21 amps @ 120v on Progressive monitor when charging battery = many amps to battery

[alanerickson]

I got my battery down enough where I could test things again. Escape suggested using the battery disconnect switch to determine how much was going to the battery. So, with the battery disconnect off I get 1 amp @ 124V. When I turned the battery on I got 19 amps @ 120v. So definitely seems messed up, as the battery info that Escape sent me says the max charging rate of the battery should be 100 amps and that the charger should only put out 50 amps for lipo's.

I sent the information to Escape, and it will be interesting to see what their response is.

[Vermilye]

Is your current measurement made using the Progressive Industries EMS read out or with a separate amp meter? I would want to determine the actual current draw when charging the batteries in order to determine if the EMS is giving a faulty reading or if the converter is actually drawing that much. At 50 amps output, the converter should be drawing around 8 amps.

[alanerickson]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Is your current measurement made using the Progressive Industries EMS read out or with a separate amp meter? I would want to determine the actual current draw when charging the batteries in order to determine if the EMS is giving a faulty reading or if the converter is actually drawing that much. At 50 amps output, the converter should be drawing around 8 amps.

I was going off the EMS, but as a double check I rigged up a cord that had a wire I could get a clamp around and lo and behold I'm seeing 8 amps at the clamp on meter when the Progressive says 19 amps. So, even though the Progressive guy said there was no way it was reading wrong it appears to be reading wrong. So back to Progressive.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by alanerickson

I was going off the EMS, but as a double check I rigged up a cord that had a wire I could get a clamp around and low and behold I'm seeing 8 amps at the clamp on meter when the Progressive says 19 amps. So, even though the Progressive guy said there was no way it was reading wrong it appears to be reading wrong. So back to Progressive.

Alan: Unplug from shore power and remove the top lid from the EMS unit with four screws. Check that the current sensor is on the black (hot wire) on the trailer side of the contactors AND verify that the arrow on the sensor is pointed towards the contactors. See pics. It is possible that the current sensor was installed incorrectly. It is apparently directional. I installed my own so I'm familiar with the guts of these things.

If it is installed correctly then their current sensor is probably bad.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Alan: Unplug from shore power and remove the top lid from the EMS unit with four screws. Check that the current sensor is on the black (hot wire) on the trailer side of the contactors AND verify that the arrow on the sensor is pointed towards the contactors. See pics. It is possible that the current sensor was installed incorrectly. It is apparently directional. I installed my own so I'm familiar with the guts of these things.

If it is installed correctly then their current sensor is probably bad.

Thanks for the wiring instructions.

It is a little hard to see in the photo, but, the black wire make a hard 90 degree turn up after passing through the current sensor. I wonder if that turn causes interference and produces the erroneous readings.

[alanerickson]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Alan: Unplug from shore power and remove the top lid from the EMS unit with four screws. Check that the current sensor is on the black (hot wire) on the trailer side of the contactors AND verify that the arrow on the sensor is pointed towards the contactors. See pics. It is possible that the current sensor was installed incorrectly. It is apparently directional. I installed my own so I'm familiar with the guts of these things.

If it is installed correctly then their current sensor is probably bad.

Thanks for the information. Here's a picture of mine. Power was off when I was getting my fingers that close. Different model and I couldn't for the life of me find an arrow on it. Thought about just switching it to see what it would do, then I thought better of doing that.

We're actually putting it in off-site storage tomorrow and I'm wrapping up the winterizing, so it looks like I'm going to need to work on this in the spring. Was hoping to have everything squared away when I put it away, but it's not the end of the world.

Progressive is sending me a current transformer, so I'll hang to that when I get it and install it in the spring, and hopefully that takes care of it.

Edit. Mines obviously a little different, but I'm assuming that "the factory" knew what they were doing when that was installed and that perhaps this is a replacement due to "supply chain" issues that seem to be the norm these days.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by alanerickson

Thanks for the information. Here's a picture of mine. Power was off when I was getting my fingers that close. Different model and I couldn't for the life of me find an arrow on it. Thought about just switching it to see what it would do, then I thought better of doing that.

We're actually putting it in off-site storage tomorrow and I'm wrapping up the winterizing, so it looks like I'm going to need to work on this in the spring. Was hoping to have everything squared away when I put it away, but it's not the end of the world.

