My Mep-803a standby generator project

[Zed254]

Well, still waiting on my fuel tank well nuts, ..............

On another note, I got my Noco Genius G7200 charger, and tied it into the slave connector contacts. I want to mount it inside the 803 housing to protect it, but also be easily able to plug it in. I found this nice plug on Amazon. turns out its made by Noco Genius as well! Nice unit, I'm impressed so far with there quality. It will make a clean install, I plan on installing it on the passenger side where there's already a hole plated off.

Daybreak may have some well nuts. For charging my batteries I use this connector and plug the charger into the NATO Slave Port: https://www.ctssurplus.com/products/hummer-battery-terminal-adapter-cable-assembly-j-6362-u-new

I don't have it permanently tied into the generator. Instead, I use it when I think the batteries need a charge.

If you turn the fuel pump switch on (and E switch and main switch inside machine) it will power the control panel: fuel gauge should drop to empty.

 

[Hard Head]

I use the 12 volt 2 battery charger units from NOCO or Pulse Tech. I found along time ago that one weak battery can cause a very good second battery to be over charged and like the saying goes put an idiot and a genius in the same room and 2 idiots will eventually walk out. Batteries are the same way. One bad will ruin the rest of them in series. So, I always keep my truck and generators plugged into chargers. I have never had an issue with either one of these units. A suggestion is to make filter basket to go in the drain hole and put scotch brite in it. Bugs including ants will not try to get thru that stuff and fluid leaks can get out. Also look at your storage box door on the right front of the unit and notice the air intake pattern. There is a very small gap so airflow is not balanced left to right on the engine / stator. I just cut the back of the storage box out like a picture frame and add aluminum expanded metal. You can still use the box and airflow is increased. I get it in small sheets from metalsdeport

https://www.metalsdepot.com/aluminum-products/aluminum-expanded-metal

I worked with MACI Research to analyse airflow for a hood design. That is when all the air issues came up that I was not aware of. From screen additions to filter materials. I would have thought that someone designing these units would have worked it all out. We are working on a new half flap hood for the MEP generators to replace the hood we currently use and make it easy to install and ship. It will lift via actuators when the generator is running and will keep rain, leaves, snow, etc out of the unit. I will post it once it is proven on all the Tactical models I normally sell 2-6.

 

[Chrispyny]

I can help with well nuts. Have some spare i’d part with for your emergency. Sent you PM.

 

[csheath]

On another note, I got my Noco Genius G7200 charger, and tied it into the slave connector contacts. I want to mount it inside the 803 housing to protect it, but also be easily able to plug it in. I found this nice plug on Amazon. turns out its made by Noco Genius as well! Nice unit, I'm impressed so far with there quality. It will make a clean install, I plan on installing it on the passenger side where there's already a hole plated off.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ANV81S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's a picture of the new MT-47/H5 batteries installed. I'm happy with the fit.
View attachment 714788

I like the look of these batteries with the terminals away from the block and covered. Are you having to pull them away from the engine with the tie downs to prevent them from contacting the unused engine mount tabs?

My Value Power group 26 batteries fit okay for my use but when they fail again (probably next year) I will be looking for another choice. The set I bought last December died just a day before being out of the one year free replacement so I got a new set to install. I have no need to tie mine down and they wouldn't fit with the tie downs any better than a wider battery. I have my unit in a semi permanent installation sitting on the ground.

I test mine every month and inspect for rodents but one of these days I want to drag it out and cover all the holes as you have. Rats can destroy a wiring system in one night. I have bags of moth balls in my unit but I'm not convinced that will keep them out.

 

[windyhill]

Batteries sit in there nicely it's close but there not touching the engine at all. Tie down is just snugged down, it's not titling battery or anything. Thanks Hard Head for this well throughout list of improvements. We have a big problem with stink bugs and ladybugs here, I like the scotchbright idea. I have some ss steel wool in the shop, that might work well to. Thanks for the help on well nuts Crispyny!

 

[windyhill]

I had some time to work on the 803 here's my ss screens installed. It was a bit of a pain to cut them perfectly to wedge in there and also to get the screen in place. I'm happy with the results. I did have to temporarily remove the hand throttle cable to get the one in on the left. A simple aluminum bar riveted in back holds them flat and in place.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Guyfang]

Just keep an eye on them. If you have bad pollen problems, or, say a cotton wood tree around, you can plug up the air intakes/exhaust ports. That is the reason they are there. To cool the main gen and engine. Should not be a problem as long as you look at it once in a while while running.

 

[windyhill]

Our main problems around here are stink bugs, lady bugs and mice. I don't have many trees at all around where the Generator will live so hopefully it will stay clean.

On another note: I've been doing lots of reading and it looks like 50A plug ends are used but to be really sure I should be using a 60A plug? Looks like I need a Nema 14/60 and should run 4/4 soow? (6/4 soow looks like its only rated for 45A?) From the looks of it, this receptacle only takes up to a 6awg wire?
Here's the ones I'm looking at, They don't seam very common vs the 50A travel trailer type.
https://www.stayonline.com/detail.aspx?id=4807
https://www.stayonline.com/detail.aspx?id=4749
Maybe I'm over thinking this, eventually I will be running conduit and 4 wire but want it mobil till I get my pad etc. figured out.

