- 293
- 29
- 28
- Location
- Odessa/Texas
If it were me I would pickup some wire labels at home improvement store and label the wires at the boot of connector.
-
Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!
MEP831A recoil start, bleed fuel lines
- Thread starter NATCAD
- Start date
NATCAD
Active member
- 241
- 50
- 28
- Location
- Port Huron Michigan
I was going to transfer one wire by one from old speed control to new speed control, and also label them as Afghan suggestsDon't do it running.
Sorry, couldn't resist. The main thing is to make sure all power is off before doing the work. Hopefully all the wires are clearly labeled. One of the tricks I do is to run a strip of tape down both sides of all the wires which helps keep them in order.
Double and triple check to make sure all the wires are in place correctly.
Once you have it up and running go through the TM and verify that the mechanical governor on the engine is adjusted properly THEN adjust the electronic governor.
NATCAD
Active member
- 241
- 50
- 28
- Location
- Port Huron Michigan
I will do so
NATCAD
Active member
- 241
- 50
- 28
- Location
- Port Huron Michigan
Do you guys think I should mess with the factory battery any further? I.e. Use it? I have it AGM trickle charged up to 25v now using the noco 7.2 amp charger. I am worried I killed the original speed controller with trying to use the alternator to charge the low voltage battery.
- 293
- 29
- 28
- Location
- Odessa/Texas
I would just get a new battery after your set is running good, I used a pair of SLA-12v18 batteries. I kinda doubt that fried the controller, these things crap out for some other reason.
- 16,755
- 24,064
- 113
- Location
- Burgkunstadt, Germany
I have started to jump in here three times. Wrote something up, and deleted it. I concure 1000% with Dieseladdict. But the one thing I have waited to add, is this. Unless you have wired the original governor yourself, check the wires against the wire diagram. I can not count the times I have had it happen to me, or I came in behind some one who did it. All it takes is one second of non concentration, and two wires are in the wrong place. Then the next guy comes along, and repeats the mistake. Take the time to look at the wire diagram, print a copy off and have it at hand. Can't hurt, is probably over kill, but I learned the hard way. Check everything. Trust nothing. THEN when you are done, your done. Just my two cents.
NATCAD
Active member
- 241
- 50
- 28
- Location
- Port Huron Michigan
I like it, that is what I will do. Also the wires each have a printed label on them already.
NATCAD
Active member
- 241
- 50
- 28
- Location
- Port Huron Michigan
Hi guys, back from holiday in NL (they have almost no mains power outages due to buried mains) and I put the governor in today - did the calibration as per GAC website:
http://www.governors-america.com/documents/PIB1007 A SLC100 3 kW Gen Set.pdf
Generator runs beautifully now!
Also, I had a weird thing happen, I forgot to move the operation switch from stop to "RUN" (still recoil starting) but the generator still started...! How could this happen?
Anyways I didn't take any notice of this until I measured the A&B voltages and they were 115 or so instead of 200 (inverter voltage selector at 240) that is when I shut down unit using magnet manually and restarted with the run switch on "RUN"
Any thoughts on how it could start?
I am searching for the appropriate hardware to connect my SLA 12v-20 batteries to the factory battery cables.
- 2,145
- 3,526
- 113
- Location
- Pepperell, Massachusetts
If the target is off the magnet the set will start/run for a bit regardless of the position of the RUN/STOP switch.
One of my 831's wouldn't shut down even with the switch in the STOP position because of a No Fuel fault.
With a No Fuel fault power is dropped to the governor controller.
Last edited:
NATCAD
Active member
- 241
- 50
- 28
- Location
- Port Huron Michigan
Thanks for the clarity! The no fuel fault design seems a bit redundant then!
The engine ran at a very low rpm maybe 1800-1900 and sounded just like the yanmar in our sail boat
- 2,145
- 3,526
- 113
- Location
- Pepperell, Massachusetts
Just put a new SCL100 in one of my 831A's with a faulty governor controller.
Found I had to back the Gain off a bit more than specified as it would idle down really low when dropping the 3K load and then surge back up just before stalling.
Once I backed off the Gain it idled down smoothly when dropping the 3K load.
The old controller kept the engine at ~WOT. Actuator voltage pegged at about 27 VDC. Adjusting the Speed Pot had no affect.
Trying to dry it out now in a food dehydrator to see if moisture is the problem in the Speed Pot.
Trying 120 degrees F for 8 hrs to see it it's a moisture issue.
Found I had to back the Gain off a bit more than specified as it would idle down really low when dropping the 3K load and then surge back up just before stalling.
Once I backed off the Gain it idled down smoothly when dropping the 3K load.
The old controller kept the engine at ~WOT. Actuator voltage pegged at about 27 VDC. Adjusting the Speed Pot had no affect.
Trying to dry it out now in a food dehydrator to see if moisture is the problem in the Speed Pot.
Trying 120 degrees F for 8 hrs to see it it's a moisture issue.
