Just won my first mep002a gen set from Govliquidation - Few Questions

Hi Guys,

I just won my first government internet auction from govliquidation. I bid on and won a mep002a gen set. Recently we had a week long (some places longer) power outage caused by a major ice storm and I ran my Coleman powermate 5k gas set for almost 160 hours. I decided it'd be best to have a continuous duty, low speed generator instead of the very unreliable Tecumseh junk I have now.

I have a few questions about this set. I'm currently eagerly awaiting my EUC approval and would like to get a little more info in the meantime.

First: I paid about $900 all said and done for an H7 condition mep002a with ~800 hours. It does not have the sound reduction enclosure and looks to be in very good condition with very little rust visable in the photos (some looked rough)

My questions:

1. Did I over pay? I see some others talking about 400-800 range but I dont know what regions their getting them from and when they bought them. I live in the Northeast and competition may be a little more fierce with the population density and since I cannot view completed auctions, I have nothing to gauge it on except the other generator I bid on and lost with a $710 bid (with enclosure + H7)

2. How loud is this bad boy? I heard one report it's "hammering loud". I run the powermate w/10HP Tecumseh and it's so loud it actually makes me a little angry... kind of like 'is it really necessary to be this loud?!?' It does NOT have a muffler like my fathers Honda 5k (which is a reasonable volume), it instead features a 'spark arrestor'. Can someone compare it to something typical so I have an idea?

3. How much of a difference does the noise enclosure make? It's too late now but just wondering.

4. How many hours should I expect from this engine? I read somewhere the 3600rpm engines are disposable at around 1000 hours and the lower speed 1800rpm diesels are typically good to 20,000 hours. The hour meter only goes to 9999 so I wonder if this rule applies to these DJC's?

5. Multifuel - Again, read these are multifuel engines... transmission fluid, used engine oil, gasoline, K1, diesel, anything that burns. Is this true? I understand most of the above is a last resort but pretty cool if it's the case.

Thanks for any input anyone can offer.

Regards,
Scott

Well, i'm still looking to get a gen set so i can't help you on the volume questions. Actually i can't help much at all on any of those questions Still, nice work on getting one. Where are you at in NH, i'm just to your south


Welcome to the site, its the best place on the web.
Scott

ssybert said:

1. Did I over pay? I see some others talking about 400-800 range but I dont know what regions their getting them from and when they bought them. I live in the Northeast and competition may be a little more fierce with the population density and since I cannot view completed auctions, I have nothing to gauge it on except the other generator I bid on and lost with a $710 bid (with enclosure + H7)

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Hard to say... I saw a bunch go for about 4-500....

ssybert said:

2. How loud is this bad boy? I heard one report it's "hammering loud". I run the powermate w/10HP Tecumseh and it's so loud it actually makes me a little angry... kind of like 'is it really necessary to be this loud?!?' It does NOT have a muffler like my fathers Honda 5k (which is a reasonable volume), it instead features a 'spark arrestor'. Can someone compare it to something typical so I have an idea?

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Its pretty loud... probably almost as much as your Powermate

ssybert said:

3. How much of a difference does the noise enclosure make? It's too late now but just wondering.

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I suspect quite a difference.

ssybert said:

4. How many hours should I expect from this engine? I read somewhere the 3600rpm engines are disposable at around 1000 hours and the lower speed 1800rpm diesels are typically good to 20,000 hours. The hour meter only goes to 9999 so I wonder if this rule applies to these DJC's?

Click to expand...

saw quite a few in the 7-8000 hour range... and presume they were running fine.

ssybert said:

5. Multifuel - Again, read these are multifuel engines... transmission fluid, used engine oil, gasoline, K1, diesel, anything that burns. Is this true? I understand most of the above is a last resort but pretty cool if it's the case.

Click to expand...

These are not quite 'multifuel'

They will run on some slightly different fuels... JP4 vs JP8, etc. But they do not have the same range the multi-fuel deuce engine does.

Recently, one GL event in NY had 100+ gensets(mep002a and mep003a). The average final price was $700. The TM's (tech manuals) for these units are available here on the site. Download and save them. Read them!



right click on these links, and save them. They are the TMs for the mep002a.
http://old.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?module=pagesetter&type=file&func=get&tid=1&fid=file&pid=139

http://old.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?module=pagesetter&type=file&func=get&tid=1&fid=file&pid=138

Also, there is some info and talk about these gensets on the Smokestak web site.
http://www.smokstak.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=79http://www.smokstak.com/forum/archive/index.php/f-1.html

Powerful Times of Need.....

Doghead, thanks for the links! Recently picked up a couple of these genny sets myself. I have been ghosting these for a year or so and have determined that if GL lists more than 100 or so, chances are you will find they can be won at a far better price. Hours ranged from 0 - 8500 or so.

Uploaded pictures.... Genny 1 has under 10 hrs, Genny 2 has under 1550 hrs.

ssybert, Is yours mounted on a trailer? With or without, I think $700 is a reasonable price, as long as you don't have to go to the west coast to get it. But, recently here in Michigan, there were five M116 mounted Mep002's, each one went from $1700 -$2600 (or more)!

