Electrical management system
Total newbie here with a 2016 Jayco Greyhawk. We intend to do a lot of cross country travel staying at various campgrounds. Do I need an EMS?. Wanting to be able to use this motor home a lot for the...
Forum Discussion
An EMS often gets generically called a "surge suppressor". Progressive Industries calls them an EMS and Surge Guard a surge suppressor. While they (EMS) do have surge suppression, they are much more than that and cover low & high voltage, open ground or neutral, reverse polarity, accidental 240 volt connection and more.
If you are planning to do a lot of travel and will be visiting many CGs, sooner or later you encounter low voltage, esp. in the summer with many AC units running in a CG. Low voltage can damage AC units at levels under 105 volts and you want to avoid that from happening at all costs.
The PI EMS units are the better ones. Besides having better technical features (IMO), they are made in the US and have a lifetime warranty. Be aware that SurgeGuard has a new hardwire and portable 30 amp model and the old ones #3520 (hardwire) and #34730 (portable) are discontinued but still readily available. If set on a Surge Guard unit, don't overpay for the old model.
If you do get around to a lot of different CGs, you may also want to consider getting a Hughes autoformer to boost low voltage up to a useable level. Installing a voltmeter inside is always a good idea, either plug-in or hardwired, so you can keep an eye on the voltage.
I hardwired our PI EMS under a dinette seat beside the converter panel. I much prefer it always being there and working away on it's own without having to haul it out to the pedestal every time. Easy to remove if ever needed. Our EMS shut us down on low voltage and open neutral at a Thousand Trails last season.
If you are planning to do a lot of travel and will be visiting many CGs, sooner or later you encounter low voltage, esp. in the summer with many AC units running in a CG. Low voltage can damage AC units at levels under 105 volts and you want to avoid that from happening at all costs.
The PI EMS units are the better ones. Besides having better technical features (IMO), they are made in the US and have a lifetime warranty. Be aware that SurgeGuard has a new hardwire and portable 30 amp model and the old ones #3520 (hardwire) and #34730 (portable) are discontinued but still readily available. If set on a Surge Guard unit, don't overpay for the old model.
If you do get around to a lot of different CGs, you may also want to consider getting a Hughes autoformer to boost low voltage up to a useable level. Installing a voltmeter inside is always a good idea, either plug-in or hardwired, so you can keep an eye on the voltage.
I hardwired our PI EMS under a dinette seat beside the converter panel. I much prefer it always being there and working away on it's own without having to haul it out to the pedestal every time. Easy to remove if ever needed. Our EMS shut us down on low voltage and open neutral at a Thousand Trails last season.
