EMS Surge Protection installation question

[FMLNM]

We are considering getting the Progressive Industries EMS Model EMS-HW30c. We hoped to hard wire it in. We have looked in our trailer and the power cord goes into the box with the fuses and the converter and we are leery of messing around in there. There is not much space to work and there are a lot of wires right there.
We wondered if it would work to just cut the power cord (maybe 2 feet from the converter box) and strip back enough insulation on each of the cut ends to wire the EMS in line on the power cord. We would mount the EMS to the trailer floor and also secure both ends of the cord to the trailer floor so it would not bounce around, etc.

Has anyone tried this and/or is there any danger or downside to doing this?

Thanks!!

[Brian B-P]

I see no problems with that plan for the wiring... in fact, that I how I have been planning to add a similar unit to my motorhome. Is this to go in a protected location (just not with the other gear)? I wouldn't want it just exposed on the floor.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by FMLNM

We are considering getting the Progressive Industries EMS Model EMS-HW30c. We hoped to hard wire it in. We have looked in our trailer and the power cord goes into the box with the fuses and the converter and we are leery of messing around in there. There is not much space to work and there are a lot of wires right there.
We wondered if it would work to just cut the power cord (maybe 2 feet from the converter box) and strip back enough insulation on each of the cut ends to wire the EMS in line on the power cord. We would mount the EMS to the trailer floor and also secure both ends of the cord to the trailer floor so it would not bounce around, etc.

Has anyone tried this and/or is there any danger or downside to doing this?

Thanks!!

When I installed mine in the Escape 19' that is what I did, about 2 feet away I mounted the box, cut the wire and ran the wire thru the box, made the connections and done.

[FMLNM]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I see no problems with that plan for the wiring... in fact, that I how I have been planning to add a similar unit to my motorhome. Is this to go in a protected location (just not with the other gear)? I wouldn't want it just exposed on the floor.

Yes, it would be in the under the bench storage where we would not have anything other than the power cord and the solar panel inverter, etc.
Thanks!

[FMLNM]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

When I installed mine in the Escape 19' that is what I did, about 2 feet away I mounted the box, cut the wire and ran the wire thru the box, made the connections and done.

We were intending to cut the big black 25 foot power cord that you plug into the outside power source...yours looks like a different power cord.....

[dave1]

Jim,

That's to same spot escape installs them.

Fran,

Ours is wired the same, with 110 ac house wiring. Its cheaper and easier for escape to do the run using that wire. If there is a junction box with a transition from the black power cord wire to a thinner wire before the converter you could mount the surge protector there, if room, and eliminate the junction box. Or if room around the converter you could simply undo the power cord wire from the converter go into the surge protector then out with a new wire to the converter. All depends on space available and how easy it is to work in the area.

Dave

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by FMLNM

We were intending to cut the big black 25 foot power cord that you plug into the outside power source...yours looks like a different power cord.....

You do not want to cut the power cord wire, you need to find the power feed wire to your converter and cut that one, I think it was orange. If you are not that familiar or uncomfortable as to which wire, I'd purchase the plug in kind that is portable. If you already bought it, post some pictures of your converter wiring and perhaps we can tell you which wire. It is probably the biggest wire feeding your converter.

[Jim Bennett]

I have lately heard of lots on incidences where a surge protector tripped for some reason, but have not ever heard of damage caused when not having one. Has there been many cases of ruined appliances or equipment? No doubt there are some, and there certainly is no harm in having the protection, but might it be like the over protective parent syndrome?

Just curious....

[cpaharley2008]

Jim,
As a contractor, how many times have you had to fix some other contractor's mistakes? It is the same here, do you check the pedestal before plugging in, have you ever found that there was open ground or that the hot and neutral wires were reversed. I used to find a lot of electrical problems before using the EMS, now I do not need to check, I know it works in the background for me. Have you ever had lightning strike near you, everything electrical is fried. The EMS will prevent that. In the summer when everyone is running a/c I see the voltage drop to 110 and below, again that is harmful to your electrical system.
Now, if you never hook up, then yes, your problems would be limited and may not even need one.

[Donna D.]

I'm following this thread with interest because I'm in the beginning stages of "what do I want" on the build sheet. Does anyone know what brand/model Escape uses?

This is a direct link to the one Fran & Dave referenced in the top post: Amazon.com: Progressive Industries EMSHW30C Surge Protector: Automotive

[cpaharley2008]

That is the one Escape uses, accepted in the industry as the best.

[Jim Bennett]

Until recent posts I had not considered checking the outlet on the pedestal (and actually haven't to date). I know around here the campgrounds are bound to do things by code, and I imagine if something happened they would be at fault then, or risk being penalized. BTW, i am a journeyman electrician too.

Like I said before, just something I had never even thought about (just like plugging in my computer in a hotel room), but something it can't hurt to have, and a consideration for the future. I do want to keep things as simple and light as possible too.

[Vermilye]

One example of where it can be helpful - if you leave the AC on while away from the trailer & the campground voltage drops below 106V, the EMS will shut down the power rather than leaving it running on low voltage, possibly damaging the trailer.

As mentioned before, I have had mine shut down 4 times so far - twice for reverse polarity & twice for low voltage.

[Jim Bennett]

Good thought on the low voltage, as that can damage equipment quicker than high voltage.

[FMLNM]

OK, so here are photos of our setup. One is taken from the top (you can see the table pedestal mounts (and my feet!) for orientation. The other is the back of the converter box. You can see that there is a mess of wires on and around the back of the converter - it would be a nightmare to undo all of that to get into the converter.
The big black power cord (with the plug on the end) goes directly from the converter to the plug. It is secured to the floor in a couple of places but that's it.

[cpaharley2008]

The 5.0 must be wired differently in that the round 30 amp wire comes into the Escape 19 and then into a junction box where a 30 amp romex cable goes to the converter, this is the cable I cut. If as you say the black wire going into the back of the converter is your 30 amp wire from the exterior, then yes then that is the wire you want to mount the EMS on. Just double check with Reace tomorrow and verify you have no romex cable and that this is the supply wire, then you will cut this wire and mount the box and then follow the instructions. The picture helped.

[cpaharley2008]

question, do you have the removable power cord or not? That can explain why your power cord is also your supply cord, you do not I'm guessing?

[gbaglo]

So, I'm guessing that if I don't have air conditioning, that I'm not risking much by not having a surge protector. I do have a small surge protector at the outlet, for this computer.

baglo

[FMLNM]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

question, do you have the removable power cord or not? That can explain why your power cord is also your supply cord, you do not I'm guessing?

No, we do not have the removable power cord. You are correct, our power cord is our supply cord....

We COULD go with the portable and then get a 30 amp extension cord to run from inside the trailer to the power pedestal...but then we would have to get into the under seat storage to see any error conditions since it does not have a remote display.

[cpaharley2008]

microwave,converter, your battery, all your wiring and lights, your pump, although these are 12v, if you have a spike or surge it can jump wires and flow thru everything, it is like a spare, if like to risk it, then no, you do not need one.