You'll have to remove a couple dozen screws & remove a portion the basement wall in order to get to the back side of your breaker panel, if you're my size it won't be fun, in order to wire up the surge protector.
I believe the picture is the router/control panel (whatever it might be called) for the remote operation of everything from the IPad looking doodad, not the energy management.
Travelin' Texans
Former '13 FB owner
Currently rvless!!
Hi Gip,
Thank you for compliments about the pictures. I will look inside the trailer. Open up some cabinets and see what I can find. The good thing is that I can fit into most small places.
Thank you again for your help,
Al
Alan,
Are you sure you don't have generator prep? If so you would have a transfer switch something like this above the batteries on the bulkhead.
That is the best place to intercept and add the surge suppression. I intercepted between the shore line and the transfer switch, because the generator doesn't need surge.
I mounted mine right above the generator heat shield.
If you truly don't have gen prep, you won't have any of this on the bulkhead.
Alan,
Are you sure you don't have generator prep? If so you would have a transfer switch something like this above the batteries on the bulkhead.That is the best place to intercept and add the surge suppression. I intercepted between the shore line and the transfer switch, because the generator doesn't need surge.
I mounted mine right above the generator heat shield.
If you truly don't have gen prep, you won't have any of this on the bulkhead.
Hi atom,
Thank you so much for the pictures. I do have a gen prep in the trailer. I was thinking about the transfer switch myself. I know right where it is located. I have seen it on the back wall. I will have to take a better look to see if the gen box can be removed from the trailer. If so, it could help with having more room to work.
Thank you again for the pictures and idea,
Al
I followed Brad's advice and installed mine there as well. Just needed a short piece of #6/3 with ground from the home center. It's awkward but not too tough.
You shouldn't have to remove the generator box. It's really roomy up there. I kneeled on the batteries and leaned over the box. The box actually made a good work platform.
I bought about 5' of cable at Home Depot - #6 4-conductor (240VAC SO cable). I only really needed a couple of feet.[tweet] [/tweet] I removed the existing cable from the shore line side of the transfer switch and reinstalled it on the power side of the surge. I then ran my new cable from the surge load side back over to the transfer switch - done! The black backing plate I used was actually one of the knockouts from the floor of the generator compartment (I did install my own Onan 5500 gen).
I am currently running a Hughes Autoformer which is plugged directly into my park's 50 amp pedestal and the output of the Autoformer is plugged into a Progressive Industries EMS-PT50X and my coach is plugged into that (pics attached). The Autoformer offers 12,000 watts of boost capacity and fully automatic 10% boost on either line requiring it when park voltage drops to 113 volts. The Autoformer also has complete LED park diagnostics and 4800 joules of surge protection. I purchased this product because under high demand I was seeing low voltage on one leg of my service to the point the EMS-PT50X was shutting down power to the coach (just like it was designed to do). The EMS-PT50X downstream of the Autoformer gives me all the EMS protection as well as the LED status and diagnostics.
I'm planning on buying the Autoformer hardwire kit which is basically a 50 amp three prong pigtail and a 50 amp receptacle. I'll tie the new pigtail into the shore power input of the transfer switch in the battery compartment and take the existing shore power wiring to the new receptacle which will also mounted in the battery compartment. I'll mount the Autoformer in the battery compartment, plug the Autoformer into the new receptacle, the EMS-PT50X into the Autoformer and then the new pig tail from the transfer switch into the EMS-PT50X. I think this installation is ideal because if any one of the components (Autoformer/EMS-PT50X) fails or needs service I can just unplug the failed unit and bypass it until it is repaired. The downside is that I don't have the diagnostic LEDs in my coach but I certainly don't have that now but it's easy to just take a look in the battery compartment.
https://hughesautoformers.com/product/50-amp-12000-watt-booster-and-surge/
Well, first the bad news....This is your Energy Management System. Not your electrical distribution panel. You need to look for the panel. Generally, it is located in the coat closet / controls cabinet by the front door.
The good news is that your pictures are great!
On the Energy Management System, there are "inputs" and "outputs". Power comes from the electrical panel in the form of an "input" to the Energy Management System. The electrical panel provides protection from overloads and short circuits with the use of fuses (12V) and breakers (120V). The Electrical Management System cannot provide that protection (yet...they could but don't).
