MEP 803A possible alternator issues

[FireDogz]

Ok so maybe not possible. I have a MEP 803 A mounted on my 1984 CF Mack Firetruck which has been converted to a food truck. I have been running the gen for about 7 months with no issues. My batteries are now dead. I charged them and started the Gen but when I went to close the circuit for power I got nothing. If the alternator is dead will that cause the circuit close to not work? No warning lights are on. Am i missing something? PLEASE HELP!!! I have fans of my food that need FireDogz!!

Thnks

 

[jamawieb]

I do not know 100% but the control circuitry for the interrupter is controlled with the 24 volt DC system. So it could cause the problem. Are you getting any fault indicators?

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
OK, you have
MEP-803A that has been working.
Your batteries were dead... Did you shut the generator down? turned off the panel lights? Something drained the batteries, or you have a problem with the 24 charging for the batteries.

OK, you charged the batteries. You were able to start it like normal then, you closed the "AC Circuit Interrupter" like normal and you have no power output. Did you run through the start up procedures? check the fault test lamps, check the lamps above the ac circuit interrupter and the battle short. After the unit starts, do you see the battery charge gauge over in the green slowly move back to 0 ?

Have you opened the front panel and checked the circuit breakers?

When you close the AC Circuit Interrupter, do you see the green light blink, any movement across any gauge? do you have any power at the convenience outlets?

 

[Guyfang]

Is FU-1 good? If its blown, no battery charging. If the set is running, what voltage do you have at the slave receptacle? Its a good/easy place to measure the battery voltage when not running, (gives you the state of your battery charge) and a good place to measure your charging voltage while running.

No, the alternator being dead will not stop the Main A.C. contactor, (K-1) from closing, as long as the batteries have enough of a charge. If the charge is so low as to not let the K-1 close, then I think the set would not run anyway.

Start with the FU-1 and work towards the alternator. Mike is showing you the way.

 

[rhurey]

Maybe idiot question, but doesn't the alternator also provide the exciter current for the generator?

 

[Guyfang]

No, if the battery has a charge in it, the exciter will light off. The only idiot question, is the question not asked. In a pinch, I have ran two gen sets, one without a working alternator, with a slave cable between them to keep both sets running. Worked just fine.