I've owned 2 of the larger mep-003a gensets, the first did not have the A.S.K. enclosure and as mentioned these mil gensets are loud , my 2nd one has the kit and you can have a normal conversation standing next to it while its running

Thanks for all the great replies guys! From the sounds of it, the prices are all over the place. From the responses, I think mine was a little on the high side but still not nuts for what I got... assuming it works. I'm not travelling too far to get it; I live in NH and have to go PA to pick it up do about 450 miles one way. I have a small Haulin' trailer I tow with my Cavalier (1000+ LB capacity) and can pick it up for a very small additional fuel cost. All in all, back to my house it should still cost me under $1000.

It did not come with the trailer.

I bet I can resell it locally at a premium once I confirm it works if I not not happy with the volume, then pick up another with the noise kit. Maybe even a trailer Figures, there's a MEP003a forsale in MAINE coming up in a couple days!! Dough!!! No enclosure or trailer but a doubly big unit 375 miles closer to home

Thanks for the links to the manuals, I downloaded those last week at work and thumbed through them... looks like some pretty critical stuff in there.

I do have a couple other questions hopfully someone can help with:

-- Is it a good idea to leave this outside in the elements for the remainder of it's life? Next summper I plan to add an extension to the roof of my shed to park ATVs and other equipment under to protect them from rain. At the very least, this will be under there next year. Is that suffecient?

-- I would like to put this on a trailer but one that wont raise eyebrows. I love the mil trailers but they are too large for me to be parking in my yard. Anyone else do anything creative to mobilize these units? I was thinking about a Jetski trailer or something similar. Looking for creative ideas others may have come up with?

-- Fuel consumption. This is a big one for me. I plan to use this for emergency power. The last time this we lost power around here we lost it for a week. Some people go WAY overboard with generators and get these 15-17k massive portable units. If gas were $4 or I have a double ot triple the size unit I'd be putting $35-40 a day in it. I dont want to do that just to keep the engine spinning to run alarm clocks and nightlights in the halls. The 5k I ran did everything just fine. Kept the well pumping, clothes clean and the shower hot (LP for just about all heat) and only used about 15 gallons of gas in 24 hour period. That worked nicely for me. How much do these units draw on an hourly or daily basis? The less the better.

Thanks for the help everyone. I'm real excited about my new purchase!

Scooter: I live off NH RT 101 out by Epping

I found a old air compressor trailer for a $100 ( plus $50 for the jack ), works fine for my needs

I have considered making an ASK kit... Bill could you take a few close up pics of yours? How thick are the panels? What are they on the inside? Maybe some details on the vents.

mangus580 said:

I have considered making an ASK kit... Bill could you take a few close up pics of yours? How thick are the panels? What are they on the inside? Maybe some details on the vents.

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This idea was rolling around my head too. I haven't even gotten it yet but was a little dissapointed I lost the enclosed one I bid on hearing about how loud these are.

My only concern would be how to properly vent it. Being an air cooled engine, I'm not sure I'd be willing to attempt it. I'm surprised the enclosure currently used allows suffecient cooling.

Scott

mangus
heres a start

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/569601020qownjN

We got one at Chambersburg the other day with the quiet kit. The paint is peeling badly on the quiet kit, but nothing a couple cans of Gillispie can't fix. It has a little more than 4000 hours on it. We got it for $270. Hope it runs!

Epping huh, well that not far I can't be even 25 min from you. Need any help just give me a shout. I can hop in the deuce and be there in 40 min or so Goodluck on that generator.

I got too

Ssybert,
I live in southern New Hampshire and will be heading down to PA, to pick one up. Let me know if you want to split the cost.

As you can tell by my post count I am a rookie here.
What do you put in the EUC for Section I & II?

Thanks

What were the fields? Usually if you floated over the field with the cursor it told you the options and how to choose.

Heading down together might be a plan. What do you drive? I plan to take my car and small trailer to save money on fuel. If you have something slighly larger it might be economical to take it and split the fuel in that. My choices are a duramax diesel or my 2.2L 5spd cavalier (~20mpg towing 1000lbs).

What did you end up winning? obviously a 002a.... was it enclosed? How many hours... and the big question... How much? After fees, taxes, etc. I'm looking at I think $910. I think I won the auction @ $790.00

Real curious to see how I did. I have this sick feeling I paid double

Thanks,
Scott

Real curious to see how I did. I have this sick feeling I paid double

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Want to feel better, look at this link.
http://www.groban.com/generatorsetDsl1c.html

ssybert
Look at it this way
You might have paid a little high at the wholesale level but you got it really cheap when compared to the retail price of comparable gensets. I paid $3000.00 for my first 003a but the guy ( club member) lived 5 miles from me., 8 years later I sold it to another club member for the same price. I bought my current one off e-bay, I paid less then $2000.00 ( delivered) and it has the sound kit. $1000.00 cheaper but had to gamble if it would be as good as my last being I could not go and inspect it

ssybert,
I filled out the form.
I have two trucks: 03 f150 6cyl or an 03 expy 5.4
I can get a snowmobile trail but I am not sure it take that much weight.
I paid $677 total meter reads 16hrs.
Stay in touch.
One last thing do I have to fill out any tax forms?

Thanks