Added Digital Volts/Current Meter (110vac)

dbates wrote:
Your profile does not indicate what you may have in your RV. If you have no AC-DC converter, air conditioner or sensitive electronics your inexpensive voltage and amp meter may be OK but if you have any of the above electrical items the unit SoundGuy suggested is what I’d consider a must. Progressive’s EMS may not save you from a direct or close lightening strike but it will provide the info you desired PLUS protect your electrical equipment from many pedestal problems and power line surges.

The OP's SIG indicates he has a new 2016 Forest River Salem Hemisphere 302FK Showstopper which I'd assume is loaded with electronics that would be expensive to repair, potentially costing even thousands $$$$ depending on the extent of any electrical damage. Obviously because I own and use an EMS I'm biased but it seems to me the very first investment any RV owner should make is in one of these units. As you say an EMS can't absolutely guarantee total protection from everything but it's certainly better than using nothing to protect a rig's electrical system from any one of a number of potential disasters. As costly as an EMS may be I'd consider the investment a no-brainer, particularly for those who have just invested tens of thousands in a brand new rig. ;)

Your profile does not indicate what you may have in your RV. If you have no AC-DC converter, air conditioner or sensitive electronics your inexpensive voltage and amp meter may be OK but if you have any of the above electrical items the unit SoundGuy suggested is what I’d consider a must. Progressive’s EMS may not save you from a direct or close lightening strike but it will provide the info you desired PLUS protect your electrical equipment from many pedestal problems and power line surges.

Dave

May I suggest not double-tapping the circuit breaker output but putting in a pigtail instead? There's a pretty good chance a double-tapped connection will work loose over time with bad results.

Actually, the same goes for the neutral connections too—particularly the one that is now triple-tapped (has three wires to one hole). I have no idea why the original manufacturer felt it necessary to double up when they had seven leads to terminate in seven connection spots. They should not have done that as per NEC code and even common sense.

Otherwise, looks like a neat installation and a handy gizmo. I've put a fairly similar unit in my RV.

The benefit to your new Salem would have been much more significant from the installation of a Progressive Industries EMS that would not only continuously monitor line voltage, current draw, and line frequency, along with indicating any errors that may have occurred, but also would protect your rig from a variety of pedestal errors, surges, and spikes, plus under / over voltage conditions, none of which that voltage / current monitor can do. Not inexpensive to be sure, but neither was your new Salem nor all the electronics in it. ;)

Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C