At the Energy Management Center, the computer controls the "outputs" (i.e A/C, lights, etc) thru your I-Pad type device.
12V batteries provide 12V DC power to the electrical panel (separate sections from the 120V side of the panel) for low volt circuits and power to the Energy Management System.
The electrical panel will be where you will tie in the Surge Protection.
Here is a photo of my Power Control System display panel in my 2018 3921GK which in manufactured by Precision Circuits. I'm guessing the module itself is mounted in the AC distribution panel and then wired to the individual circuits it controls.
x
You shouldn't have to remove the generator box. It's really roomy up there. I kneeled on the batteries and leaned over the box. The box actually made a good work platform.
I bought about 5' of cable at Home Depot - #6 4-conductor (240VAC SO cable). I only really needed a couple of feet.[tweet] [/tweet] I removed the existing cable from the shore line side of the transfer switch and reinstalled it on the power side of the surge. I then ran my new cable from the surge load side back over to the transfer switch - done! The black backing plate I used was actually one of the knockouts from the floor of the generator compartment (I did install my own Onan 5500 gen).
Hi Everyone,
Thank you Atom for the pictures and write up. I have a plan and location in mind. Now I have to figure out which model number from Surge Guard to use. I think the model that is in the pictures is Surge Guard's top of the line.
Al
We installed the Surge Guard in 2013, so the exact model numbers may have changed, but it resembles the 34560. Doesn't have a remote readout panel and it only has 4 LED's on the front - one LED lights when power is supplied to each leg. After the waiting period of about 90 sec to 2 minutes you hear an audible click and the other 2 LED's light indicating power is supplied to the coach.
It may not be top of the line, with remote readout and bells & whistles, but still does the same job. I had no need to monitor the voltage on each leg. Only downside if when the power trips I have to go outside and open the front compartment to check the lights.
Allen,
The one I installed in my Redwood (shown in my pics above) was a Progressive Industries EMS-LCHW50 that had the readout on the box. I should have got a model with the remote readout like the the EMS-HW50 because it was a pain to look up in there to see what went wrong. I actually never anticipated seeing a problem with the electric - but it happens more often than you think once you have the equipment to sense it.
The Surge Guard 40240 is the TCI equivalent to the EMS-HW50. They also make a 35550 that is a little more limited in function and the wires are exposed, so not my favorite.
Myself, I favor Surge Guard over Progressive Industries (I have Surge Guard now in current rig) and would probably go with the 40240 over the EMS-HW50, but both will work fine.
We installed the Surge Guard in 2013, so the exact model numbers may have changed, but it resembles the 34560. Doesn't have a remote readout panel and it only has 4 LED's on the front - one LED lights when power is supplied to each leg. After the waiting period of about 90 sec to 2 minutes you hear an audible click and the other 2 LED's light indicating power is supplied to the coach.
It may not be top of the line, with remote readout and bells & whistles, but still does the same job. I had no need to monitor the voltage on each leg. Only downside if when the power trips I have to go outside and open the front compartment to check the lights.
I hardwired that same Surge Guard unit in my class A diesel motorcoach and never had any issues with it. It's a good product.
Dave installed our Surgeguard in the same place.
You shouldn't have to remove the generator box. It's really roomy up there. I kneeled on the batteries and leaned over the box. The box actually made a good work platform.
I bought about 5' of cable at Home Depot - #6 4-conductor (240VAC SO cable). I only really needed a couple of feet.[tweet] [/tweet] I removed the existing cable from the shore line side of the transfer switch and reinstalled it on the power side of the surge. I then ran my new cable from the surge load side back over to the transfer switch - done! The black backing plate I used was actually one of the knockouts from the floor of the generator compartment (I did install my own Onan 5500 gen).
Hello Atom,
Thank you again for the pictures. I have a question or too about your mounting plate for your surge protection. Do you remember what size screws that you used ? Did your screws go all the way thru the wall with the black insulation on it ? Or is there some studs in the wall that the screws go into ? I am thinking that wall is about 1/4" thick. Any tips would be a big help.
Thank you for any info,
Al