 

[Demoh]

On another note: I've been doing lots of reading and it looks like 50A plug ends are used but to be really sure I should be using a 60A plug? Looks like I need a Nema 14/60 and should run 4/4 soow? (6/4 soow looks like its only rated for 45A?) From the looks of it, this receptacle only takes up to a 6awg wire?
Here's the ones I'm looking at, They don't seam very common vs the 50A travel trailer type.
https://www.stayonline.com/detail.aspx?id=4807
https://www.stayonline.com/detail.aspx?id=4749
Maybe I'm over thinking this, eventually I will be running conduit and 4 wire but want it mobil till I get my pad etc. figured out.

I beat this subject to death a while back and also again when I was getting into the MEPs. Since I deal with commercial gens and breakout boxes sometimes ive noticed that lots of generators have the normal big boy lugs but also have 120v and 240v single phase convenience receptacles. The 240 are the california style twistlock 4 wire rated at 50amps. for a cord its CS6365 and CS6364. flange mount inlet is CS6375, receptacle is CS6369. Maybe this is the travel trailer type you are thinking about? I know the cords are readily available in 25 50 and 100' lengths with ends on them already. Gens are rated at 52amps and the cords are actually 6/3+8/1 that the generator / temp power guys use. I would think that they wouldnt be using anything unsafe especially whenever you go to a carnival these are some of the same cables they use for some of their smaller distributions. I went this route because its already common practice / standard around here even though the math doesnt quite check out. The connectors are great though as they are rated at full current connection and disconnection. To make it safe id look into what the rating for the overcurrent of the gen is rated at and if its much more than 50 amps then add a gen side 50a OCPD of some sort to appease any inspectors.

You will probably pay more for the twist locks instead of the straight blade, but I know if a client needed a gen I could roll my MEP to them and not have to change any wiring (and they pay me instead of their generator company who always fails to deliver) and if crap hit the fan and all my MEPs went down I could rent a gen from anywhere and connect it to my house.

 

[Hard Head]

Did you change your fuel return line when you had the panel off? There are 3 gauges that you can wire the light bulbs in.(fuel level, coolant temp, and oil pressure)https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?152783-MEP-802A-803A-gauge-lighting

 

[windyhill]

Demoh Thanks for this info! I seams like I'm over thinking it. I like the idea of a twist loc better then a straight plug and hadn't seen the CA type 50A style. Heard Head I just swapped out all the return lines for new and also wired up the gauges for light per info on this site!

 

[Chrispyny]

Demoh Thanks for this info! I seams like I'm over thinking it. I like the idea of a twist loc better then a straight plug and hadn't seen the CA type 50A style. Heard Head I just swapped out all the return lines for new and also wired up the gauges for light per info on this site!

Don’t forget to check if you have the ‘fuse mod’ with a MOV, metal oxide varistor.
You can find the threads on the subject here by doing a search.

 

[windyhill]

I didn't see a setup the way I wanted exactly for power so here's what I came up with. I wanted it to fit close to flush, and have the ability to be unplugged. I also didn't feel quite comfortable with running a 50A plug even though it would have probably been fine. I went with 4/4 SOOW from the panel to the generator with a 60A flat blade angle plug. I took a standard outdoor aluminum box traced the hole and cut it out to match my generator hole. I then ground off the tabs on the rear and mounted it with a gasket after painting it flat black. The wires are close but clear the hole, but just to be safe I slit a piece of heater hose and put in on the bottom edge of the hole to protect against vibration damaging the line. It was a bit of a pain to get everything in and mounted correctly and the receptacle shimmed out so the cover sealed properly, but I"m really happy with the results. I'm a bit retentive I know, but I also wanted to be able to return it to stock if I needed to and I can unbolt everything easily and do so this way.

Parts:
Receptacle: Hubbell HBL9460A (NEMA 14-60R)
Flip Cover: Hubbell HB7777A
Angle plug end: Hubbell HB9462C (NEMA 14-60P)

 

[69birdman]

Nice, clean job, I wanted something like that but could not find the right parts. I ended up installing 50amp box. I too did not want to modify the factory body ,so I used the existing bolts above inlet box, drilled alignment holes in the outlet box to match.

 

[jaxbill]

That's a nice looking job you did there. I was just debating wiring for 50A vs. 60A myself. Did you come across any weather proof covers that allowed that plug to be connected and covered at the same time? I'd like to be able to pre-stage my generator before a big storm and not worry about water intrusion. I currently have an inlet box on the side of my house that faces down.

 

[windyhill]

I had a heck of a time figuring it out. I did have one of those clear plastic in use covers that I could have made work, but I didn't want it sticking out 3-4 " past the exterior.

 

[dav5]

Nice, clean job, I wanted something like that but could not find the right parts. I ended up installing 50amp box.

There is a 70 amp GE box available with a breaker protected 50 amp receptacle plus a separate 20 amp receptacle that wouldwork well. There are several vendors on the big auction site

 

[Haoleb]

Nicely done. Thank you for documenting this.

 

[Hard Head]

I had a heck of a time figuring it out. I did have one of those clear plastic in use covers that I could have made work, but I didn't want it sticking out 3-4 " past the exterior.

Great job and high end quality parts. I use the 50 amp plug (which is under rated since you can easily pull 60 amps on these generators) since I also power my fifth wheel with an 803 and I can use my existing extension cords. The aluminum enclosure was the right choice since you don't have to worry about galvanic corrosion. I wrote Hubbell to get the max peak loading for their 50 amp products. I am pretty sure they will tell me to go with the 60 amp based on peak loads

 

[robson1015]