Last edited:
NATCAD
Active member
- 241
- 50
- 28
- Location
- Port Huron Michigan
Cool let us know how it works out
- 2,145
- 3,526
- 113
- Location
- Pepperell, Massachusetts
Re-installed it, started the unit, tuned it per the instructions and it's working perfectly so far.
Currently running it with a 3K load and periodically opening and re-closing the contactor to be sure it throttles up and down smoothly without surging or hunting.
So far so good at about 20 minutes into the run.
Will post up any further run results (good or bad).
Currently running it with a 3K load and periodically opening and re-closing the contactor to be sure it throttles up and down smoothly without surging or hunting.
So far so good at about 20 minutes into the run.
Will post up any further run results (good or bad).
Last edited:
boatman69
New member
- 97
- 9
- 0
- Location
- Cape Coral, Fl
Opening and closing the contactor while under load is not recommended.
NATCAD
Active member
- 241
- 50
- 28
- Location
- Port Huron Michigan
I am excited to see if this works after several hours of running + a few weeks of sitting and running again. I kept my bad speed control module and will dry it out over time as well if this works.
- 16,755
- 24,064
- 113
- Location
- Burgkunstadt, Germany
Opening ANY contacts under load is not good.
- 2,145
- 3,526
- 113
- Location
- Pepperell, Massachusetts
Good point. Reverted to toggling the heaters off and on for the remainder of the hour long run.
Controller behaved perfectly for the run. Smooth RPM increases and decreases based on the load applied.
Will do additional tests in the coming days and weeks and will post updates.
Will be letting it sit in the garage between runs.
Controller behaved perfectly for the run. Smooth RPM increases and decreases based on the load applied.
Will do additional tests in the coming days and weeks and will post updates.
Will be letting it sit in the garage between runs.
Last edited:
- 2,145
- 3,526
- 113
- Location
- Pepperell, Massachusetts
As suggested I let the 831 sit un-used for about 3 weeks in the garage.
Wheeled it outside today, fired it up and it started and idled properly.
Let it warm up for a few minutes, no surging at all.
I then applied a 3,000 watt load to it (two 1,500 watt heaters). As expected the RPM's went up to handle the load.
For the next hour I switched the heaters off and after a minute or two back on to see if the governor was happy.
Each time the governor smoothly adjusted the engine RPM for the load. Not a single surge during the entire run.
Wheeled it outside today, fired it up and it started and idled properly.
Let it warm up for a few minutes, no surging at all.
I then applied a 3,000 watt load to it (two 1,500 watt heaters). As expected the RPM's went up to handle the load.
For the next hour I switched the heaters off and after a minute or two back on to see if the governor was happy.
Each time the governor smoothly adjusted the engine RPM for the load. Not a single surge during the entire run.
Last edited:
- 16,755
- 24,064
- 113
- Location
- Burgkunstadt, Germany
I used to dry the relay boxes on the Patriot missile launchers at home. I would gut the box, remove everything. Clean things up. Sand the areas that were my grounds. Use RTV to close up every single possibility of a hole allowing moisture in the box. Then put a bag of desiccants in the box. Put the whole thing in the air convection oven, (not that my wife was wild about this) and let it set at a real LOW setting. It never got hot enough to make you drop it, but stayed hot for 5-6 hours. Then applied RTV to the lid, and screwed it down. All this to get a box to work longer than a few weeks here in germany. Between the rain, humidity, and field problems, the boxes were driving us wild. If you can't emplace the launcher landing legs, it just a large paper weight.
Once I had perfected this high tech method of improving the United States Air Defence System's, Premier Air Defence System, every Warrant in the Battalion was "cooking" at home. An arm full of relay boxes every night for several weeks. What a joke. BUT, it worked.
Once I had perfected this high tech method of improving the United States Air Defence System's, Premier Air Defence System, every Warrant in the Battalion was "cooking" at home. An arm full of relay boxes every night for several weeks. What a joke. BUT, it worked.
NATCAD
Active member
- 241
- 50
- 28
- Location
- Port Huron Michigan
I had a dead fuel pump (primary) on the 831a. 23v at the connector for pump (after cranking for no-start) and no noise, no tick, no thump from the facet. I'm guessing it is done.
Is there any other replacement aside from the facet?
Best price I could find was here:
https://fuelpumper.com/40151-facet-cube-solid-state-fuel-pump/
[h=1]40151 Facet Cube Solid State Fuel Pump for $75.68 +shipping.[/h]
EDIT:
found $53 one here : https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=8051
Anything special I need to do when I change it?
I am going to remove the aux fuel house/grounding rod tray and likely leave it off as it is not in use and taking up room.
Is there any other replacement aside from the facet?
Best price I could find was here:
https://fuelpumper.com/40151-facet-cube-solid-state-fuel-pump/
[h=1]40151 Facet Cube Solid State Fuel Pump for $75.68 +shipping.[/h]
EDIT:
found $53 one here : https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=8051
Anything special I need to do when I change it?
I am going to remove the aux fuel house/grounding rod tray and likely leave it off as it is not in use and taking up room.