everyone's load calculations are going to be different.

I have a 3200 sqft house. My largest loads were a 4500 watt water heater, a 3 or 3.5 ton AC and three teenage boys with their gaming systems and tvs. Everything in my house besides the water heater is gas.

Running everything, every light, TV, gaming system, dishwasher, washer, dryer (gas), water heater, ac, garbage disposal, a fridge and deep freezer and two slot machines lol.... I'd hit 75 maybe 80 percent load on my 803.

I have since changed out my water heater for a gas model and never could get above 40 maybe 50 percent load. I have since downgraded to a 802.

Long story short, I'd rather shed a load and have the set loaded down than have the 803 sitting at 25-40 percent all the time. It's a waste of fuel and its not good for the health of the set.

 

[mchlsprgn]

Everyone's load calculations are going to be different.

I have a 3200 sqft house. My largest loads were a 4500 watt water heater, a 3 or 3.5 ton AC and three teenage boys with their gaming systems and tvs. Everything in my house besides the water heater is gas.

Running everything, every light, TV, gaming system, dishwasher, washer, dryer (gas), water heater, ac, garbage disposal, a fridge and deep freezer and two slot machines lol.... I'd hit 75 maybe 80 percent load on my 803.

I have since changed out my water heater for a gas model and never could get above 40 maybe 50 percent load. I have since downgraded to a 802.

Long story short, I'd rather shed a load and have the set loaded down than have the 803 sitting at 25-40 percent all the time. It's a waste of fuel and its not good for the health of the set.

I guess your right . My house is 2800 sf refer, freezer, gas dryer ,gas water heater and a gas furnace. what is max output of an 802

 

[Josephml21]

I guess your right . My house is 2800 sf refer, freezer, gas dryer ,gas water heater and a gas furnace. what is max output of an 802

1 phase, 120/240 would be 26 amps. The set would probably be able to take a 30 or 31 amp draw for a few minutes. I know the mep's are purposely under rated by 20 or 25 percent I believe.

How old is your AC unit? Does it have a soft start installed?

 

[mchlsprgn]

1 phase, 120/240 would be 26 amps. The set would probably be able to take a 30 or 31 amp draw for a few minutes. I know the mep's are purposely under rated by 20 or 25 percent I believe.

How old is your AC unit? Does it have a soft start installed?

15 yr old no soft start , my 65 kw honda almost starts the ac . most of the time it does the job just fine only issue is in summer . I have every light and appliance in my house on and i'm at 25% guess i'll be selling an 803

 

[Josephml21]

15 yr old no soft start , my 65 kw honda almost starts the ac . most of the time it does the job just fine only issue is in summer . I have every light and appliance in my house on and i'm at 25% guess i'll be selling an 803

Not that it matters but what's the 803 read when the ac is running?

Have a soft start put in your ac's outdoor unit and I'd be willing to bet a 802 will run your house all day with no issues.

It's been said more times than I can count that a 803 is a lot of machine.

If I was smart I would have took the money I spent on a 803, spent it on the gas water heater and then bought an 802.

Now I have a 802 and a 803. Don't get me wrong I needed the 803 with the electric water heater but now that the WH has been replaced I don't need a 803.

Guess I need to find a buyer for a great running 803.

 

[mchlsprgn]

Not that it matters but what's the 803 read when the ac is running?

Have a soft start put in your ac's outdoor unit and I'd be willing to bet a 802 will run your house all day with no issues.

It's been said more times than I can count that a 803 is a lot of machine.

If I was smart I would have took the money I spent on a 803, spent it on the gas water heater and then bought an 802.

Now I have a 802 and a 803. Don't get me wrong I needed the 803 with the electric water heater but now that the WH has been replaced I don't need a 803.

Guess I need to find a buyer for a great running 803.

Me too! My son could do the soft start he was in the ac biz. Then my honda mite do it all of this was misguided from the get go

Not that it matters but what's the 803 read when the ac is running?

