Why it's important to have an EMS

[danemayer]

We pulled into our site yesterday and plugged the Progressive EMS into the 50 amp receptacle and plugged the shore power cord into the EMS. Turned the breaker on and went on with setup. A few minutes later I went inside and was surprised there was no power yet.

Went out and looked at the EMS - blank display. Turned the breaker off and on. L1 = 123V. L2 = 123V. Waited 2 or 3 minutes inside. Still no power. Went outside and found the EMS display was blank with an occasional flash of lights.

Grabbed an adpater and plugged the EMS into the 30 amp receptacle. Everything worked. Called the office and asked them to send maintenance out.

The maintenance guy decided the problem was in my Progressive EMS and suggested running a test by plugging the shore power cord into the 50 amp receptacle to see if everything worked. I declined. I demonstrated the EMS working in the 30 amp receptacle, and in the 50 amp receptacle in the next site (without shore power cord attached). Then showed in failing in our site's 50 amp receptacle. He called for reinforcements.

2nd maintenance guy showed up with a volt meter and pronounced everything ok after a routine check. I suggested that maybe he should take a closer look at the neutral connection. Turns out the neutral connections were all loose at the neutral buss bar inside the pedestal. Plugged the EMS in and it worked for nearly 2 minutes before shutting down again.

Maintenance complained that he had just replaced the receptacle on this pedestal 2 days earlier. I suggested he replace it again. He hemmed and hawed but after a couple of minutes went to get another receptacle. Also brought a new 50 amp breaker. Replaced both. Bingo! Everything works.

My guess? The loose neutral wire at the buss bar was probably detected by the EMS without triggering an error code on the EMS. The problem on the neutral buss probably caused heat damage to the neutral connection at the receptacle.

What would have happened if I had plugged in without an EMS? Pretty good chance that voltage on one leg would have gone high and the other low. Good possibility of damage to motors or electronics in the trailer.

If you don't have an EMS, get one.

 

[ram22]

Ok, I will... What's an EMS?


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[danemayer]

Ok, I will... What's an EMS?


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Electrical Management System. Protects against a number of possible electrical problems that can damage your RV, along with surge protection. While surge protection gets a lot of attention, the other problems, like under voltage and neutral problems are actually more common. Here's a link.

 

[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

Dan I'm in a park at Bass Lake right now that my EMS is shutting down on 50 amp also I just switched it to the 30amp plug and everything seems to be fine.

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[TravelTiger]

Dan I'm in a park at Bass Lake right now that my EMS is shutting down on 50 amp also I just switched it to the 30amp plug and everything seems to be fine.

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A loose/worn breaker will cause it sometimes. Had that happen at two parks this summer.


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[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

I'll tell them tomorrow

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[danemayer]

Dan I'm in a park at Bass Lake right now that my EMS is shutting down on 50 amp also I just switched it to the 30amp plug and everything seems to be fine.

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Jerrod,

My fallback would have been to run on 30 amp service. But I figured one A/C unit running, plus microwave and coffee pot in the morning and I'd probably pop the pedestal 30 amp breaker.

 

[TravelTiger]

I'll tell them tomorrow

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Is it giving you any error code, PE-?? That will tell you also if it's low or high voltage, or open ground, etc.


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[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

Ya Dan it's 56° now and 33° tonight so our AC's are on vacation for a week.

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[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

Is it giving you any error code, PE-?? That will tell you also if it's low or high voltage, or open ground, etc.


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Erika I plugged it in to 30 amp before I remembered to look at my EMS readout

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[LBR]

Erika I plugged it in to 30 amp before I remembered to look at my EMS readout

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I believe the EMS display will continue to flash you that last known trouble code (PE __) until you power down/power up the EMS again, which should reset and eradicate that code.

 

[CoveredWagon]

I didn't realize that this would be this big a problem, however the first thing I did when I brought the Rv home was to install an EMS. Little did I know that at our 3rd campsite we would experience the exact same thing . I told the owner and got the same answer. It's a brand new breaker. He tried to blame my plug and cord. I told him nope and plugged into the other side of the post. Everything was fine.

 

[MCTalley]

We've had one (built-in model) from almost day one. The few times it has indicated a problem, campground staff were always quick to point out that those devices (the EMS) never work right and advise I should get rid of it to make my life easier.

