EMS/Surge Protector install in 21BHS

[Gary M]

I decided to go with a hard wired Progressive Industries EMS surge protector instead of the portable ones that plug into the camp pedestals. This way, I don't have to worry about theft, or having to lock it up. This unit will provide multi-mode surge, voltage, polarity and lost/open neutral protection, and will display voltages, current, and error codes on the display.

Here's the EMS that I installed in my 2018 21BHS...

https://www.amazon.com/Progressive-Industries-EMS-HW30C-Electrical-Management/dp/B002UC6RSA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1528328780&sr=1-1&keywords=ems-hw30c

There is a video on the progressive website detailing how to install the unit, which is fairly simple if you're comfortable working with wires and electricity. Otherwise you can have it professionally installed.

Something else to note.. Progessive industries has stated that they will honor the warranty even if you install it yourself. They just haven't updated their website to reflect that yet.

***Just make sure there is no electrical power to the trailer via shore power or battery If you decide to install this yourself!***

I was looking for ideas on "where" to install mine and was unable to find anything in forums for my 21BHS. I ended up installing mine directly behind the charger/converter on top of the wheel well.

It was a little tight area to work in, but wasn't bad if you remove the drawers above. I ended up sliding the distribution panel out some also. This made it easier to release and separate the incoming 30a romex wire from the harness to give me enough slack to work with. Cutting that romex wire was probably the most difficult part of the entire evolution because you don't want to get it wrong. Check it twice before you cut!

After hooking up the wires according to the instructions and video, I Just secured the box to the wheel well with some industrial velcro, and its been holding quite solid.

I ended up sticking the remote panel to the inside of the cabinet next to the stereo with some command strips. It constantly flashes when shore power is hooked up, and it would have been pretty annoying if it were out in the open.

Overall I'm very happy with the product and it gives me piece of mind when hooking up to any external power.

***One thing to note, this unit does NOT work with my Honda 2200I generator, and I have to switch it to "bypass mode" on the remote in order to get power to the trailer from my generator. Not a big deal at all, just wanted to mention it in case anyone else wonders why they have no power with their generator after installing this unit.

hope this helps someone in their decision on where to mount this thing if you decide to buy it.

[nhlakes]

I decided to go with a hard wired Progressive Industries EMS surge protector instead of the portable ones that plug into the camp pedestals. This way, I don't have to worry about theft, or having to lock it up. This unit will provide multi-mode surge, voltage, polarity and lost/open neutral protection, and will display voltages, current, and error codes on the display.

Here's the EMS that I installed in my 2018 21BHS...

https://www.amazon.com/Progressive-Industries-EMS-HW30C-Electrical-Management/dp/B002UC6RSA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1528328780&sr=1-1&keywords=ems-hw30c

There is a video on the progressive website detailing how to install the unit, which is fairly simple if you're comfortable working with wires and electricity. Otherwise you can have it professionally installed.

Something else to note.. Progessive industries has stated that they will honor the warranty even if you install it yourself. They just haven't updated their website to reflect that yet.

***Just make sure there is no electrical power to the trailer via shore power or battery If you decide to install this yourself!***

I was looking for ideas on "where" to install mine and was unable to find anything in forums for my 21BHS. I ended up installing mine directly behind the charger/converter on top of the wheel well.

It was a little tight area to work in, but wasn't bad if you remove the drawers above. I ended up sliding the distribution panel out some also. This made it easier to release and separate the incoming 30a romex wire from the harness to give me enough slack to work with. Cutting that romex wire was probably the most difficult part of the entire evolution because you don't want to get it wrong. Check it twice before you cut!

After hooking up the wires according to the instructions and video, I Just secured the box to the wheel well with some industrial velcro, and its been holding quite solid.

I ended up sticking the remote panel to the inside of the cabinet next to the stereo with some command strips. It constantly flashes when shore power is hooked up, and it would have been pretty annoying if it were out in the open.

Overall I'm very happy with the product and it gives me piece of mind when hooking up to any external power.

***One thing to note, this unit does NOT work with my Honda 2200I generator, and I have to switch it to "bypass mode" on the remote in order to get power to the trailer from my generator. Not a big deal at all, just wanted to mention it in case anyone else wonders why they have no power with their generator after installing this unit.

hope this helps someone in their decision on where to mount this thing if you decide to buy it.

You need to make a ground neutral bond plug for the Honda
gen not to complain.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gary M]

You need to make a ground neutral bond plug for the Honda
gen not to complain.

