MEP005a Information

[toms]

I'm looking into buying a mep005a to run two houses.
One house is all electric and has a four ton a/c unit, my home uses gas on all major appliances, and has a three ton a/c unit.
The generator would be used for hurricanes so heat useage is not an issue. My question is there much of a danger of this generator wet stacking if both central units would be off for thirty minutes or so.
Thanks
Tom

[Ken86gt]

I have a MEP-005 that I use for 1 house and it is far too big- but I can turn everything on.... I think two house's would be a good fit, but you need to do a proper load assessment to be sure. If you put the gen into a single phase configuration you can get a rated 104 amps per leg but it could support 120% for quite a while. You may find the cost of wire to be an issue. I priced out 4 conductor 2 awg SO cord at around $10/ft and it is only rated to 80 or 85 amps depending on the insulation. So 100 ft would cost about $1000. I paid about that for my gen.

---------- Post added at 08:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:55 PM ----------

One more thing to consider is the fuel- it is rated to use 2.85 gal/hour at 100% load.

[toms]

At present both my neighbor and I are set up with 50 amp hook ups. We both use portable generators to power our homes during power outages. My plan is to set the generator to single phase and install a breaker panel with plugs that we both can plug into. I have made up cords for both of us that we have used several times. The fuel burn would probably be less than the 15 and 10kw portables we use now. The problem I have now is, generac has told me not to plug any thing sensitive into my 15kw portable. It seems there is a problem with that generator with harmonics and it could damage sensitive electronics.
I going to try to pick a mep005a on a trailer at auction this month. It sounds like wet stacking might not be a problem with this load. I am sure it will make much cleaner power than the portable.
Thanks
Tom

[Isaac-1]

I personally would not pick a MEP-005 for your intended application, they have a reputation of wet stacking if not regularly ran at a large fraction of their rated load (well over 50%), some units are worse than others, also they must be modified to output single phase power (simple modification of the reconnection board), but still you are then running in a mode outside the design specs with no idea how much if any you should derate the output for single phase mode. And to put matters simply you need another neighbor or two to provide enough of a load to avoid wet stacking. The military is very conservative in their ratings, this unit is rated to run 30KW 24x7 in extreme conditions for the service life of the unit, any commercial unit built like this would likely be rated in the 45KW or higher range.

Ike

[toms]

Thanks for your input. I am also looking into the MEP 003a for my house to replace my Generac 15kw portable. What are your ideas on this?
Tom

[Isaac-1]

A MEP-003a would have no problem starting either a 3 or 4 ton air conditioner unit assuming it is fairly modern (older units pulled a lot more amps), if they are both fairly new chances are it could run both at the same time as long as they did not both cycle and start at the exact same moment as well as a basic load of refrigerators, lights, etc. This would be a much better fit for disaster emergency power than the MEP-005a. One thing you should know about all of these MEP series generators, they are loud even in the optional ASK housings.

The military rates the MEP-003 at 10KW (this is 10KW 24x7x the service life of the unit), Onan offered 15 - 17.5 KW standby generators powered by the civilian version of the same block (standby ratings are for up to 500 hours of operation per year), draw whatever conclusion you would like about the military conservatism on output specs, personally I feel it is safe to say the MEP-003 is capable of at least 12.5 KW in any standby service, and may be capable of 15KW or more with about 200% motor starting capacity, but I would not want to risk finding the weak link with sustained operaiton at that level. By comparison your portable is probably optimistically rated with a PEAK output of 10 or 15 KW, meaning it can output that much for the few seconds needed while starting a motor, or compressor.

Ike

[toms]

Thanks for the reply. I'm familiar with the water cooled versions of the onans, they weren't that quiet either. I've always said after the a/c starts when a hurricane goes through, you won't hear the generator any more. My portable has a 30 hp air cooled engine, so it's not quiet either. I would rather listen to four cylinder diesel at 1800 than a 3600 rpm engine any way. My truck is diesel,so I can always use the excess fuel.
Tom

[BTPost]

Just a NOTE, here: The civilian Onan air Cooled DJF Gensets are rated at 15Kw MAXimum Power, and only the Liquid Cooled Onan RDJF Gensets were rated at 17.5 Kw. Just Say'en..... YMMV....

