Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C install by the factory

[funpilot]

I have a 2015 Trailmanor and after reading about surge protection here and in other forums, I decided I would get this model. I have the handyman skills of someone close to room temperature so I called up Progressive and asked if they do installs and I was told they do. Since they did not believe anyone with a Trailmanor had installed the hardwired version, their interest was quite genuine.

So I took it to them today (Apex, NC). It was installed by the owner of the company. What a nice person!! Their operation was absolutely first rate and their production area looked like they were a high tech shop. So, I could see why owners of this company's products are so loyal to them. Quality everywhere.

Here is what he did in my Trailmanor:

He opened up the converter panel, pulled it out and disconnected the main power cable. He drilled a hole into my left storage area from the area behind the converter he removed and ran the main power cable into the storage area. (I have two storage areas on my trailer that are accessible from the back.) He then ran a new power cable into the storage area that he eventually connected back into the converter. He used that second cable as the output to the converter. He did not create any splices so direct connects to and from the unit. He bolted the unit to the floor of my storage area in the back right side of my left storage area. He says the unit is more than durable enough for ordinary use of the storage area. Finally he ran another special cord from the unit to the inside display panel that he installed right above the converter. For those of you that are so inclined, this looked very straightforward for him to do.

The owner (Tommy) also camps and has a 30 AMP connection at his production plant for his camper. He connected my trailer to it and we tested his install. Everything looked fine.

The display shows a number of status codes and the total AMPS being used in a rotating series.

If you are not too far from them or will venture nearby and have my handyman skills, give them a call if you want one installed by them!!

[Bobbo]

spoon059 wrote:

funpilot wrote:

rdmike wrote:
Just bought a hw 50. Instructions seem easy enough. Will install Saturday. No detail on what the switch is for on the remote display?

It turns off everything except surge protection. I was told to use it if something went wrong with the unit.

I think it is a generator bypass switch. The EMS will shut down power if there is an open ground. This allows you to "bypass" the open ground fault code when using your generator.

It bypasses a LOT more than the open ground fault. It is much safer to make a "Bonding Plug" to plug into the generator to prevent the open ground fault.

It bypasses ALL safety checks, according to Progressive Dynamics. Here is a quote from their EMS-HW50C installation/instruction Manual:

Progressive Dynamics wrote:
This switch is located on the remote panel, and allows the user to bypass the computer circuit in the EMS in the event of computer failure, this allowing AC power into the RV. This does not disable the surge protection portion of the EMS; however, all other features are disabled.

Here is a link to the actual manual, if you want to see for yourself. It is on page 2.

Progressive Dynamics EMS-HW50C Installation/Instruction Manual

[spoon059]

funpilot wrote:

rdmike wrote:
Just bought a hw 50. Instructions seem easy enough. Will install Saturday. No detail on what the switch is for on the remote display?

It turns off everything except surge protection. I was told to use it if something went wrong with the unit.

I think it is a generator bypass switch. The EMS will shut down power if there is an open ground. This allows you to "bypass" the open ground fault code when using your generator.

[Nomadac]

My display is wired in my electrical bay, where my power cord and transfer switch is located for my MH. It has a switch that turns it off and on. I check it when I connect to the power pedestal to confirm amps, and no codes. Works great for me.

[funpilot]

Blacklane wrote:
That sounds nice, but personally, I could not live with that flashing red display making my camper feel like an emergency room all night. I had to mount my display in an outside cabinet. I really wish they would add a "display off" or dimmer switch to the display.

If it is that annoying, I will have to find someway to cover it when needed. In my Trailmanor, there really was no other place to put it.

[funpilot]

rdmike wrote:
Just bought a hw 50. Instructions seem easy enough. Will install Saturday. No detail on what the switch is for on the remote display?

It turns off everything except surge protection. I was told to use it if something went wrong with the unit.

[rdmike]

Just bought a hw 50. Instructions seem easy enough. Will install Saturday. No detail on what the switch is for on the remote display?

[Blacklane]

That sounds nice, but personally, I could not live with that flashing red display making my camper feel like an emergency room all night. I had to mount my display in an outside cabinet. I really wish they would add a "display off" or dimmer switch to the display.

[abc40kids]

I was just today looking at their surge protectors, not the permanent install but the one hooked directly to the pedestal.