mep802a what is too much

i read many posts of gens running way over 100% of their rated load in an attempt to cure wet stacking issues. the electrical end is protected by overload protection but not so for the diesel. can you break the diesel end by this practice

I've run mine at 100% (26 amps) for multiple 2, 3, 4 hour runs with a resistive load (electric stove) with no problem. Wet stacking will reduce the available power sometimes and not allow you to run at higher demand. As you step the machine up...50%....70%.....90%.....100%.....you are cleaning the machine out. A short bump to 115% or so has not been a problem for me, but I do not run above 100% for hours at a time.

In the end we are talking about a mechanical diesel of old technology. Timing is set. I’ve run mine and had it bog down several times, never harmed the motor


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unlikely to hurt the motor, if you put too much load it just bogs down.

During some playing with a 3 ton ECU I ended up putting over 9kw of load on my MEP-802A. The only effect it had was bogging down the engine until the meter read 100% load (probably about 40hz or so as a guess). You'll cook the gen head from overloading long before you hurt the motor.

If you run the machine at 100% rated capacity, it will never wet stack. You ramp up to it, like others have said... but if you can get it burning clean and strong at 100%, what more can you ask? Overloading it in an ttempt to 'high speed clean' will not end well for anything.

Even if you can maintain at least 50% load, the wet stack will eventually burn up. Good luck.

thank you all. I am just paranoid about hurting my baby, she's my first diesel and I want to treat her right

Running it hard is good for it. Like anything other than a nail, dropping the hammer on it is NOT.

Hope it lasts a long time.

Get a real amp clamp meter. Dont go by the one on the set.

builmord said:

thank you all. I am just paranoid about hurting my baby, she's my first diesel and I want to treat her right

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To "treat her right" begins with a thorough inspection of wiring & components looking for anything loose or amiss. Unless it was sold to you fully serviced you should do a complete service on it. After running it long enough to get the oil hot you should change out oil and filter at a minimum.

Not knowing its history, I would consider putting a can of "Seafoam" treatment in the fuel tank and run it an hour or so and then let it sit overnight and then run another hour to clear out any gum/crud that might have formed in the fuel system, injectors, etc. if it hasn't been run for a while.

Also, be sure to download the TM's in the "Technical Manuals" section above and become familiar with them.

fluids changed twice, contact cleaner and wiring harness check done, seafoam in fuel tank and associated running of unit complete, inspection of engine mounts done, load tested at 100% for 3 , two hour sessions, minimal fumes seen from exhaust if you really look hard from different angles, might be associated with the 30 degree weather. blow by resolved by adjusting slight oil overfill and perhaps the use of 5w40 instead of 15w40 by changing back to 15w40 and watching oil level closer. unit does vibrate as noted by oil fill cap chain but as I am told this could be normal. it is trailor mounted and maybe this contributes to the vibrations and more so the rattles. all in all I think I am good to go. almost forgot, I have read all the TM's at least 2 times and every applicable post. Learned a lot from both sources as well as comments to my posts. thanks again

Don't forget fuel treatment - it will only run as well as the fuel quality will let it.....