[amolaver]

if the cost of wire isn't prohibitive, and you have a good/safe way to connect them to your homes, i would think an 005 would be a good fit once reconnected to single phase. i've got an 003 for an all electric house with a 5yr old 4 ton heat pump, and if the heat pump is running (in AC mode - we would burn wood for heat if needed), and someone takes a shower - triggering both the well pump and water heater - along with all our other typical loads running (but no range or electric clothes dryer), the 003 is about at max output.

i'd think if you exercise the 005 for a couple of hours each month with both houses online, you'll have no issues with wet stacking. i believe the whole problem is rather overblown, and even if there is an accumulation of unburnt fuel in the exhaust, a couple of hours at high load and it will burn right off. might smoke some, but nothing i'd be concerned about. the military did an investigation into it (the report is available as a PDF somewhere) and found it simply was not a factor in the service life of the equipment barring extreme conditions (thousands of hours in the single digit percent load type of scenario).

ahm

[toms]

Thanks for your input. I bought a mep003a this week I will post on the board with an oil question.

[NYDieselHead]

MEP003QA is better to power a full house...even with electric heat and ACs...You can get all the manuals here...You can also purchase MEP002A and MEP003A here as well...They are based out of VT, but they do a really thorough job of refurb and testing...Not the cheapest, but it's nice to get a fantastic unit that you know works...vs taking your chances at GovLiq...

[Gene O. Carpenter]

NYDieselHead,,Thanks for the information about the manuals and MEP002A & the MEP003A....Now if you could say where and how to contact them it sure would help! I have a small collection of 4 gen set's from a 4000kw Onan up to a 18.75kw Holgar, which almost killed me..Put me out of commission for about 3 years,along with and combined with other medical problem's...I want to try my luck with a diesel unit!! Thank you GeneO.. PS: I started this about 5:30 and finally finished at 11:25,,was a real quick reply! :<)

[Power]

Originally Posted by Gene O. Carpenter

a 18.75kw Holgar, which almost killed me..Put me out of commission for about 3 years,

Please Tell us about this - maybe we can learn something that will save our ...

[leedawg]

agreed I am very curious how you almost killed yourself and put you out for 3 years. Did you get severely electrocuted?

[nehog]

Originally Posted by leedawg

... Did you get severely electrocuted?

Just to pick a nit...

the term 'electrocuted' means dead! So your statement says "did you get severely dead?" (which is kinda funny, when you think about it...)

I too would be interested in what the accident was, and how it affected the poster. I know of someone who was hit by a high-tension line, he was out for months (not years) and still has after-effects, such as a loss of taste (which kinda sucks, since he was a chef and now can't cook since he can't taste what he's cooking!)

[Gene O. Carpenter]

Sorry for the late answer but the Dr has limited the time I can stay on line..Say's "it's bad for the circulation in the leg's..I tend to get date's out of sequence now.. Also sorry for this long recitation but it's all relevent to answer the question!

I had slowly been starting to feel ill for some time,month's & month's, but hate Dr's & refused to go find out what was physicly(spell?) wrong.
I had gone up to NY with my son David to pick that 18KW Holgar up & noticed my lower legs were burning..Thought it was the heater,so he turned it off. We loaded that beast up & made it home..That was when the legs really started bothering me!

The next day I set it upright on the Gen end & tore the engine apart, over next 2-3 day's I prepped everything to ck & started to reassemble..I placed the right cyl on the block & started to turn around when some movement caught my eye..The beast was starting to fall over in my direction, I could'nt get out of the way, I tried to stop it, which of course I was not able to do!
It pushed me down onto a bench & was leaning on my knee."It almost killed me"! I hollered for help & my 2 neighbors got it off me..I decided to call it quits for the day!

Well I felt it that along with the sick feeling I had been having for months. I Passed out & woke up 3 day's later in the hospital with tubes & black iron pipe in every orifice that I have.Even had a Copper tube inserted you know where and attached to a boiler..Can laugh at it now but not then!

