Finally bought a MEP-831a

So, I bought a MEP-831a from Ebay. Going to be at least a few weeks before it gets here, in the mean time I need run some things by this fourm. The set has 7Hrs on it, has no battery so im needing that. I figure some SLA PS-12180 NB 12V 18AH battery's should work out nicely, way cheaper than trying to find a 24 volt one. I orderd a Solargizer IS-24-L to maintains battery when it outside, also getting a Waterproof Power Battery Tender Plus 24V 2.5A for when it indoors unit might be indoors for up to a year in some situations. I dont want to charge threw the slave port I plan to mount it inside unit, just need to figure out if i want to mount a plug on it for 120VAC for charging maybe an amphenol connector(recommendations on type of connector needed). As for fuel I'm thinking about using the aux fuel line connected to a Scepter fuel can with a (MEP002A-MEP003A-Universal Milspec Bung Adapter and 2 Brass Sections for Aux Fuel Kit) from Green Mountain Generator. Is that compatible with that fuel can?

Any recommendations/corrections would be greatly appreciated, TIA



I also plan to document all progress on this forum.

The bung adapter advertised by GMGs will work fine with a specter fuel can. An Amphenol connector (cannon plug) would be a clean application, make sure it has at least 3 pins and buy a mated set. They are hard to source independently (male/female).

Something you should know about the aux. fuel source connections on most(if not all) MEP sets. The generator is always running off of the "day tank" or the on board fuel tank. The aux. fuel connection is used to maintain fuel in the day tank. This is so the aux. fuel source can be "Hot Fueled" or filled while the generator is still running. I suggest you find an operators manual and read it thoroughly cover to cover. MEP sets are not like commercial or civilian generators, they are much heavier duty and have different procedures in their use.

How abut one of these for a power inlet?
http://www.amazon.com/NOCO-Genius-G...qid=1459539040&sr=1-4&keywords=rv+power+inlet

The manuals for this gen set are in the forum. And if not, let me know, I have all of them. I can post them in the forum. Gunzy hit it on the head. Read the manuals from cover to cover. Operator and maintenance. And don't forget the parts manual. What can you learn from the parts manual? Well, should you take something apart and try to put it back together wrong, the parts manual helps. There are some parts in the manual, that you will never find, if you don't look at BOTH the generator manual, and the ENGINE manuals. No such thing as being too informed.

For the auxiliary fuel I was aware that it fills the on board fuel tank, when it reaches a certain level. I just didn't want to fill generators tank when its running or hot, but ill read threw TM 9-6115-639-13&P* . For the charging port I have used the male 120VAC 15A plug, in the past and had issues with it working its self lose. I really want to use a plug that would not take up much space and not looked jerry-rigged together. As for TM's I could only find TM 9-6115-639-13&P*(OPERATOR, UNIT, AND DIRECT SUPPORT MAINTENANCE MANUAL (INCLUDING REPAIR PARTS AND SPECIAL TOOLS LIST)) and USMC (MEP-831A GENERATOR CHARACTERISTICS, CAPABILITIES, COMPONENTS, OPERATIONS AND PMCS CLASS) both of these I found google and green mountain generator. If im missing anything please point me in the right direction. Thanks

NM i found a TM's for the engine and inverter. Going to contine looking tomarrow for more TM's. Ill post TM's that I have found here tommarow.

Guyfang said:

The manuals for this gen set are in the forum. And if not, let me know, I have all of them. I can post them in the forum. Gunzy hit it on the head. Read the manuals from cover to cover. Operator and maintenance. And don't forget the parts manual. What can you learn from the parts manual? Well, should you take something apart and try to put it back together wrong, the parts manual helps. There are some parts in the manual, that you will never find, if you don't look at BOTH the generator manual, and the ENGINE manuals. No such thing as being too informed.

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It's nice to know that I'm not the only one to use the parts manual during a rebuild ! For decades I always used the parts manual to view how the different parts went back together. My father taught that to me when I was just a wee laddie !
The guys in the parts department always that it was funny when I would ask to get copies of the parts pages, since we have access to all the factory service manuals especially here at the transit department. One of the swing shift managers wouldn't let me take his book out to the copier so he sat there and made copies for me. He grumbled the whole time about stupid mechanics !

Rusty,

I took all my parts manuals, and I am talking about 30-35 manuals, and put them in plastic pages. Keeps them clean, and you can use them in the rain. something i often had to do. Even when it was a procedure or repair I had done 100 times before, the book were next to the job. If i didn't need them, jim dandy. But if i did, I never had to walk a step to have them in my hand. That and I always took things apart, and laid the pieces out on a clean white cloth, in the order and direction I removed them. I am dyslexic. Its hard for me to imagine things in three dimensions. Every little trick helps keep me straight. A picture is worth 10,000 words. Later in life, if I found one of my soldiers without a manual, working on something, we had a little talk. Didnt happen very often that we had more then one talk.

Guyfang said:

Rusty,

I took all my parts manuals, and I am talking about 30-35 manuals, and put them in plastic pages. Keeps them clean, and you can use them in the rain. something i often had to do. Even when it was a procedure or repair I had done 100 times before, the book were next to the job. If i didn't need them, jim dandy. But if i did, I never had to walk a step to have them in my hand. That and I always took things apart, and laid the pieces out on a clean white cloth, in the order and direction I removed them. I am dyslexic. Its hard for me to imagine things in three dimensions. Every little trick helps keep me straight. A picture is worth 10,000 words. Later in life, if I found one of my soldiers without a manual, working on something, we had a little talk. Didnt happen very often that we had more then one talk.

