CA Traveler wrote:
For awhile I would pre check the pedestal. But with increased awareness of the PI HW50C I rarely pre check any more.
The advantage, as pointed out earlier, is that if you do find an issue and believe it's just not going to get any better during your stay you can avoid having to drag out your main service cable. Not a big deal for sure but enough to probably convince me to continue using my dongle before even bothering to plug in.
If there is a problem the HW50C will not connect the rig power. Otherwise voltage on a unloaded pedestal or even with ceramic heaters doesn't mean much because any load management voltage checking will all occur inside the rig where I have the remote. Low voltage is more likely on 30A and especially on 20A if not managed and a pre pedestal check isn't any significant help.
True, and an argument that favours having the EMS wired in
at the trailer rather than the campsite power post because it's also accounting for any voltage drop that may occur due to main service cable length. Here in Ontario where the runs can typically be 100' or more that's an important issue, not so much for those just running out the trailer's 25' cable to reach the post.
I plug in and check the voltage early in the setup process. So with any existing issue requiring another site is found early. However low voltage is one issue that often occurs later in the day and no amount of pre checking is going to uncover that problem.
Certainly voltage that sags abnormally low during the hot hours of the day is the most common issue I run into. It's one of many reasons I chose a hard wire EMS with an interior mounted monitor panel rather than the portable version that can only be viewed wherever the unit may be plugged in.
