Installing a PI EMS-HW30C

[nhlakes]

Installed a Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C this morning in my CL21RBS

Decided to put it underneath the convertor and mount the display right below the converter.



Plenty of space below the converter, but keeping the wires out of the way was a pain, and the floor needed to be cleaned up.

Wired it up and tested it with components out prior to actual install.  All was well.



Placed unit on floor with double sided tape - will check occasionally to verify it is holding.



Taped error code chart inside converter door



Happy with the install.



Display panel is low enough that it can be read when needed but the scrolling red display should not be distracting at night (I hope).

[Merlin]

Nice. And smart move to tape the error code list right in the fuse/CB panel!

[gbpack]

We have that Progressive system as well and love it. Does a great job and has kicked in (or off) a couple of times already, mostly when the campgound power supply got too low. Our display monitor is mounted up higher along side of the stovetop wall, and we have to cover it up at night because the light bothers us. But I do enjoy having it up higher because I look at it a lot to see how many amps we're pulling, especially if we've got the little electric heater going while we're running the microwave and then the electric water heater kicks in (because one of us is in the shower). In that situation, all of a sudden we could be pulling 40 amps and about ready to pop the breaker on the pole outside or have our Progressive system shut everything down. So I look at it often to see what's happening and then take measures to make sure we don't have an incident (ie. - shut off the microwave or electric heater)!

[Gary M]

Lol I just posted my install in my 21BHS in the same general area without seeing that you already did it! I accidently posted in the other section of the forums though.

[gibby]

Going to do the same thing to my 2014 21RBS this weekend, but my converter is under the Fridge on the Service side.

Wish me luck.

[nhlakes]

good luck!

[Chappy133]

Installed this EMS in our 16 TBS.  Great tip on backing the power connection out of the converter and adding romex from the EMS to the converter.  Easier than what the instructions suggest. 

While I was installing I took the opportunity to clean our the mess of shavings and other debries that was left behind during the build.     

What was interesting is the interior of the EMS was wired in reverse (photo).  The T1 and L1 were actually reversed in the unit.  I had to flip the install and and the black & white wires to prevent reverse polarity. 

That was frustrating.  Especially since I left voice mail and email with the company with crickets in response.

Do not forget a Neutral-Ground bond plug if you are using a generator with an inverter. This system will detect a fault and not let the electricity in.

Very nice EMS and Expect it to save our electrical service and AC unit from any problems. 

[charliem]

Chappy,  Make sure you've got the polarity thing right. Something doesn't look right. The contactor doesn't care which wire goes to which set of terminals but the wires on the left side of your photo might. Seems strange that an electrical equipment manufacturer would get things like black/white reversed. But then maybe they have Friday assemblers too  .

[Merlin]

Chappy, I'm not sure what you mean by T1 and L1 being reversed. You mean the labeling? In your photo, I assume the input side is the left and output side is the right? When I look at the color photo in the install manual and compare it to your photo, I see you have the black and white wires fastened opposite those in the manual. That means the blue wire in your unit appears to be going to the white wire input side instead of the black wire input side like in the manual photo. That ok? I also see you used what appears to e a crimp connector on a solid ground wire. If so, that's not ok; that connector will work loose if you used regular crimp tools meant for stranded wire. I know it's easy for me to say  , but if the unit was mis-labeled or defective from the factory, it might be worth considering sending it back and getting another one?

[Chappy133]

Merlin, the relay block inside the EMS was reversed and the L (Load) T (Trailer) connections were flipped 180.  I will fix that ground wire crimp connection.  Thanks for that catch. 

[charliem]

Chappy and Merlin,
The relay doesn't care which side is input vs load so, although a mistake, not a serious problem. Either way will work. However I'm still wondering about the routing of the neutral (white) and the hot (black) lines through the unit. The factory pix show white on top (L2-T2) and black on bottom (L1-T1) vs Chappy's that are reversed. The relay doesn't care but the EMS senses polarity reversals, open ground, etc. and these depend on how the white/black lines are hooked up. Without having a unit here I can't see those connections but I suspect the white and blue wires to the left of the relay in the pictures. Also the current transformer should be on the black wire. Have you checked out these paths?

[Merlin]

When I wired up mine, I found the info in the on-line instructions helpful because the labeling was more obvious (even though not in color). 

https://file.powerprodllc.com/-/media/inriver/ZX480.pdf

And here is a YouTube that might help too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mATj9XjcJsY

[Chappy133]

Chappy, I'm not sure what you mean by T1 and L1 being reversed. You mean the labeling? In your photo, I assume the input side is the left and output side is the right? When I look at the color photo in the install manual and compare it to your photo, I see you have the black and white wires fastened opposite those in the manual. That means the blue wire in your unit appears to be going to the white wire input side instead of the black wire input side like in the manual photo. That ok? I also see you used what appears to e a crimp connector on a solid ground wire. If so, that's not ok; that connector will work loose if you used regular crimp tools meant for stranded wire. I know it's easy for me to say  , but if the unit was mis-labeled or defective from the factory, it might be worth considering sending it back and getting another one?

Crimp grounds removed today and now just bare wire looped around the screw. 

[GrampaKilt]

Many forum members have found innovative locations to install hardwired EMS units (PI LCHW30). I add yet another—directly underneath the floor of the compartment above the power center. In some ways I regret not spending the extra $$ for the PI EMS that comes with a remote. However, seeing the bright display constantly cycle, I think the remote's screen would fast become annoying. To allow electrical bypass of the EMS, I did wire in a rocker switch inside the power center door. Since wire baskets will slide in/out of the compartment, the face of the unit will not be impacted or obscured by kitchen supplies. GK

[nhlakes]

Nice work.

After living with my install for a year, and recently spending most of this past Jan traveling to/from/around FL, I can confirm that I picked a good location for my screen.  We do not even notice it really.  Matter of fact now that I think about it, it sort of acts like a very weak night light at the floor toward the bathroom door in the middle of the night, which is a good thing. Just a hint of light. Between being really low to the floor and inside the indent of the cabinet face, I need to bend to even read it.  I'm glad I had read others (in various forums/blogs) comments on posting the screen in various locations.