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I don't care how long you've worked as a mechanic, but sooner or later you will need help remembering how something went back together. In todays world with so many different vehicles and systems it is overwhelming at times the amount of information you must remember. At work there are over 27 different busses. Many are from the same base model just modified in some way but still different. Trying to remember the latest recall or new procedure or whatever is different is daunting. So if using the parts manual helps in anyway I am totally for it. Also just an aside, laying out your parts all nice and neat is great until the table gets bumped or some jerk comes over and plays with the parts.

I once hit a jerk on the hand with a broom stick, who was fooling with my parts. Never happened again. Of course I never received a Christmas card from him again. I was devastated.

I went ahead and bought some parts:
Solargizer IS-24-L Solar Battery Maintenance System (24 Volt)

NEW - PT06A 12-3S (SR) and PT00A 12-3P (SR) with Bushing - 3 Pin Mating Pair / with caps

Waterproof Power Tender Plus Battery Tender by Deltran 24 Volt 2.5 Amp 022-0158

Universal Milspec Bung Adapter and 2 Brass Sections

50' Feet Nitrile Rubber Gas Diesel Fuel Line/Hose 1/4" inch Military issue (New)

Used Military Scepter MFC 5 Gallon Fuel / Gas / Jerry Can Lot Of 4

SLA-12V18-X2



So far that's what I've ordered, I've been thinking about how im going to mount a plug on this. Probably going to use a 30 amp twist lock 10/3 probably heaver cable length is going to be about 50 feet maybe longer depends on what deals I can find on cable of the SOOW type. On the topic of wiring Im thinking about mounting a 30 amp breaker on the set. As well as two 20 amp breakers on far end on cable with two 20 amp plugs. Im going to try to use the push reset breakers. I dont plan on using any thing with 240, so 120 configuration is what I plan to use.

For TM's I have found the following:

TM 9-6115-639-13&P (OPERATOR AND FIELD MAINTENANCE MANUAL (INCLUDING REPAIR PARTS AND SPECIAL TOOLS LIST))

L-Series Operators Manual

L-A Series Service Manual

Yanmar Model L71AE-DEGFR,L70AE-DEGFRYC( Parts Catalog)

120A and 120B Series Fuel Filter/Water Separator

Hopefully that's everything if not please let me know. I also am going to put this all in binders. I printed off TM 9-6115-639-13&P double sided print, was surprised when I looked a the print tray when it was done. I'm going to need a lot of page protectors. I plan of printing everything off, just going to do one TM at a time. Does anyone use the DA Form 2404 when they PMCS their equipment?

Guyfang said:

I once hit a jerk on the hand with a broom stick, who was fooling with my parts. Never happened again. Of course I never received a Christmas card from him again. I was devastated.

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That's funny ! When I was working at this transmission shop we had a mechanic who thought it was OK to "borrow" anyones tools if he didn't have one. He never stole any tools but he would return them dirty !
One day he tried to "borrow" this old crusty mechanics wrench, and just as he was putting his hand into the drawer the old fart slammed the door on his hand ! I was working in the next stall and heard the scream. It was pretty funny ! He never tried to "borrow" anyone else's tools after that.

Rusty, the tool thing cost two people a hand slap with my broom handle. One of them was going to take me to court. Kept screaming that he was going to sue me!! But that was the end of it. Germans, especially east germans feel that all tools belong to everyone in the world. Not long after that happened, I got my own corner to work in.

AfghanVeteran2010 said:

For TM's I have found the following:

Hopefully that's everything if not please let me know. I also am going to put this all in binders. I printed off TM 9-6115-639-13&P double sided print, was surprised when I looked a the print tray when it was done. I'm going to need a lot of page protectors. I plan of printing everything off, just going to do one TM at a time. Does anyone use the DA Form 2404 when they PMCS their equipment?

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Laugh if you want, but I still write up shortcomings and deficiencies just like I did on ten billion TI sheets. A friend of mine created an exact copy in EXCEL, and I used it for years when I worked as a contractor here in Germany.

Looks like I bought the wrong size hose, seem the fitting on hose is to small to mate up with jerry can adapter. I miss read thinking I bought the correct hose. Are the fittings available at home improvement stores? I'm planing to place an adapter fitting on end of hoses to hook up to fuel can and generator.

Thanks

50' Feet Nitrile Rubber Gas Diesel Fuel Line/Hose 1/4" inch Military issue (New)

Universal Milspec Bung Adapter and 2 Brass Sections

50 foot hose is a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooong way to pump fuel. The normal hose issued with gen sets is about 25 foot if I remember right. If you are going to use one that long, best set the fuel can up high, with the mouth at the lowest point. We had fuel can holders. Three legged things that looked like Vincent Van Gogh's easel. They held the can about 4-5 foot above the ground.

the idea was just in case if i bought a steel oil drum to store fuel the hose would reach.

Today I went and picked it up at fright terminal. It had too much oil in it, the fuel Filler Neck has a tear in it, the motor mounts are lose I can feel the lock nuts on other side. There is also a few other issue that are in pics. I can fix it but im not too happy, the unconnected wire make me nervous wonder if it was disconnected due to broken float switch for aux fuel. I think that's what it for.