Forum Discussion

BillyandKris's avatar
BillyandKris
Explorer
Dec 18, 2015

Progressive EMS-HW50C unit

We have Porgressive EMS-HW50C about 1.5 years old and hardwired at the dealership into our new camper. Yesterday about 1:00 a.m. we heard this loud tapping noise. We thought we had a large rat in our wall at the rear of camper, but there is no way for anything to get in underneath back there and nothing could be in the wall. Finally narrowed it down to coming from under the pantry so took out bottom shelf to expose the Progressive Power Manager. It was coming from the Progressive device. It would stop and later start back up again. It would go thump and then start in with this erratic tapping or thumping noise. You could even hear it outside the camper with a generator running. You could feel it vibrating the wall. No errors or strange readings on the LED display. It did this off and on for a couple of hours. Called Progressive and he asked for error read-outs. He said there was only electrical components and no moving parts inside it other than a switch. He said to call them back again when it began again. It has not done it since, but we still have the area where it is opened up.

Has anyone had this happen with their hard-wired unit? Everything appears to be in working order.

Thx
  • We have the remote led display and there were no error codes. WE have the operating manual that came with it with error codes listed. ATS is located in the cabinet with the EMS. Hubby says spring-loaded contact thing may be it. Maybe we should call Progressive back. We are stationary now, and would hate for this thing to quit while traveling
  • Mine made those sounds when I had a problem with shore power. You should be throwing some error codes if the unit is doing what it's supposed to do. That sound is what you paid for - protection.

    Do you have the remote display option? If so there is a switch to turn the display on so you can read the codes.

    You can also find the manual online that explains the error codes. Google "Progressive EMS-HW50C Manual". The codes are on page 7.
  • usually that noise means the line voltage is dropping below 104V or above the upper limit, most likely the former.

    What I found with my genny running in eco mode is that a big load, like starting the AC would drop line voltage below 104V before the genny could catch up, causing the ems to trip out, then the voltage goes above 104 connects, repeat, repeat etc.
  • I believe there are spring loaded contact relays inside the box. When ours started humming, PI provided a new contact board to us as a replacement. Maybe yours is going bad.