- 3,861
- 6,084
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- MA
Within reason... an 803 is an 803 any year. With that said... if you have a choice, Fermont made a better product (versus the earlier Libby models).
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Price for a 803A in good shape
- Thread starter jaxbill
- Start date
- 16,923
- 24,545
- 113
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- Burgkunstadt, Germany
Fremont ALLWAYS made a better gen set.
Before you go crazy bidding on unknowns consider what you can purchase a brand new diesel generator for. Hardy Diesel Generators is one source to look at. Note that their units are either single or three phase but not both. They also price muffler and enclosure kits separate.
I've been looking at them and Aurora. I think I would be into a well over $10,000 investment with either. I guess it really depends on what a MEP -803A in good shape will go for. I am hoping I would do a lot less than that. I think I can get a Kubota 11kW for $6K, albeit 3600 RPM, but it's a relatively small unit.
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- 6,862
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- 113
- Location
- Stratford/Connecticut
Once you start adding in acoustic case and an onboard tank the prices really rise. If you have somewhere to mount a gen and don't need the case and tank then they are a decent deal.
I've been searching the archives for awhile. Is there a 803A inspection checklist? I mean something lightweight for inspecting a unit you're considering to purchase.
I am reading through the TM more closely. I can use some logic to come up with things to check for each major system. I don't know exactly what you can visually see with doors open and what you can see without disassembling stuff.
I am reading through the TM more closely. I can use some logic to come up with things to check for each major system. I don't know exactly what you can visually see with doors open and what you can see without disassembling stuff.
Yeah you would have to add the $325 muffler kit but they have a drum kit for $129 and I think I could build an enclosure for way less than they sell them for.
- 2,543
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- Efland, NC
There is a 803 on a trailer listed on the charlotte Craigslist for $5500.
I've been watching 803a auctions for the last few months. I just picked up a sweet 2010 (like new) on the trailer for $3800. 91 actual hours, not reset, green camo paint isn't even faded. Oil looks new, fuel was even clean when I drained it. Bolts still have lines painted on them, there's not even a spider web in this thing! Must have been stored inside. I'm replacing return fuel lines, and bungs in fuel tank for longevity, and new batteries. But I don't even need to change fluids. I'm very happy with my machine. I think I got a good deal.
Excellent find.
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FloridaAKM
Well-known member
- 2,699
- 392
- 83
- Location
- Gainesville, Florida
Not par for the course either. Great genset for the price & condition, more people wish they were as lucky as you are on this auction results!
Was just reading back through your post and noticed the quoted comments. I think you will find the 60 amp circuit is just the supplemental heat strips. You should have a 40 amp circuit that runs the actual heat pump/ac unit including the evaporator and condenser fans. My MEP will start and run my 3.5 ton unit with a grunt during start but I don't think it would run the additional heat strip circuit. If power goes out with the temps in the twenties I will just have to be content with a system running non stop to keep the house at 60. If you want ALL the amenities of an all electric house during an outage you will probably need to pony up for a 24KW or larger unit.
I have load tested my 803 to 13,000+ and it will maintain voltage and hertz at such a load but I haven't run it long term at more than 40 amps. I think the MEP-803A is a great generator for us budget minded folks that can do the load management required to use them. It certainly outshines the gas or dual fuel units claiming to be 10,000 max. I bought one of those for my daughter and 10,000 watts will make it crash and burn but it will maintain a 8100 watt load.
So far we have had little need even for AC during the hurricane outages and no need for heat. Outside temps have been pretty mild but that doesn't mean it will always work out that way.
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Thanks. My panel isn't labeled all that well and I wasn't exactly sure. I do have a 40 amp circuit as you described. My heat strips are only 8,000 watts. Isn't that only 33 amps even though the breaker is much larger?
I was figuring I could run the strips and maybe the fridge with everything else shutoff. I think I can program my thermostat to lock out the heat pump and just turn the strips on with the blower, if needed. This is a good reminder to figure all of that out.
I learned something new about heat pumps today that *might* be relevant to sizing the load for a generator to some people in certain climates. Someone more knowledgeable about HVACs might be able to correct me but I think this is mostly correct.
I didn't realize that in very cold weather the condenser unit automatically defrosts itself by running the coolant in the reverse direction, which is actually air condition mode. I'll admit I didn't know it needed to defrost itself in the first place. It seems obvious in retrospect that drawing hot air from inside (just like it does all summer) is a good way to defrost the condenser.
Apparently the condenser unit outside triggers the heat strips independent of the thermostat settings/configuration. If the strips were disabled (via breaker or control wire), it's basically like turning the AC on for as long as the defrost cycle runs. Without the strips, I am guessing you'd actually reduce the temperature inside the house and ultimately waste fuel to bring the temp back up when the defrost cycle ends.
