Mep003 not making electricity

Good afternoon everyone,

I won a genset at auction. (non running when I picked it up).

I purchased a new IP from Gimppy Robb. Had a Diesel Mechanic install it and got it running. The problem is there is no power being generated and it is beyond his skill set.
My question is, Does anyone know a good generator guy in or around the Atlanta, GA area?

Any help would be great!

Thanks

Is this your 1st MEP3? Are you familiar with the proper method of flashing the field during start-up? If so, are you certain that the engine speed is 1800 RPM? Did you measure voltage at the convenience outlet? Do you have the TM?

Just asking these questions in order to establish your experience level with these units---need to make sure operational error is not causing the no-power output situation.

Kevin

It may be something very simple like a push to reset circuit breaker that is not resetting. If you want we can guide you through a few simple things to check like this before paying someone a lot of money for a simple fix.

Ike

I am brand new at MEP generators so take what I am about to suggest accordingly. About 8 weeks ago I acquired a MEP 002A and a MEP 003A. Both had been sitting outside in an equipment yard for at least 3 years. Who knows how much longer they had been sitting somewhere else before they ended up in the equipment yard without being run. After spending several Saturdays getting the two engines to run properly neither would generate any power. I tired flashing the fields as specified in the TM's by holding the "START" switch "IN" for 15 seconds or so after the engine started. I tried several different times on each generator with no success.

As stated above I am brand new to MEP generators but not brand new to generators in general. This is what I did. Proceed at your own risk!!

I had an old 2-wire el-cheapo extension cord lying around the shop. I cut about 24 inches of cord off the plug end of the extension cord leaving the plug attached. I removed about 1/2 inch of insulation from each of the two wires. I plugged the plug into one of the convenience outlets on the generator. I started the generator and measured the AC voltage across the two wires. It was zero as anticipated. Then I took a 12V 7A.Hr gel cell battery (most any 12V battery will do) and QUICKLY touched one of the extension cord wires to the battery (-) and at the same time QUICKLY touched the other extension cord wire to the battery (+). The first time you do this I recommend that you add a 5- 10 ohm resistor in series with one of the extension cord wires to limit current, but if you are QUICK this is not necessary. You do not want to touch the two wires to the battery terminals any more than 1/2 a second at most.

I did this to my MEP 002A and my MEP 003A. Each time the generator fields "flashed" and the generator started generating voltage as indicated on the analog panel meter and by my Fluke 87 meter connected across the two bare ends of the extension cord. CAREFUL - ONCE THE FIELDS ARE FLASHED THERE WILL BE 120VAC ON THE BARE WIRES OF THE EXTENSION CORD! From that point forward the fields in each of my MEP generators have been properly "flashed" by holding the START switch "IN" for 5 - 10 seconds after the generator is started. THIS DID NOT WORK THE FIRST TIME.

My friend also bought a MEP 002A at the same time I bought my two generators. The fields in his MEP 002A would not "flash" either by holding the START switch IN. I took my extension cord contraption and my 12V burglar alarm backup gel cell battery over to his house and flashed the fields on his MEP 002A and it also started generating voltage. I assume that these 3 generators had been sitting idle so long that every bit of residual magnetism had been lost and the fields would not flash by the method recommended in the TM.

None of the 3 MEP generators has required manual flashing of fields since.

If you are not 100% sure you can do this without touching the bare wires of the extension cord once the fields are flashed, do not proceed.

There is a universal field flasher called Jam Labs E-Z field flasher for around $35. Plugs into convenience outlet of almost any generator, if you are going be reviving dead generators it is a safe easy way to go. Learned about it on smokstack and bought one, nifty little unit.

Since he brought the set to a diesel engine tech who didn't know not to, I'm guessing the tech most likely idled the engine for a while, so there's probably issues with the voltage regulator now.

Something else to try on generators that produce 0 voltage or need the field flashed. Is to take an old drill and plug this into the convenience outlet, turn the drill head by hand in the reverse direction. It will actually generate power and flow back into the generator. I've never had to do this on an MEP but it has worked several times on smaller consumer made generators.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...e-or-HZ-reading-on-meters&highlight=glow+plug

This thread may be helpful.

Do the test described at the top of page 4 of the thread. If you read through the thread it turned out I had bad diodes on the A4 Board. If that is what it is it is a very inexpensive fix.

ETA: This was on an 002 but I would guess the same test will work on the 003

I have an old 1950's vintage military Gen set (flat head Willy,s, don't know the #) that would not produce any voltage after sitting for years before I picked it up; it would not produce any operating voltage. I took 4 old ceramic speaker magnets and set them evenly spaced on the generator head and let them sit for about an hour. After I started the generator and ran at operating speed, the out put voltage slowly started to creep up and reached operating voltage within about 30 seconds. The unit has run fine ever since. This is a brush type generator head unlike the MEP 002's and 003's; don't know if it work for them.

3rdaavbn, not sure what your mechanical ability is, but you might want to look at the TM and try using a 9v battery to power the field to check for a VR problem.
Also, are you getting zero voltage, or do you get voltage while holding the start switch (flashing field) but immediately loose it as soon as you release the switch?
I had an 002A with a bad CVT and it would make power while flashing the field but it would cut out as soon as I released the switch. a new CVT from Craig a Tull fixed me right up!
You should study the TM and start testing the basics. Combine that with the vast knowledge of all the great guys on this site and you'll get it going in no time!

Thanks to all you guys for the great info! For what its worth, I also found a cool thing you can build yourself to flash the field.
Take two male 3 prong 110v plugs with about 5 feet of cord on each. Then wire in series 3 single light bulb sockets. Use 60 watt bulbs in each.
Start The Genset and get it up to temp. and 1800 rpm. then plug one male plug into generator outlet and the other plug into a live 110v outlet.
I will let you all know if it works.
Thanks again to all. I learned a lot this week!

Hey guys I’m new to the forum!
I recently acquired to Mep 003a
One has 121hr The other has 161hr
Bold have exactly the same problem no Voltage on Output terminals !
The gauges Are showing 60hz and 240v
The Convenience receptacle 110v
I did the field reset but exactly the same thing

Is the main breaker on? Have you read the user and service manuals? if not, you can download them from this site.

Kind of an old thread to jump on, but whatever....

Donely breaker I can locate is the ground fault circuit interrupter and a panel breaker. I don’t see any other breakers.And I have the service manual Cannot locate that main breaker or am I mistaken I don’t know any idea the location of it

The AC circuit breaker is the one above the convenience outlet. You might try exercising it a few times.

How are you measuring voltage across the output lugs?

How are you grounding genset?

BirdGardens said:

Donely breaker I can locate is the ground fault circuit interrupter and a panel breaker. I don’t see any other breakers.And I have the service manual Cannot locate that main breaker or am I mistaken I don’t know any idea the location of it

Click to expand...

Dude, there is no GFI on a MEP-002A. You need to read the books.

Anyway to bypass a4 to see if that is the problem?

tim24sanders said:

Anyway to bypass a4 to see if that is the problem?

Click to expand...

You could test it.