Power cord reel malfunction

AAdams

Well-known member
AA Adams
Wherever the open (like a disconnected wire) happens in the 50 amp, 2 - 120 volt phases (240 volts BETWEEN these 2 phases) shore power supply circuit, is "where the 220 vac (on the RV 120 volt circuits) starts". Having the EMS wired behind (upstream) of the breaker panel gives it the best chance of catching ALL power problems. Over the years these problems have mainly been associated with RV park power pedestal wiring problems. See: http://www.myrv.us/electric/index.htm and click on "Open Neutral".

Your analysis that "A portable EMS would still be seeing 110vac at the pedestal because the failure hasn't occurred when it is looking at it" is entirely correct. The portable pedestal-located EMS is upstream of the open neutral malfunction.

The Progressive HW-50C EMS is not supposed to allow power to pass through it in the case of an open neutral condition. See the "Open Neutral" section on this page: http://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems_hw50c.htm .

Thank you for the clarification. I just wanted to be sure I was understanding it correctly. So in short the EMS didn't fail because it was a portable in this instance and couldn't

have "seen" the problem. When I get a EMS I guess the I will get EMS-HW50C put in behind the electrical panel. Thanks again.
 

jassson007

Founding Louisiana Chapter Leaders-Retired
The hardwired EMS over the portable unit has four distinct advantages.

1) Hardwired before the panel it protects the coach from all incoming sources, e.g. shore power or genset (inverters excluded).
2) It is always online, even on the days one might be a bit to lazy and not hook up the portable for that "quick stop".
3) With the unit's display or remote display, the status can be checked from the inside of the coach during severe weather.
4) Buried inside a wall somewhere means it is not prone to be "borrowed" by another RV'er.

One distinct disadvantage - it takes a bit of work to install.

To me those are not advantages. I do not have an on board genset, I always hook it up before I do anything else as I do not want to rehook truck to move to another site, no reason to me to see display in bad weather (what are chances of needing to do that anyway?) it will still do its job and I have had mine close to two years and no issues with it walking (I still want to secure it though--this one I partially agree on). My issue with HW is I have to either let it go at trade or do labor to uninstall and fix connection and reinstall in new unit. Nah I will stay with portable. Oh I can also see immediately if I have an issue at pedestal when I plug in I don't have to run inside to check.

On edit I also do not have the cord real and probably never will if I can avoid it.

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wdk450

Well-known member
Avoiding an open neutral connection is a crapshoot, and all you can do (unless you never use 50 amp power) is make the odds a little better in your favor. Each electrical connection point is a possible point of failure. From the RV park pedestal outlet female contacts, to your shorepower cord mating male connector and wiring clamp screws, to the RV inlet connector wiring clamp screws, to the 50 amp RV inlet female connector, to the RV side 50 amp male connector and its wiring clamp screws, to any transfer switch and/or EMS wiring clamp screws and power pass relay contacts, to the wiring clamp screws on the inlet wiring on your AC breaker panel. Remove the female/male inlet connection points form the list if you have the cable reel, and insert the connection points for the cable reel. A good electrical designer minimizes these possible points of failure. The good/bad news is that over the years most of the reports of this problem have been due to campground pedestal wiring/loose screws. I think that the disturbing news is that as time progresses the campground pedestal problems are lessening. and we are hearing more of RV wiring problems causing this.

All you can do is make sure ALL connection wiring screws are tight on a regular (yearly?) basis. I don't know how to access the 50 amp female connector on my trailer's side, so I haven't done this one (yet). I also use Cramolyn contact cleaner/restorer spray on the park pedestal outlet, my shore cable ends and shore cable input recepticle. Both my transfer switch and EMS power pass through relay contacts have been treated with Cramolyn. I turn off my inside AC main breakers BEFORE disconnecting or connecting shore power to eliminate contact arcing on the EMS/transfer switch power pass-thru relays. 50 amp power is the exception to the rule at the Thousand Trails Preserves I fulltime at.

The big thing all RVers can do to minimize campground electrical problems for everyone is: ALWAYS TURN OFF THE CAMPGROUND PEDESTAL CIRCUIT BREAKER BEFORE CONNECTING/DISCONNECTING YOUR SHORE POWER CORD TO THE PEDESTAL OUTLET. Having the pedestal breaker ON when connecting/disconnecting your shore power plug, causes an arc burn in both the female outlet and your male plug blades. The arc burns and oxidation processes from air and heat at the connection point promotes a deteriorating electrical connection condition that eventually causes problems.
 
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