Progressive is sending me a current transformer, so I'll hang to that when I get it and install it in the spring, and hopefully that takes care of it.

Edit. Mines obviously a little different, but I'm assuming that "the factory" knew what they were doing when that was installed and that perhaps this is a replacement due to "supply chain" issues that seem to be the norm these days.

I spoke with Jason at Progressive Industries about the arrow. It is on the side with the seam. It actually points up. He said the side with the arrow on it should go towards the contacts.

I straightened my black wire out and it seemed to help. I don't have a clamp meter so I can't test it.

I'm sitting in the trailer with the Air Conditioner on and it is showing 10 Amps so seems about right.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

I spoke with Jason at Progressive Industries about the arrow. It is on the side with the seam. It actually points up. He said the side with the arrow on it should go towards the contacts.

For future reference this photo shows the installer pointing at the tiny arrow. It will work installed either way but is more accurate with the arrow side facing the contactors. Not sure it matters for Alan. I think he just got a bad current sensor.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

For future reference this photo shows the installer pointing at the tiny arrow. It will work installed either way but is more accurate with the arrow side facing the contactors. Not sure it matters for Alan. I think he just got a bad current sensor.

Mine was acting just the same as his.

I asked Jason at Progressive EMS support if the black wire not being straight could be causing the erroneous readings. He said it was possible. Straightening the wire did seem to help.

Progressive is sending me a new sensor also. Just in case.

[TTMartin]

Here's the thread I started when I was noticed the same erroneous readings.

Phantom 20 amp refrigerator?

[alanerickson]

It's a different model current transformer from what most people are showing and there's definitely no arrows anywhere to be found. Just for kicks and giggles I did flip it around though and got even higher current readings. So we'll install the parts from Progressive and go from there.

Our old camper had a built in Progressive and it worked great. A little disturbing that something whose main function is voltage and current monitoring is reading this far off on the current.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by alanerickson

It's a different model current transformer from what most people are showing and there's definitely no arrows anywhere to be found. Just for kicks and giggles I did flip it around though and got even higher current readings. So we'll install the parts from Progressive and go from there.

Alan,

Your's is the Renco just like mine. The arrow is NOT where it shows in the instructions. It is a tiny arrow embossed on the side where the opening is that points away from the black and white wires on the sensor. I couldn't find it either until I called Jason at Progressive Industries back and he talked me through it.

Jason at Progressive Industries Support said that the bends in the black wire conceivably could be what is producing the erroneous readings.

The sensor is like half of a mini transformer. The voltage produced by an actual transformer is affected by the number of windings on both halves of a transformer. The bends in the black positive wire might be acting like a winding producing the erroneous readings.

After straightening my black positive wire my readings seen to be normal.

[Jack!]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

I would replace a suspect WFCO power converter with the PD46xxV unit (where xx is the amp rating, 45 or 55 typically), its a direct plug and play, and its a much better charge controller. There is also a PD4655LV suitable for LiFePO4 batteries

I picked up a PD4655LIV (Lithium) to swap out the WFCO battery charger when the new trailer arrives in Feb2022.

[Centex]

Just FYI and FWIW, attached is the pic of my sensor I sent to Progressive Tech Support asking for guidance on sensor orientation. Here's the reply I received:

"The New sensors that have TIGER printed on the label are not directionally sensitive and no longer have an arrow on them. You can install the sensor in either orientation without any issue with the sensor reading the current being passed.

Jason Schreiber
Technical Support Representative
Technical Service line
US: 1-800-307-6702
Outside the US:1-262-293-0600"

This is an EMS-HW30C recently purchased from Randy at Best Converter and drop-shipped direct from Progressive that I'm finally installing.

Look familiar, alanerickson?

Have Fun!

(Alan "E", but not "Erickson")

[Centex]

Methinks that the direct, no-excess, smooth-routed (no loops or sharp bends) wiring in the vicinity of the sensor as shown in the Progressive Instructions photograph may indeed (as suggested in previous posts) be important to achieving best performance from that unit. I could well be wrong yet again, though!

[alanerickson]

Thanks. I have the new transformer but unfortunately my RV is at off-site storage for the winter and so I'll have to wait until spring to get this sorted out.