MEP-803A sipping fuel.

Went out to look over my 803 after 4 hours running and topped up the tank. It only used a gallon and a half. Wasn't running the AC so that might account for it. I have left the well on but it probably doesn't cycle very often till we shower.

I have done some baking and turned on the AC since. Will need to fire off the water heater in a while.

So I take it that HC Michael took out power in your area? Isn't it nice to have all your genset preparation work ready to run when called into action and keep things on the home front somewhat normal!

You bet!

Gen has been running 16 hours straight and consuumed less than 9 gallons.

Temp steady at 178, oil pressure at 22, no leaks, and charge indicator on zero.

Fuel gauge not moving far off full. May need to check that out but i check everything before it could possibly get empty and top it up. Not using the auxiliary set up.

Just ran the water heater and the 3.5 ton AC kicked on. One microsecond of a puff and all was good. Had the coffee maker on so was seeing 49 amps on one leg and 40 on the other.

Glad to hear you and family are safe, and the genset is performing properly. Hope you didn't have much damage.

Your fuel gauge is most likely working right. It takes alot to drop the gauge in the first part of the tank.

Glad everything is working well for you. Keep us updated..we always like to see pictures.

We have some limbs down and one hanging on the power lines but no house damage.

Our daughter's in-laws have a tree through their roof.

Can you say dead short!

Glad to read you are OK. I have my 803 topped up on fuel and connected to the house in case we loose power in central NC.

They are calling for topical storm force winds here today and with the saturated soil conditions we have that is a recipe for lots of downed trees.

Be safe everyone!

csheath said:

Went out to look over my 803 after 4 hours running and topped up the tank. It only used a gallon and a half. Wasn't running the AC so that might account for it. I have left the well on but it probably doesn't cycle very often till we shower.

I have done some baking and turned on the AC since. Will need to fire off the water heater in a while.

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Glad you are safe. Wife and I were able to skirt the storm on our way I to FL returning from vacation. Came down 301 from I10 to Ocala then to Tampa. We were in Savannah previously. No major delays or rain or wind (yesterday morning) during travel. Got home to Tampa to a non event here in central FL. Read the weather report that said this Cat 4 storm was 2mph below a Cat 5 storm. The central pressure was lower than Andrew (cat 5) so I suspect this will be reevaluated and upped to a Cat 5 storm. Will break history as the first Cat 4 storm north of the tropic of cancer and possibly first Cat 5 storm this far north ever.

Have not seen pictures yet but I suspect very very heavy damage. Saw elec and tree removal vehicles on the road en masse - coming out the wazoo so to speak, from as far away as Indiana so far. Convoy after one another. Surprisingly, did not see masses of generators on their way in. Saw 2 20kw Generac's and that was it.

I have two operational MEP803As ready to move to your area if I can find the means of parting with them properly.

Stay safe and spread the word that we are here to help and support efforts to get things back to 'normal'. However it was said that this storm is going to change the coast line.

How did I10 fare? Last time the interstate floated away and took years to fix.

Haven't heard any updates on I10.

Saw where a train turned over in Panama City .

You have worked too hard on your set for me to expect anything less then what you reported. Good job!

Hour 43 = 21 gallons.

At one point yesterday I had it loaded to 52 amps on L1 and 54 on L2.

I had used most of my reserve fuel in the tractors so fuel delivery is on the way.

Mine has been running since 14:00 wednesday without issue. Running on the 100 gallon auxiliary, I checked the tank last night and I had about 70 gallons left, but it wasn't topped off before the storm either. Fuel gauge hasn't moved off of half full. I had been thinking that I could out the pool pump, but then realized the little extra fuel consumed would save me a lot of effort afterward. so it has pretty much been normal living at our house, except no internet.

No trees down in our yard, but there is a pine from my side neighbor leaning over my boat shed and caught in the top of a oak from my back neighbor. That one will be interesting to remove. Other than that, a limb clipped my chicken coop and broke a single 2x4. I was able to spend most of yesterday, 08:00-18:00 cutting, hauling, cleaning, mowing, blowing, and just about have the house back to normal.

csheath said:

Hour 43 = 21 gallons.

At one point yesterday I had it loaded to 52 amps on L1 and 54 on L2.

I had used most of my reserve fuel in the tractors so fuel delivery is on the way.

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Thats prety **** good. Just under 0.5gal/hr. The people with stand by propane generators burn atleast 4x that. Its going to be a hefty bill for them.

How is the availability of diesel? How do you get it delivered?
Here you cant get any thing less than 100gal delivered and thats heating oil. I dont burn enough to buy 100gal thats not going in my home heating oil tank. So i have a clean 55gal drum empty on stand by, a 25gal drum full of K1 and many 5gal jugs empty and full.

100 gallon minimum for delivery from our local diesel distributor. They do have off road diesel, but she was unable to tell me what the price is at this time. They are focusing on EMS and power trucks for now. I'll probably just take my 55 gallon drum and find the closest off road diesel pump.

Guyfang said:

You have worked too hard on your set for me to expect anything less then what you reported. Good job!

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What Guy said. I have read all your post and he is right. You deserve to "Pat yourself on the back' and more.

lonesouth said:

100 gallon minimum for delivery from our local diesel distributor. They do have off road diesel, but she was unable to tell me what the price is at this time. They are focusing on EMS and power trucks for now. I'll probably just take my 55 gallon drum and find the closest off road diesel pump.

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When I started with Rainey Cawthon they said their minimum was 60 gallons. I had emptied my drums and a couple of cans so I got 109 gallons this morning. You don't save much if any over pump price but it beats toting cans. Mine was about $3.13 per gallon after sales tax was added. I have some AG property but I don't have an official farm exemption. At least they don't have to add road tax.

We lost power almost 24 hours ago. Been using the 803 to keep the lights on. I'm going to move over to the 831 and let it run for a while. Today its nice enough to not need AC.

I turned off the 803 for the overnight period. So far I've not gone through its onboard tank. Still over 1/2 indicated on the panel.

Everyone be safe out there. On my fuel run today I came across multiple trees across roads and on power lines.

I have considered finding a nice smaller unit (2.1/3kw) for overnight runs, to add to my personal collection. Glad to hear everyones good, considering.

Guyfang said:

You have worked too hard on your set for me to expect anything less then what you reported. Good job!

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USAMilRet said:

What Guy said. I have read all your post and he is right. You deserve to "Pat yourself on the back' and more.

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I haven't done ANYTHING compared to you folks that had to rebuild.

I still think people are better off buying units with a couple thousand hours on them. Seems I've read about more major problems on the low hour units.

You all hang tough. Glad everyone is AOK. Living in the land of rain, I have to tell you, I haven't seen real rain in almost 4 months. Not that I can enjoy the weather. The only thing I see anymore is the ceiling.