 

[danemayer]

When the 2nd maintenance guy said everything was okay because his volt meter showed normal readings, I told him nicely that I had a choice whether to believe his $20 meter, or the $400 EMS device designed to protect my coach, and that I was going with the $400 piece of equipment.

I always believe the EMS.

 

[SNOKING]

I always believe the EMS.

That is a wise statement!

A friend plugged his coach into a park in California without an EMS and 10K+ later his insurance company was still replacing electrical items in the coach. Dropped neutral on 50 service puts 240 V across all 120V electrical components. Chris


[URL=http://s269.photobucket.com/user/snoking1127/media/ef9b3c6c-6ecf-4fa6-baa7-168958324d07_zpszuotrlq8.jpg.html] [/URL]

 

[Dawnnira]

We've been Hughes Autoformer fans for the last 8 years. We hard wire it in right behind the factory feed to the breakers and fuses along with a sacrificial Intermatic surge. In our BH I installed a clear plexiglass access door in the back of our entry closet wall for quick access/view of our autoformer lights without a hassle. A little pricing but good piece of mind


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[JMP]

We pulled into our site yesterday and plugged the Progressive EMS into the 50 amp receptacle and plugged the shore power cord into the EMS. Turned the breaker on and went on with setup. A few minutes later I went inside and was surprised there was no power yet.

Went out and looked at the EMS - blank display. Turned the breaker off and on. L1 = 123V. L2 = 123V. Waited 2 or 3 minutes inside. Still no power. Went outside and found the EMS display was blank with an occasional flash of lights.

Grabbed an adpater and plugged the EMS into the 30 amp receptacle. Everything worked. Called the office and asked them to send maintenance out.

The maintenance guy decided the problem was in my Progressive EMS and suggested running a test by plugging the shore power cord into the 50 amp receptacle to see if everything worked. I declined. I demonstrated the EMS working in the 30 amp receptacle, and in the 50 amp receptacle in the next site (without shore power cord attached). Then showed in failing in our site's 50 amp receptacle. He called for reinforcements.

2nd maintenance guy showed up with a volt meter and pronounced everything ok after a routine check. I suggested that maybe he should take a closer look at the neutral connection. Turns out the neutral connections were all loose at the neutral buss bar inside the pedestal. Plugged the EMS in and it worked for nearly 2 minutes before shutting down again.

Maintenance complained that he had just replaced the receptacle on this pedestal 2 days earlier. I suggested he replace it again. He hemmed and hawed but after a couple of minutes went to get another receptacle. Also brought a new 50 amp breaker. Replaced both. Bingo! Everything works.

My guess? The loose neutral wire at the buss bar was probably detected by the EMS without triggering an error code on the EMS. The problem on the neutral buss probably caused heat damage to the neutral connection at the receptacle.

What would have happened if I had plugged in without an EMS? Pretty good chance that voltage on one leg would have gone high and the other low. Good possibility of damage to motors or electronics in the trailer.

If you don't have an EMS, get one.

A similar situation just happened to me at Navy Rec Center, Solomon Island MD. EMS showed error on 50AMP plug. Maintenence guy said all was ok. They moved me to another site. Progressive EMS has saved me many times.

 

[MCTalley]

The last time someone told me that an EMS doesn't work was a camp host at a campground we stayed in for a couple weeks one winter. I insisted that it was showing an issue, so she called the resident electrical guru. He verified that our 50 amp plug was, indeed, showing about 108 Volts on one leg and 132 Volts on the other. Said there wasn't anything he could do about it, though. And he was right.

This particular campground only has about 8-10 50 amp sites and lots more 30 amp sites. They cluster all their long-termers in one area of the park that I would suspect is on one leg of their power. The remaining 30 amp sites, which were all but empty, are probably on another leg. I would suspect that's why the 50 amp circuit was so unbalanced.

I verified it wasn't just my post because shortly thereafter the owner of a fairly nice Class A with a built-in EMS that had pulled in next to us stuck his head out the door and asked if the power was out. I told him what I just went through and we walked over to look at his. Same thing, unbalanced power, so it wasn't allowing power to pass in. A 30 amp dogleg let in 110 volts and worked for the night.

 

[oldelmer1]

And the Progressive Industries EMS is lifetime warranteed.

Bought mine back in 2011 and it just started showing inccorect volt reading on the display.

Filled out the claim form and they are sending me a new unit.

GREAT COMPANY!!!

 

[LBR]

The very first purchase was the Progressive hardwire system that I installed within 2 weeks of getting our Cyclone.