I bought a variety of outlets that I need to use with my MEP-016B and made a box. One side is for the 120 VAC single phase setting and the other side is for the 240 VAC single phase setting. On the 240 side the 120VAC duplex outlet shown takes one outlet off of L1 - L0 and the other outlet off of L2 - L0.
I bought a "pop rivet" style tool that sets the rivet nuts into the aluminum. Kind of cool. The aluminum is 0.040 anodized and the hardware is stainless.
Granted the 50 amp 240VAC outlet is being optimistic, but I already tested my Mig welder that takes this plug and the generator handles it fine using the smaller welding wire and lower settings. The other 240 VAC single outlet is for a 4kw heater. On the 120VAC side the big single outlet is a 30 A RV outlet for my camper.
The box is fed with a 10 x 4 cord with 30A twistlock connectors. DSCN2997.jpg
Very nice! Great craftsmanship.
Made something similar...
Still looking for a new generator head for my MEP-018.
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Bjorn
MEP-018A (needs new generator head)
Avatar: XM757 in OK prepared for 1,000 mile trip home. Part of 6,000 mile journey in 2006.
1968 M49A2C modified with 1960 M756A2 truck bed and 1975 HIAB 765A knuckleboom, exhaust brake and more. (SOLD)
1969 Ford XM757 8x8, 5-ton Pershing 1A truck tractor...the "improved MV".
"Some things can't be made better, just differently......a lot of things actually"
Being a lazy guy, I didn't bother making my boxes! Instead, I went to the local (Manchester NH) electronics surplus house and bought 3 three phase power distribution boxes! Each has outlets for each phase (it is designed for 120/208 input) and some nice circuitry to allow easy control of power. They also had nice 30 amp three phase breakers too.
I paid about $20 each (they were marked $40, but I buy so much stuff from the place they will give me good prices...) so there was no way I'd be able to 'make' it for that price.
Now not everyone will be lucky enough to find exactly what they need in a surplus house, but here are a few hints. Most (now obsolete) mini-computers, specifically DEC, but others too, were equipped with a power distribution box in the rack. These boxes can be found for between $5 and $25, and come in many configurations, both single phase and three phase. Grab one, and rewire it (I've done this myself with several of them...) The DEC ones have breakers, and a big contractor to control power with a low voltage control line.
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My name is Peter (AKA NEHOG), and I'm never going to grow up.
(And I can't read *p o s t s* easily because of the lack of contrast between the letters and the background!)
Very nicely done! By having this kind of adapter available, it's easy to use for you, and if you ever let someone else use it, they have a pretty good chance of success as well.
Being a lazy guy, I didn't bother making my boxes! Instead, I went to the local (Manchester NH) electronics surplus house and bought 3 three phase power distribution boxes! Each has outlets for each phase (it is designed for 120/208 input) and some nice circuitry to allow easy control of power. They also had nice 30 amp three phase breakers too.
I paid about $20 each (they were marked $40, but I buy so much stuff from the place they will give me good prices...) so there was no way I'd be able to 'make' it for that price.
Now not everyone will be lucky enough to find exactly what they need in a surplus house, but here are a few hints. Most (now obsolete) mini-computers, specifically DEC, but others too, were equipped with a power distribution box in the rack. These boxes can be found for between $5 and $25, and come in many configurations, both single phase and three phase. Grab one, and rewire it (I've done this myself with several of them...) The DEC ones have breakers, and a big contractor to control power with a low voltage control line.
Oh yeah, brings back memories. I lived in Dayton, OH and visited Mendelsons Surplus. I could stay in there for days. It's huge, 5 floors in an old factory! Right next to WPAFB so tons of stuff. Electrical, mechanical, fasteners, wire cable, pennies on the dollar. Once bought two loaded three phase breaker panels loaded with 20A to 50A Allen Bradley three phase breakers - $75.00 total. bolts and nuts by the pound at near scrap prices! motors at $10.00 per Hp!
Sometimes the guys at the counter would just look at it and name a price!
Have you considered using the input plug relaiance and others make instead of having the dangeling pigtail
What I did on my set is to have two 40 ft cables ending in 3-phase 30 amp connectors. Then each of my boxes has plugs like you describe. The advantage here is that I can use the boxes (and have 40 ft of wire to move them around) or connect my house's transfer switches without having each box needing lot's of wire. Works well!
(BTW, I did wire up two cables (30 amp each) to the generator, and two transfer switches in the house, and have four outlet boxes as well...)
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My name is Peter (AKA NEHOG), and I'm never going to grow up.
(And I can't read *p o s t s* easily because of the lack of contrast between the letters and the background!)
Electrical Outlet Box