I was there for 3 weeks ,,then to a nursing home for 4 months where I learned to walk again, went home for almost 3 weeks & had a relapse, back to ER for 3 days ,up stairs for a week & back to the nursing home for 3 more month's
This happened 3 times, it got so I knew the whole staff at that home..The night nurses used to sneak me ice cream cups every night..I still managed to lose over 200 LBS..
I was home for 2 weeks when Shain died..See my photo's to see him, was a great friend & companion.Best canine friend I ever had

.Nine months later & my wife of 53 years died..She was the "love of my life" & I miss her more than I thought possible.

Last Aug or Sept they took me out to spend 2 weeks with my 2nd daughter Gail that lives in Brookville Pa..She lives on Rt 25( I think) that's the rd from BVille to Coolsprings,so many of you that visit the show pass right by her house..

Anyway I was there for a week & damned legs went again..Her & my G-daughter Jess took care of me til I came home to NJ in March..During my stay I decided,with Gails encouragment, to move there with her..The other 3 kids even brought a lot of my tools & small wood working machine tools out there in anticipation of my move.

I was going to pack & or throw away my "junk"..I've thought it over & as much as I like the area, the idea, I realized that I'm just too old to pull up almost 55 years of root system in this damned NJ soil..
I have to rethink whether to make the move or not..

Has anyone else been in this delima? To move or not to move,that is my question!

Hope to hear from someone that has been in the same situation!


GeneO
PS: Now I'm paying my grandson to reassemble it..
PS;PS; I became a GGrandpa last week, my 1st GGdaughter

[Wayne 440]

I haven't been in your situation, but I have seen (many times) what can happen. Here are two things to think about.

(1) IF you want to decide what happens to your stuff - sell it, give or throw it away while you still can. After you are sick or deceased, someone else who may not know or care much about your "junk" will get rid of it, and the results may not be what you prefer.

(2) Your choice of caregiver is usually more important than where you are. Pick who ever can and will give you the best care, and relocate if that makes it easier for them.

The not so genteel version-

(1) Put your good "junk" in good hands-or it will go to the dump.

(2) It is bad enough when you have to wipe someone's @ss, without being miles from home to do so.

[Power]

I say distribute your "junk" as you see fit, giving it to those who will appreciate it. Before you dispose of any, please let us know. I and several others are within 2 hours of Red Bank.

[nehog]

I tend to agree with the two posts above... I had a heart attack in April (thank goodness, I'm now doing much better though for a few months I was afraid I'd not be doing much of anything!) and I can say if your daughter wants you, this may well be the best thing.

I too have decided to simplify, I'll probably sell one of my (two) Hummers, which will make things easier for us (my wife and I) and though I'm sure I'll have seller's remorse when it goes I'll also know that there will come a time when I have to get rid of much more.

Do what you have to, remember that family is the most important thing!

[Richard L]

Originally Posted by toms

Thanks for your input. I bought a mep003a this week I will post on the board with an oil question.

Send me an Email and I will send you the full set of manuals.
The Mep 3 is a great unit. I have been through a dozen of these and the biggest problem I have found is that you will need to sit down and read the manuals to understand the unit and how it operates. Also the Manuals have errors in them that will have you tearing your hair out. Parts are availible, and there is the option to update the VR and other circuits to get back to the basics, and not have to deal with the over engineered mess.
You need to understand that the Military designed these to replace a unit and not a component,ie the control box,power outlet box etc. They just unbolted the unit and replaced it, as they are not really repairable in the field ,generally speaking.Very few of the wiring diagrams that were attached to the top of the control panel are readable, and the one in the manual is small. Best thing to do is to have the wiring diagram blown up to 17 x 24 and make a few copies.
Also on the wiring diagram they have broken it down to where on the right you have engine electrical,controls etc, and on the left the AC and control circuits for the Gen end.
Regarding the output capability. I hooked up one to my newly acquired load bank, and decided to see what one would really do. 17.5 KW 120/240 I had smoke indicating the engine was at full load, backed off to 15 KW,and it ran with no problems , throwing a 12 kw load to it was no problem had room to spare.
Have fun
R