Have a soft start put in your ac's outdoor unit and I'd be willing to bet a 802 will run your house all day with no issues.

It's been said more times than I can count that a 803 is a lot of machine.

If I was smart I would have took the money I spent on a 803, spent it on the gas water heater and then bought an 802.

Now I have a 802 and a 803. Don't get me wrong I needed the 803 with the electric water heater but now that the WH has been replaced I don't need a 803.

Guess I need to find a buyer for a great running 803.

About 50% Wish i knew then what i know now. My son was in the ac biz he could do the soft start and my honda would run everything I feel a bit foolish. Look's like i need to sell an 803 or buy some eletrical appliances Thanks for the info I

 

[csheath]

i just got my gen going today. It runs my house only draws 10 to 15 percent is this a problem?

Bake some cookies every few days. I have run mine for a week straight with low loads. Run the water heater for an hour each day and turn on the oven for a while every now and then and you will be fine.

 

[Josephml21]

Bake some cookies every few days. I have run mine for a week straight with low loads. Run the water heater for an hour each day and turn on the oven for a while every now and then and you will be fine.

Good advice, I didn't mean to make it sound like the unit is going to die if he continues to run it the way he is.

One of the biggest factors for me was the fuel burn rates. 803 @ 1GPH vs the 802 @ .5GPH.

I figured worst case scenario for me in PA would be a week straight I'd have to run her. 7 days X 24hrs =168. So ballpark the 803 would need 168 gallons of fuel vs the 802 consuming only 84.

Best price I've seen for fuel was this past summer my sister who also lives in Pittsburgh had her home heating oil tanks filled @ 1 dollar a gallon. I wish I had a 275 gallon IBC because I would have jumped on that deal quick!

Realistically most of us are paying 2.75 to 3.50 a gallon for fuel I'm guessing. 168 x 2.75=$462.

That's a lot of dough. If I can get the job done correctly at half the cost that's the way I'm gonna do it.

 

[nextalcupfan]

From TM-9-6115-642-10 (Operators Manual)

 

[nextalcupfan]

Good advice, I didn't mean to make it sound like the unit is going to die if he continues to run it the way he is.

One of the biggest factors for me was the fuel burn rates. 803 @ 1GPH vs the 802 @ .5GPH.

I figured worst case scenario for me in PA would be a week straight I'd have to run her. 7 days X 24hrs =168. So ballpark the 803 would need 168 gallons of fuel vs the 802 consuming only 84.

Best price I've seen for fuel was this past summer my sister who also lives in Pittsburgh had her home heating oil tanks filled @ 1 dollar a gallon. I wish I had a 275 gallon IBC because I would have jumped on that deal quick!

Realistically most of us are paying 2.75 to 3.50 a gallon for fuel I'm guessing. 168 x 2.75=$462.

That's a lot of dough. If I can get the job done correctly at half the cost that's the way I'm gonna do it.

I think you're a bit off on your calculations, both of those fuel burn rates are at 100% load.
If you had the 803 at the same load as the 802 the burn rate would be much closer. (Sorry I can't for the life of me find an exact number)(but I would guess 0.6 GPH at 50% load for the 803)

 

[Guyfang]

From TM-9-6115-642-10 (Operators Manual)
View attachment 819796

That's why I keep repeating RTFB. The info is there. But you got to read. I have seen extreme cases. Some so bad you could hardly run the set. But I have never taken the muffler off. Simply run the set. Step the load up every 2-3 hours, (in extreme cases) and the system WILL clean itself up.

 

[Zed254]

I'm over powered too, with my 803. Outages have been short but I have an electric clothes dryer and a space heater I can run to get me up around 65%. And I share power with my neighbors. Operating quarterly test runs at 80%-100% with an old electric stove - or other 'load bank' - will keep your generator clean.

Don't feel foolish.....feel POWERful!!!

 

[m32825]

An assumption being made here is that the load meter is correct. Wouldn't hurt to verify it with a clamp-on meter before making big changes.

