Hardwired Surge Protector..Hard To Do?
What's involved with installing a hardwired surge protector?
Forum Discussion
I just installed a PI 50 amp Hw unit last winter. Took a few hours but is basicly paint by numbers. As stated all depends on your layout and access.
On my trailer the 50 amp came wired with sheathed cables. Very stiff and very awkward. I went to a cable supply house and got a 30 inch rubberized suitable cable. What a difference to work with. That cable I pre wired as it was the OUT to the circuit panel. It was stranded wire and went very well. The inlet side about 6 ft of hard sheathed cable was very hard to bend, cut and wire in.
I am not an experienced electrical guy but can handle the basics and work a screw driver.
Prior to plugging the cord back in and flipping the breaker I double checked everything step by step and realized I hadn't plugged in the remote readout cable. Once done I fired it up and it popped the pedestal breaker. Several tries all got the same result.
A fellow camper came by and checked my work. A quick change and everything worked properly and has ever since.
When I wired the inlet side I had cut the outer sheath too far back. This exposed the inner wires. Even though they were coated the stress relief clamp on the PI pressed the red wire and was enough to short the power breaker. We re cut the wire and double taped the sheath at the stress relief point. Solved the problem.
I would say if you have the old electrical cable plastic sheathed and very stiff, replace it with rubber sheathed and stranded cable. So much easier to work with.
The space inside the PI unit is tight but doable with flexible wire. Or go with the portable unit.
On my trailer the 50 amp came wired with sheathed cables. Very stiff and very awkward. I went to a cable supply house and got a 30 inch rubberized suitable cable. What a difference to work with. That cable I pre wired as it was the OUT to the circuit panel. It was stranded wire and went very well. The inlet side about 6 ft of hard sheathed cable was very hard to bend, cut and wire in.
I am not an experienced electrical guy but can handle the basics and work a screw driver.
Prior to plugging the cord back in and flipping the breaker I double checked everything step by step and realized I hadn't plugged in the remote readout cable. Once done I fired it up and it popped the pedestal breaker. Several tries all got the same result.
A fellow camper came by and checked my work. A quick change and everything worked properly and has ever since.
When I wired the inlet side I had cut the outer sheath too far back. This exposed the inner wires. Even though they were coated the stress relief clamp on the PI pressed the red wire and was enough to short the power breaker. We re cut the wire and double taped the sheath at the stress relief point. Solved the problem.
I would say if you have the old electrical cable plastic sheathed and very stiff, replace it with rubber sheathed and stranded cable. So much easier to work with.
The space inside the PI unit is tight but doable with flexible wire. Or go with the portable unit.
