# Mep-016B wiring instructions



## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

Hope someone here with military experience can help. I bought the above generator and I am trying to decide how to hook it into my house power. Originally I hoped to tie the 2 two legs of the 220 single phase into my breaker panel and have both sides of the breaker panel supplied with 110 (using the neutral) just like power from the grid.

But I have since read that this generator is not designed to do this. It is only supposed to supply straight 220. Between L1 and L2. Lots of conflicting info on the web. If anyone has actual experience with these army units please set me straight.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

Chiefster23 said:


> Hope someone here with military experience can help. I bought the above generator and I am trying to decide how to hook it into my house power. Originally I hoped to tie the 2 two legs of the 220 single phase into my breaker panel and have both sides of the breaker panel supplied with 110 (using the neutral) just like power from the grid.
> 
> But I have since read that this generator is not designed to do this. It is only supposed to supply straight 220. Between L1 and L2. Lots of conflicting info on the web. If anyone has actual experience with these army units please set me straight.


WOW - PLEASE don't go any further with your DIY .... noooo generator gets wired in like that ....


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

OK. Now I am really confused. I have looked at many wiring diagrams that show home standby generators that are wired just exactly like that. Of course they use the proper switching to prevent both the genny and grid supplying the breaker panel at the same time. So please explain.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

You really need to find an electrician. The only way you could use the generator would be with a transformer to convert 220 VAC to 120/220 VAC. Plus you need a transfer switch to completely disconnect the grid from your panel. If you don't, the power from the generator will back feed into the grid and could very well kill a power tech working on the grid going to your house.


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## azrancher (Dec 14, 2014)

Illini Warrior said:


> WOW - PLEASE don't go any further with your DIY .... noooo generator gets wired in like that ....





Chiefster23 said:


> OK. Now I am really confused. I have looked at many wiring diagrams that show home standby generators that are wired just exactly like that. Of course they use the proper switching to prevent both the genny and grid supplying the breaker panel at the same time. So please explain.


You would have L1, L2, no neutral if you were in Europe, as they don't have 120 vac. If the Generator is not center tapped, I don't see a easy way to do it as there is no reference to Ground, which become Ground and Neutral when it enters your Meter box, but it is supplied by a transformer at the pole, or street that has it's center tap grounded, this one would float all over the place in reference to the existing ground in the home. Now it could be used to supply only 240 vac....

Edited to add that the name plate for the generator says 120/208 V 3 Phase, 120 V 3 Phase and 240 V 1 Phase, 120 V 1 Phase...

*Rancher*


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

Get an electrician is best advice. Something like this is probably what you're gonna need, BUT it needs to be looked at and safety checked by someone who knows about such stuff CENTER TAP TRANSFORMER, 7.5 KVA, PRIMARY 208 VAC, SECONDARY -120/0/120 VAC, P/N 19036 ? L/C Magnetics
I'd advise you be sitting down when you check the price.


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## KA5IVR (Jun 11, 2014)

https://cdn.greenmountaingenerators.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/MEP-016B_Operator_and_Organizational_Maintenance_Manual-TM-5-6115-615-12.pdf

Read the Manual, to see what you have exactly.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

This should also help you
http://manuals.chudov.com/OtherGenerators/MEP-016B/062759.pdf

If the Army had one there is a manual for it always.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

Ok. Many thanks to all who replied. The links to manuals were great and cleared up all my concerns. I Teamed up a smart guy on residential wiring with a retired army guy at work and between us 3 we brainstormed it all out. We all three are railroad electricians. I know what I have to do to make it work. There is a load of bad info out there on the internet and That's why I wanted input from someone with first hand experience with these generators. Again, thanks to all!


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

With straight 220 volts, no neutral, you run the risk of burning up half the stuff in your house. You will essentially have an 'open neutral' system. Depending on how the loads are balanced, you _*might*_ be just fine. But start to put more load on one side of the panel than the other, and the voltages supplies to each side will start to vary. Instead of 110/110, you might end up with 120/100, or 130/90.... or 150/70. This will cause some things on the 150v side to burn out.

Continue to mis-balance the panel and things will get even worse.

What you will need is a 220 to 220/110 transformer. The output will be center-tapped (just like your utility transformer is), and supply that neutral you will need to keep the voltages balanced.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

Yep. We figured all that out last night. I decided that
I would just supply 120 volts to power only the loads that I consider necessary. I had hoped to use the other method to be cheaper and easier, but it is what it is. I can certainly power everything 
I need with the 120. The only critical stuff is the fridge, freezer, and a few lights. If it is 100 degrees in the summer, I can rotate loads and even run a small air conditioner to keep the living room cool. Winter time I mostly heat with a coal stove so no problem there. Looking at the actual wiring diagrams for the generator made it very easy to understand. Again, thanks.


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## cdell (Feb 27, 2014)

Please use a transfer switch of some sort so that you don't back feed the grid and kill a lineman. Being an electrician I am sure you know how to properly disconnect your home from the grid but I figured I would throw this out there anyway.


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## Maol9 (Mar 20, 2015)

cdell said:


> Please use a transfer switch of some sort so that you don't back feed the grid and kill a lineman. Being an electrician I am sure you know how to properly disconnect your home from the grid but I figured I would throw this out there anyway.


Worth saying twice...


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## Brettny (Apr 26, 2017)

Usualy the diagrams on the mep generators are prety good on telling you how to hook it up. At least on the mep802 and 803. If it has a neutral grounding bar make sure you remove it and run a ground from the pannel.


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