Ah that makes sense! Thanks for the tip! I keep forgetting to turn my bypass off before switching back to shore power. This will take care of that

[gbpack]

Gary - Looks you installed the same unit that we have in our 2015 21BHS. They are great units and you will love it. Ours has kicked in at least 3 times since we bought it and had it installed, and we spend quite a bit of time in our camper. Our dealer installed ours in the same spot you installed yours and that has worked well. It's a good investment in the electrical health of our trailers and I enjoy looking at the monitor quite often to see how many amps we're pulling. Can definitely tell (see) when the electric water heater kicks in or we turn on the microwave, and it's good to know that we can't run the microwave and electric space heater at the same time the water heater is running. Gets up to 45 amps real quick and then sometimes the breaker trips at the post outside if I don't notice it right away and turn off the microwave or the heater!

[gibby]

Okay, you guys talked me into it.

Was looking at a portable system, but nothing I could find was Canada Approved. Based on what I see at the Progressive site, this one is, and it is far more protective than those other ones, and the sticky fingered folk can't walk off with it.

I plan on doing the install on Friday, only difference on my 2104 21RBS is the converter is on the "Service" side under the fridge (so it could be tight). I will be sure to take lots of pictures and post my experience.

[tinkeringtechie]

I posted mine on the old forum, but it seems to have lost the pictures. Here it is again with pictures:

I installed the Progressive Industries EMS-LCHW30 in my 21BHS this weekend. I managed to fit it behind the converter on the underside of the fridge:



That was about the only location I could reach that had enough room to fit the unit. The floor space is occupied by a few large grommets and grounding busses:



It's also occupied by spare zip ties, loose screws, a couple chunks of loose foam, a foot of unused wire loom, half a dozen cut off wire connectors, and the serial number sticker for something (maybe the converter iself?). It's a tight space, so I can't exactly blame them for not digging around for everything they dropped, but I pulled out everything that I could reach. It was so tight that I couldn't hold the unit and drive screws at the same time. I actually drilled and tapped two holes and then hand started them:



The gray material is a heavy duty double stick foam tape that I used to help dampen any hum. You can hear it if you put your head right next to the converter, but otherwise you'd never know it's there. This was definitely not a normal DIY upgrade, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you've done something like this before.

Progressive Industries sells a version with a remote display, but the display itself is primitive and ugly. So I bought the EMS without the remote display to save some money with the goal of adding my own display. My unit has an internal display that shows through the window... but you may have noticed it's missing in my picture. It turns out that the internal circuitry for both units is identical, but mine is just missing the connector. I soldered on the appropriate connector and then cut a hole through the enclosure. I reverse engineered their protocol and am developing my own display to show the information (and more). Important note: the unit only functions this way if you leave out the internal display. Once you connect the internal display, it does not send any information through the external connector (those pins are used in the internal display instead).

[gibby]

Okay, got mine done.

Not much to show, as the picture from tinkeringtechie of the wire mess is identical to what I found.

As to my mounting, I just used a couple of velcro straps and strapped it to the wire bundles on the floor (as they were attached to the floor).

Mounted the display next to the rest of the switches, but will need to cover the display for night as that number scrolling will be annoying.

[Gary M]

Good job Gibby! I bet you're glad it's done I mounted the display in a cabinet after realizing there wasn't an option to turn it off. I just open the cabinet door when I want to see it.

[gibby]

There were no cabinets on that side of the trailer, so the display was going to be out in the open no mater how it went. But I will have a nice flip up cover to solve that issue.

[Fatdog2]

I was looking at portable surge protectors and then read about theft which boggles my mind, I guess nothing is safe these day? My power supply is under the refrigerator and next to gas heater on right  side of the camper. The shower wall would be to the left of power supply panel. Not much room to work in when I pulled out the electrical panel to clean up the metal shavings and stuff under the refrigerator. It looks like a easy install? So any issues with the hardwired units?

[nhlakes]

I have the CL21RBS with the power supply on the other side, probably a little more room to work than the BHS, but regardless, hardwired is definitely the way to go IMO. No complaints with my HW EMS30

[GrampaKilt]

Belonging to this forum is beginning to get expensive! Like Gibby, the collective 'you' have talked me into it.

For Canuck readers, ordered the PI LCHW30 from Amazon.ca for $270 CAD, which is just over $200 USD, the Amazon.com price.

Thanks for the tip about the bonding neutal/ground plug for generators. GK

[Paul]

I use this portable one, not sure of the price but I remember it was expensive probably close to 300 CAD I bought it in 2015 no one stole it so far