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MEP-803 voltage erratic

bosko

Member
32
10
8
Location
So Cal
Hello, this is my 3rd 803. I hope to install one at my parents house and another at mine for emergency power. I just got this mep started after doing some cleaning up, oil, filters, anti freeze, belts, quad fuse, mov then breaking free a sticky IP, fuel lines.... After getting this one started I noticed the voltage meter readings were wobbling +/- 20 volts. I couldn’t find my fluke meter at the time to see if the gage was correct.

Has anyone else experience this before?

This Mep has 500hours on the gauge.

https://youtu.be/4zbyEJ2DZSs
 

jamawieb

Well-known member
1,405
491
83
Location
Ripley/TN
That's a gauge problem. Your gauge would never be able to keep up with changes like its reading, if it was actually the generator. Use your fluke and you'll see perfect voltage.
 

Dock Rocker

Active member
980
71
28
Location
Jackson ms
Yea, until you verify it with a meter there isn’t much troubleshooting that can be done.


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Farmitall

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
543
270
63
Location
Eubank, KY
Exercise AM-VM switch with a few squirts of contact cleaner. My switches needed some exercise to remove corrosion. Also the voltage pot.
Agree, my volt meter wasn't working at all in one of my sets. Cleaned up voltage pot and S6 and exercised it and it works perfectly.

If those rotary switches were more element proof, they would be far more reliable.
 

Farmitall

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
543
270
63
Location
Eubank, KY
That's a gauge problem. Your gauge would never be able to keep up with changes like its reading, if it was actually the generator. Use your fluke and you'll see perfect voltage.
I didn't think those meter movements had that much dampening.
 

Guyfang

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
15,681
21,616
113
Location
Burgkunstadt, Germany
Could also be a loose wire. The meter take its signal from S6. So if you mesure at the load terminals or the 120 volt outlet, and the voltage is steady, then take your readings straight from the terminals on the back of the meter. Good? Meter bad. Still not good, Go to S6, and work your way back to the meter. And like everyone has mentioned, clean out S6.
 
115
7
18
Location
Miami
Agree, my volt meter wasn't working at all in one of my sets. Cleaned up voltage pot and S6 and exercised it and it works perfectly.

If those rotary switches were more element proof, they would be far more reliable.
I had exactly the same problem but initially I thought my controls were just dirty but it turns out that the two left terminals on the voltage regulator wires were loose my suggestion is go through the machine carefully slowly and methodically check every screw


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
115
7
18
Location
Miami
Could also be a loose wire. The meter take its signal from S6. So if you mesure at the load terminals or the 120 volt outlet, and the voltage is steady, then take your readings straight from the terminals on the back of the meter. Good? Meter bad. Still not good, Go to S6, and work your way back to the meter. And like everyone has mentioned, clean out S6.
I had the same problem and that’s exactly what it was for me loose wire on the voltage regulator


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
115
7
18
Location
Miami
Hello, this is my 3rd 803. I hope to install one at my parents house and another at mine for emergency power. I just got this mep started after doing some cleaning up, oil, filters, anti freeze, belts, quad fuse, mov then breaking free a sticky IP, fuel lines.... After getting this one started I noticed the voltage meter readings were wobbling +/- 20 volts. I couldn’t find my fluke meter at the time to see if the gage was correct.

Has anyone else experience this before?

This Mep has 500hours on the gauge.

https://youtu.be/4zbyEJ2DZSs
Spray everything with a good cleaner Check the terminals on the voltage regulator one of them might be loose slowly wiggle everything see if any crimped connection has come apart


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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