MEP-806B Computer Software and RS 485 connectivity / remote start

[joellinn]

Hi folks,
I am considering to buy a MEP-806B for backup power for our farm.
Ideally I want the unit to auto-start on mains failure.
To integrate the gen in our monitoring system I would appreciate any intel on the RS 485 communication via the Communication Receptacle (Amphenol 22-20), ideally protocol specifications.
It's a lot to ask but I know the knowledge is somewhere out there.

Greetings,
Joel

 

[Guyfang]

I assume you mean J3. J3 is a direct connection to A5, (I&O Module). There are no schematics or wire diagrams to show you what connections are made, or what can be read from the A5.

COMMUNICATION RECEPTACLE (J3)
The COMMUNICATION RECEPTACLE is used to connect a remote PC to the DCS control box to facilitate
remote operation and monitoring of the generator set.

The above statement says it all. Normal soldiers, and un-normal soldiers, simply never used, or ever learned anything about this function. The hardware for this function was only issued to CECOM personnel, and few of them. Each set was issued with the accompanying CD, which allowed you to "look see" into the CIM/gen set. But no hardware. The first thing tossed out, was the CD. Soldiers simply never used them. There are several people in the forum who have knowledge of the Software, and have copy's, (I am sure the software is coded B or C, not to be distributed to non government sources) of the software.

 

[baxter462]

I have connected my 805B to a PC via the communication port and used the remote display software that came with the generator.

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?150417-MEP-805b-CIM-software/page2

The software will not allow you to remotely start the generator, it will only give you a remote display of the CIM. You can shut the generator's engine off with it if I remember correctly, but that would really only be useful in an emergency, since you'd still have to physically go to the generator and power all the electronics down afterwards.

I believe you'll need additional hardware to do what you want to do. Here is an aftermarket kit:

https://inovahightech.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=79

It looks like they only sell to military customers though, and it is prohibitively expensive in my opinion.

 

[joellinn]

Yeah, I’m from Germany so the remote unit is as remote as a lunar landing computer to me . It’s really expensive anyways; I would wire another PLC to the required controls; but monitoring the parameters, eg. ensuring the voltage is regulated down to 230/400 all the time is essential to me.
If I get a unit and manage to acquire the software I would reverse engineer the serial commands, so that anyone can build their own interface

 

[baxter462]

Oh, I see. Yeah, you could start it remotely with a PLC, and use the existing software to remotely monitor it. The software is not hard to obtain. Send me a PM if you get a generator and need the software, and I can direct you to a place to find it.

As for adjusting the voltage down, the regulator has an adjustment potentiometer, but I'm not sure about the range of adjustment it allows. The adjustment switch on the control panel adjusts the voltage while the generator is running, but the adjustment is not persistent, and would need to be readjusted every time the generator was started, and set to the desired value before closing the contactor. That would be probably be doable with a PLC too, but more complicated.