 

[nextalcupfan]

I have to actually try but I have actually overloaded my 803a with my house.
Clothes dryer, convection oven + a burner, electric hot water heater, furnace blower, 2 fridges and a deep freeze. (+ Normal house stuff)
I think that was around 90-110% load.
Turning on my 60 gallon stand up air compressor pushed it over the edge. Surge caused it to bog and spew smoke, turned off the oven + burner and she came right back.

I can't remember if the A/C was running or not.
Normal house load is around 15%.

Moral of the story is these sets can take alot but they do have their limits.
I could definitely make due with an 802a, would just need to manage the load, maybe put a soft start on the A/C.
But I got an 803a for one simple reason, I didn't want to worry about it.
My MEP gen has mainline monitoring, auto-start, switching between gen and mainline, auto-shutdown.
That means it can/has switched while I was away from the house, worrying about it overloading a 802a and bogging until it trips overload is not a stress I need in my life.

Sorry this post ran a bit long.

 

[mchlsprgn]

I have to actually try but I have actually overloaded my 803a with my house.
Clothes dryer, convection oven + a burner, electric hot water heater, furnace blower, 2 fridges and a deep freeze. (+ Normal house stuff)
I think that was around 90-110% load.
Turning on my 60 gallon stand up air compressor pushed it over the edge. Surge caused it to bog and spew smoke, turned off the oven + burner and she came right back.

I can't remember if the A/C was running or not.
Normal house load is around 15%.

Moral of the story is these sets can take alot but they do have their limits.
I could definitely make due with an 802a, would just need to manage the load, maybe put a soft start on the A/C.
But I got an 803a for one simple reason, I didn't want to worry about it.
My MEP gen has mainline monitoring, auto-start, switching between gen and mainline, auto-shutdown.
That means it can/has switched while I was away from the house, worrying about it overloading a 802a and bogging until it trips overload is not a stress I need in my life.

Sorry this post ran a bit long.

Maybe i should buy some sort of resistance heater and leave it on all the time. Is there a formula for hours at high load it needs to run ?

 

[mchlsprgn]

An assumption being made here is that the load meter is correct. Wouldn't hurt to verify it with a clamp-on meter before making big changes.

I checked with a volt amp meter It showed 2 kw .With every lite, tv ,refer and freezer the percent meter showed 20%

 

[nextalcupfan]

Maybe i should buy some sort of resistance heater and leave it on all the time. Is there a formula for hours at high load it needs to run ?

From what I've read on here 45 min is usually the minimum at 100% load, and usually that includes short periods at 133%.
4 hours is on the high end.

Putting a heater on it isn't a bad idea, personally I do a specific wet stack clearing with heaters while NOT attached to the house.

But if you're trying to prevent it in the first place may I suggest this heater https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009F1SWH8/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1
On an 803a it's 33-35% load on the 5k Watt setting.
I got mine from my local Tractor Supply for around $80 each.

I have a video load testing my 803a with 3 of those, if you want me to link it.

 

[mchlsprgn]

From what I've read on here 45 min is usually the minimum at 100% load, and usually that includes short periods at 133%.
4 hours is on the high end.

Putting a heater on it isn't a bad idea, personally I do a specific wet stack clearing with heaters while NOT attached to the house.

But if you're trying to prevent it in the first place may I suggest this heater https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009F1SWH8/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1
On an 803a it's 33-35% load on the 5k Watt setting.
I got mine from my local Tractor Supply for around $80 each.

I have a video load testing my 803a with 3 of those, if you want me to link it.

what do you mean 5k setting? Please link the video and how often do you do the wet stack clearing?

 

[mchlsprgn]

what do you mean 5k setting? Please link the video and how often do you do the wet stack clearing?

I get what you mean by 5 k setting ,5 k on the heater .

what do you mean 5k setting? Please link the video and how often do you do the wet stack clearing?

sometimes i'm a little slow