Re: AZ Members Chat Room
Another suggestion. Buy 2 male and female connectors. Wire a length of wire (18" or so) to the breaker panel and put a connector on the other end. Put a different connector on the main cable. Then put the corresponding connectors on the EMS. You can then plug it in, and if it goes bad you can disconnect it and plug the main cable into the other connector without having to rewire it all on the inside.
I have a portable Progressive EMS that I purchased in October 2014. When I arrived in Kerrville it had a problem. It showed 255V on L1 and 122 on L2 and would not allow a connection. Kevin Wolbeck was helping me back in as it was dark when I arrived. We checked it out on other pedestals and had the same reading. I tested the power with an Volt/ohm meter and the power pedestal was good. I called Progressive and they knew what the problem was and told me to send it back and they would repair it for free and return it to me. I will be receiving it on Thursday.
Using the suggested connectors will allow you to easily replace the EMS easily. This is not a knock on Progressive. I have used both the Surgeguard and Progressive and still prefer the Progressive.
FWIW
BC
I had the 255 volt reading problem last summer, but was able to slide the bypass switch on the remote readout to allow power through the main EMS relay. I had Progresssive send me an exchange circuit board, I swapped out the board, and the EMS was back in business. (I noted that a couple of components were burned out at the bottom of the bad PC board). (on edit - I was connected to a 120 volt, 30 amp, single phase, RV park service - there COULDN'T be 255 volts present. 255 is a possible trouble indication number in the digital electronics world - It is 2 to the 8th power, the largest number a binary digital 8 bit device can calculate/display).
I had the "generator prep" option installed on my trailer, so I have a transfer switch on the floor of my utility space, with the shore power feed coming in to this relay and the selected power (shore or generator) going out to the AC breaker box. I removed the identified shore power cable from the transfer relay, wired the shore power into my new EMS box, and added a cable from the EMS output to where the shore power WAS connected in the transfer relay.
I have a question about the external, pedistal-mounted EMS box: Does it have an internal power relay to cut the power like the HW-50C?