I read that defrost mode will trigger when the sensor inside the condenser reaches 32F. I actually don't know how long the cycle takes, how long it would try if it was really frozen up, or how often it could possibly trigger in a given time interval. I imagine there is some kind of hold down timer so it's not defrosting every 30 minutes but I have no idea.
I never anticipated the heat strips being enabled by anything except the thermostat (i.e. auxiliary heat mode when the thermostat realizes the pump is not keeping up with the user selected temperature OR when the user manually chooses "emergency heat" mode to disable the heat pump). Sure, it sounds like we can kill the breaker for the heat strips to avoid them ever coming on but I did not expect to create a situation where I will be cooling my house at the worst possible time and then using more fuel to heat it back up again.
My strips are only 8,000 watts @ 240V but this might be a bigger deal for folks with larger homes and strips with a much larger draw. I wasn't going to factor this into my load management kit setup but now I think I might. I don't mind shedding my 5,500 watt water heater (assuming it's active) and some other circuit so I can run the strips for a few minutes. I might even save generator fuel by avoiding the heating > cooling > re-heating cycle.
I didn't learn this the hard way during today's storm but this really reinforces a lesson about testing everything in as many situations as possible. It's easy to live in Florida and get caught up in testing for a hurricane but ignore the "once every 5 year" winter scenario.
I didn't realize that in very cold weather the condenser unit automatically defrosts itself by running the coolant in the reverse direction, which is actually air condition mode. I'll admit I didn't know it needed to defrost itself in the first place. It seems obvious in retrospect that drawing hot air from inside (just like it does all summer) is a good way to defrost the condenser.
Apparently the condenser unit outside triggers the heat strips independent of the thermostat settings/configuration. If the strips were disabled (via breaker or control wire), it's basically like turning the AC on for as long as the defrost cycle runs. Without the strips, I am guessing you'd actually reduce the temperature inside the house and ultimately waste fuel to bring the temp back up when the defrost cycle ends.
I read that defrost mode will trigger when the sensor inside the condenser reaches 32F. I actually don't know how long the cycle takes, how long it would try if it was really frozen up, or how often it could possibly trigger in a given time interval. I imagine there is some kind of hold down timer so it's not defrosting every 30 minutes but I have no idea.
I never anticipated the heat strips being enabled by anything except the thermostat (i.e. auxiliary heat mode when the thermostat realizes the pump is not keeping up with the user selected temperature OR when the user manually chooses "emergency heat" mode to disable the heat pump). Sure, it sounds like we can kill the breaker for the heat strips to avoid them ever coming on but I did not expect to create a situation where I will be cooling my house at the worst possible time and then using more fuel to heat it back up again.
My strips are only 8,000 watts @ 240V but this might be a bigger deal for folks with larger homes and strips with a much larger draw. I wasn't going to factor this into my load management kit setup but now I think I might. I don't mind shedding my 5,500 watt water heater (assuming it's active) and some other circuit so I can run the strips for a few minutes. I might even save generator fuel by avoiding the heating > cooling > re-heating cycle.
I didn't learn this the hard way during today's storm but this really reinforces a lesson about testing everything in as many situations as possible. It's easy to live in Florida and get caught up in testing for a hurricane but ignore the "once every 5 year" winter scenario.
- 737
- 14
- 18
- Location
- Bothell, WA
This is why my heat pump isn't hooked to the generator. 24,000W of strip heater...
Holy crap! I had no idea they made 24kW heat strips.
- 737
- 14
- 18
- Location
- Bothell, WA
Multiple kits.
eatont9999
New member
- 120
- 0
- 0
- Location
- DFW, Texas
I'm still trying to sell an 803A with a little over 5000 hours on it. Everything works and I refreshed it when I got it. I still have not had a serious buyer. I'm asking $3000 but will negotiate. People like to call on it, setup a showing and then fall off the planet.
- 869
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- Cooperstown NY
This will make you cry. My municipality is signed up with the Federal surplus donation program that enables us to requisition surplus as its released. We have first dibs on all surplus "after other Federal agencies" and what is not spoken for gets sent for public auctions that you all see. Yes we do pay a fee for the transfers to cover the paperwork but its very reasonable. In the last year I have picked up 3 trailer mounted gensets 802A, 803A, and an 804B all in great shape and low hours "less than 100hrs" for 5% of original government purchase price. That works out to be about $600, $750, $900 respectively. I keep these around for emergencies or as back ups for our communication towers. The 5K we find very handy and drag it with us to remote job sites that my department gets involved in. After 18 months the municipalities own them.