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Just got my first genset MEP-831A

P

paraclete comes

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Well I wanted a generator for a long time and can now justify getting one. Plan to use if for back up power to our home. It's a smaller one but hopefully it will suit our modest needs. Picked up a MEP-831A which I was using in the Corps as recently as 2013. So these guys are still in service and I don't see much talk of using them here. It's a 3KW model although word on the street is that's under rating them. I got one with 174 hours on it. Pictures looked great! I'm on deployment now so had to she'll out the cash to have FastTtack logistics recover, pack and deliver. So far they have been great with a few minor issues which they quickly fixed. I'm paying them a dollar a pound plus residential delivery fee which comes to apx $350.00 for a 270lbs generator. Which given the current situation doesn't upset me or thrill me as I prefer to recover my own stuff. But ohh well.

I won't it with all the fees at $1,300.00ish which was higher than I wanted to go but far cheaper than what I looked at ordering and hopefully more robust. Plan to run a fridge, deep freeze and whatever lights we run in the house. We run radiant floors and heat mainly with wood and propane as a back up. So I'm thinking this little quiet (tactical ASK) genset should handle that and it's a fuel sipper. I figure I ca. Cycle on the deep freeze and fridge if I need to on initial start up if required. Still have to do the math on that.

What I'd like to know is if anyone has any use of these things and reviews or suggestions? I also want to get an electrician to the house to wire it up but not on automatic start up. Thanks in advance guys and anyone know how I can submit the mep-831a manual to ss for other guys to download?​
 
rustystud

rustystud

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I have never seen one myself, so I cannot comment on it, but I would like to look at that manual you have ! Maybe in a few more years these units will come up for sell here in Washington.
 
Ratch

Ratch

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I think a bunch of these just went from Ft Meade. They look like interesting little units.
If they're the one's I'm thinking of, the Yanmar engine is pretty good. I had one on a MEP-016d that was really easy to start by hand (witht he decompression lever). NOT quiet, though. It was possibly louder than my MEP-002.
Otherwise, I don't really know anything about them... But I pictured mounting one on my basement wall with a mini transfer switch just to run the well pump and the boiler. Run the fuel directly in from my heating oil tanks, plumb the exhaust out to a vent near the chimney or something.
 
sigo

sigo

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I was the custodian of several owned by Uncle Sam. Great generators, exceptionally quite compared to the MEP-016B or D. I would call them underrated but not to the extent that MEP-803/PU-798 or larger TQGs are underrated. Don't expect miracles from a 3kw generator and you won't be disappointed. I'd like to get an 831 myself and give up my LOUD MEP-016D. Enjoy!
 
Chief_919

Chief_919

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S

s205designs

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I've been looking at these for a while but not sure if it is worth upgrading. I currently have a 16D as well, how quiet are these things really? Do you think it would be worth the upgrade premium even with the complexity of the inverter?

Also does anyone know how well 831s handle surge current? I know variable speed generators sometimes have issues with this...

sigo said:
I was the custodian of several owned by Uncle Sam. Great generators, exceptionally quite compared to the MEP-016B or D. I would call them underrated but not to the extent that MEP-803/PU-798 or larger TQGs are underrated. Don't expect miracles from a 3kw generator and you won't be disappointed. I'd like to get an 831 myself and give up my LOUD MEP-016D. Enjoy!
Click to expand...
 
Chief_919

Chief_919

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s205designs said:
I've been looking at these for a while but not sure if it is worth upgrading. I currently have a 16D as well, how quiet are these things really? Do you think it would be worth the upgrade premium even with the complexity of the inverter?

Also does anyone know how well 831s handle surge current? I know variable speed generators sometimes have issues with this...
Click to expand...
The difference in noise levels is very big. 16d is about 79-80db, 831A is 69db at full load, even quieter with less load.
 
