MEP-802a Buying Guide?

[Toolslinger]

Reading the -10 operating manual... Dated December 1992
Table 2-1 on page 2-3 lists the controls and such...

For the AM-VM switch it lists:
L3-L1 (1 Phase) as displaying Voltage of L3-L0, and Current as L3
L3-L0 (1 Phase) as displaying Voltage of L3-L0, and Current as L3

Am I loosing my mind? Shouldn't that first option be giving me the Volts across L3 - L1 (240v) and the second L3 - L0 (120v)
Did I grab an earlier TM that has an error in it that was corrected later?

I zoomed in on a photo of a control panel, which indicates N rather than L0 (which of course is Neutral, but that's besides the point), so I suspect it works like I think it should, but I've been wrong before when I try to be logical...

 

[kloppk]

You need to get the newer -10 TM dated 15 October 2009
The table is updated and reads...

 

[Toolslinger]

Right... Figured it had to be that... Off to the TM's. Don't know where I got the earlier edition.

 

[Toolslinger]

And.... I'm back. With no generator.

After a bad start to testing when the owner snapped the knob off the master switch, we were able to get it started by removing the switch from the panel, and turning the remains with some pliers... Irritating, but not the end of the world, and I didn't do it, so no foul yet...

Started, and sounded good. Things looked ok, if not perfect on the gauges. Voltage looked a touch high, and freq was a little low. Nothing screaming out problem, and should be easy enough to dial in.

So I landed on the load terminals (after shut down). I had an electric heater that would do 3k, 4k, and 5k watts. Hit the 3k load, and no issue. It didn't even hesitate. 4k pulled it way down. So far down, it wouldn't recover, and even switching back to 3k it wouldn't come back up. Not good.

Out of curiosity, I threw a meter across L1, and L2, and it had 120v. That's not right... That did it for me. I chatted with the seller a bit, but there was no way I was spending enough on it to not insult him, so I didn't even throw a number at it. He was very apologetic, and plans to put some time in to figuring out what's going on with it. I would expect if he fixes it, he'll find it will be enough for his needs, and not end up selling. Too bad. The trailer looked good to go. Generator looked good, with no sheet metal damage. Little bit of oily residue down on the bottom, but nothing was evident on the engine, so perhaps a past leak... Nothing that would have had me running the other way.

Such is life.