When installing a Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C are there any negatives to completely removing the heavy shore power cable and just use romex from the plug to the input of the EMS and then wire in the existing romex to the output? It would make for a much easier and cleaner looking install not having to deal with that black cable.
I could remove the metal box as well and just set the EMS there could I not?
I could remove the metal box as well and just set the EMS there could I not?
myredracer wrote:
Whatever you end up doing, I recommend against connecting #10 solid wire directly to the lugs of the EMS and only use stranded. This is a photo of our EMS before I changed to stranded. You can see that the solid wire only contacts flat (or near flat) surfaces of the lugs on two opposite sides of the round copper #10 wire and IMO does not provide enough surface contact area between the wire and lug. I have read of a number of instances of an EMS overheating and in some cases, a fire and I suspect that the design of the lug could be a factor when terminating solid wire.
The better way to terminate the incoming #10 wire (shore power) is to use stranded and if needed, you can splice a short lengths of stranded to solid inside the EMS. For splicing stranded to copper, I recommend using vibration resistant wire connectors as they make a more reliable connection.
You could run stranded #10 from the EMS to detachable cord outlet using a length of your old cord.
FWIW, I also converted to a detachable shore power cord (on a previous TT) and ended with an empty box where the cord used to get shoved into. Turned it into much needed extra storage space which was a nice bonus to the project.
That's interesting. Every connector in my house panel from 15 to 60 amp uses a screw connector with solid wire.
Whatever you end up doing, I recommend against connecting #10 solid wire directly to the lugs of the EMS and only use stranded. This is a photo of our EMS before I changed to stranded. You can see that the solid wire only contacts flat (or near flat) surfaces of the lugs on two opposite sides of the round copper #10 wire and IMO does not provide enough surface contact area between the wire and lug. I have read of a number of instances of an EMS overheating and in some cases, a fire and I suspect that the design of the lug could be a factor when terminating solid wire.
The better way to terminate the incoming #10 wire (shore power) is to use stranded and if needed, you can splice a short lengths of stranded to solid inside the EMS. For splicing stranded to copper, I recommend using vibration resistant wire connectors as they make a more reliable connection.
You could run stranded #10 from the EMS to detachable cord outlet using a length of your old cord.
FWIW, I also converted to a detachable shore power cord (on a previous TT) and ended with an empty box where the cord used to get shoved into. Turned it into much needed extra storage space which was a nice bonus to the project.
The better way to terminate the incoming #10 wire (shore power) is to use stranded and if needed, you can splice a short lengths of stranded to solid inside the EMS. For splicing stranded to copper, I recommend using vibration resistant wire connectors as they make a more reliable connection.
You could run stranded #10 from the EMS to detachable cord outlet using a length of your old cord.
FWIW, I also converted to a detachable shore power cord (on a previous TT) and ended with an empty box where the cord used to get shoved into. Turned it into much needed extra storage space which was a nice bonus to the project.
dmullen wrote:
When installing a Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C are there any negatives to completely removing the heavy shore power cable and just use romex from the plug to the input of the EMS and then wire in the existing romex to the output? It would make for a much easier and cleaner looking install not having to deal with that black cable.
I could remove the metal box as well and just set the EMS there could I not?
That is pretty much how I installed mine; which has worked well.
dmullen wrote:
When installing a Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C are there any negatives to completely removing the heavy shore power cable and just use romex from the plug to the input of the EMS and then wire in the existing romex to the output? It would make for a much easier and cleaner looking install not having to deal with that black cable.
I could remove the metal box as well and just set the EMS there could I not?
I would stick with the cable. It has several advantages: The biggest is it's very well protected. And I would attach the terminated wires to a terminal block with ring lugs and use that as my connection point. The terminal block could be mounted inside a weather proof junction box, Plastic not metal. On those ring lugs I would use heat shrink at the barrel ends to keep moisture out and corrosion at bay.
This will allow much easier access if you need to disconnect the system at some future point.
Good Luck