P

paraclete comes

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thanks and will do. Not looking for it to do anything crazy, we heat off of wood anyway. Mainly a backup for the fridge and well, maybe a few lights. Im hoping it will do that. We had a couple of these while I was in and I always thought they were handy little units and figured if I ever saw one for auction I would go after it. Sure enough one popped up and I got it for a fair price I think. Its super clean and has actually only 79 hours on it, looks new actually except for the GL grafitti.
 
P

paraclete comes

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OK so after many calls I have some info for guys on this mep931a battery. The original battery is a concorde aircraft battery rg-24-15a1 which is sold only to the military and not sold to any of the concorde distributors. It is exactly the same as the civilian available rg-24-15 battery with one exception. The rg-24-15 has an aircraft type battery terminal which is a number 8 metric bolt set up. SO if you want to run the civilian battery you need to purchase a two 5/16'' ring terminals and put them onto the generators battery cables after you remove the staandard automotive type connectors.

Uncle sam specifically asked for a standard auto battery hook up on these batterys thus the A1 model, but again this rg-24-15 will be exactly the same in size and performance, just convert the generators cable hook ups.

Also spoke to the concorde battery tech. He said dont buy a surplus battery more than two years old as sulfur build us is bound to be bad. There is an ebay seller selling these alomsot three years old sop be aware. He did say however you can de-sulfate them using high voltage charger like 50 to 60 volt at ten percent of the batterys rating for 16 hours. So you would need to give it 1.3 and run it up to about 33 or 34 volts for about 16 hours to recover it.

He also says throw a solargizer on a new battery to prevent sulfur build up on thses. Its going to run me $519.00 from aircraft spruce for one. I have used them before and they are friendly folks with quick shipping.
Aircraft Spruce WESTCoronaCA877-477-7823http://www.aircraftspruce.com

 
T

TooMuchWork

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Wow. I would never imagine ever having to spend $500 on such a small battery. You may be able to ask around and get one for free or very cheap at a small local airport mechanic shop as most of the newer high performance planes are 24 volt from the factory and if someone has the money to buy such a plane they often don't mind taking the hit to get a new battery when their old battery gets a little weak. I for one don't mind an older battery that used to crank a 300+hp Lycoming for the little 7hp Yanmar. I too am looking for an additional 24volter. Best of luck.

Brian
 
P

paraclete comes

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Thanks and will do. These batter's are used on everything from Cessna 182's to pipers and even beechcraft. So ill locate one eventually. Even if I come out $500 I won't loose to much sleep. It will be new and last a very long time. I want a trusty battery on my emergency generator. But again I do like good deals so I'm still looking
 
Ratch

Ratch

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$519 for a battery sounds like it was made for government and wealthy people's hobbies. I just installed highly specialized (12v) batteries with a 10 year lifespan for just under $300 each, and I thought that was crazy. When I spend almost $400 on a Deka 905D I grumble.
I would definitely keep looking. We replace our 10-year batteries every 5-years at work, so right now I have 30 very reliable 12v batteries in my meps and jeep. If you can find someone that does the same aggressive preventive maintenance, and they sure do aggressive PM on aircraft, you shouldn't have to spend that much.
 
P

paraclete comes

Member
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southern ca
Ratch said:
$519 for a battery sounds like it was made for government and wealthy people's hobbies. I just installed highly specialized (12v) batteries with a 10 year lifespan for just under $300 each, and I thought that was crazy. When I spend almost $400 on a Deka 905D I grumble.
I would definitely keep looking. We replace our 10-year batteries every 5-years at work, so right now I have 30 very reliable 12v batteries in my meps and jeep. If you can find someone that does the same aggressive preventive maintenance, and they sure do aggressive PM on aircraft, you shouldn't have to spend that much.
Click to expand...
Good advice. I'm going to ask around at my local airport to see what I can locate. Otherwise ill pull the trigger on a new one despite the obscene price. I've got the generator and don't trust expired ebay batterys so hopefully maintained unit can be had from some guys Cessna lol.
 
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