Installing Progressive Industries 30A hardwired Surge Protector

[Darin27]

Hi everyone. I would like to know if anyone can show me how they connected the Progressive Industries 30A Hardwired Surge Protector. I have a 2017 27’ International FB 30A. I have two AC input lines. I am thinking it will be installed between the output of the power supply and the input to the main breaker? That way it is in use with either AC input line? I’ve attached pictures.

[waninae39]

inside and close to the AC fuse box is best

[rmkrum]

Like this. This is my power center located below my aft dinette seat. Pictured with seat removed. Orange wire is the 30 amp line from my power inlet on opposite side of the Airstream.



Black box to left is the EMS/surge protector. Silver item at bottom is the top of the OEM power center enclosure.

[richard5933]

Looks like you have a power center with some type of transfer switch built in to accommodate both shore power and generator input.

Ideally the EMS should be installed between the transfer switch output and the breaker panel main input.

Keep in mind that if your EMS is installed so that your generator goes through the EMS, then you will likely need to use a grounding plug on the generator so that the EMS doesn't see a fault.

[rmkrum]

My setup also has two separate power input connections. I had to add a transfer switch to allow selection of an input from the OEM connection and a new one I added for the generator that rides in my pickup truck tow vehicle.

Front power port:



Manual transfer switch by BlueSea systems and power monitor. This is running air conditioning in 90 degree heat outside. 15+ amp steady load.



Yes, it was a pain to find a location for the transfer switch on a 22’ International CCD 2007 model. It ended up in the street side wet bath wall next to the kitchen sink. Only place I could get all the wires in the same place.

I use a ground/neutral bonding plug on the 3400 watt Champion dual fuel inverter generator to make the EMS happy.



The setup works great on the road.

[Air2Dream]

Originally Posted by richard5933

Looks like you have a power center with some type of transfer switch built in to accommodate both shore power and generator input.

Ideally the EMS should be installed between the transfer switch output and the breaker panel main input.

Keep in mind that if your EMS is installed so that your generator goes through the EMS, then you will likely need to use a grounding plug on the generator so that the EMS doesn't see a fault.

Can PI’s EMS be switched off when using a generator?

[rmkrum]

Yes, if it has a remote you can force it to pass power, just hit the override switch, but it’s a VERY bad idea.

No protection if the generator has an over voltage or under voltage issue.

The ground/neutral bonding plug is the easy cheap solution and does not disable EMS protection.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by Big Enough

Can PI’s EMS be switched off when using a generator?

The bypass on the PI EMS bypasses all protection other than the surge protection. As mentioned above, bad idea to do this.

When using the generator you will inevitably have the generator cut out on your. It will run out of gas or have some other issue. While it's doing its little cut out dance, you might have a few seconds of low voltage. The EMS will do its job and disconnect the trailer from the generator in a split second, long before any damage to equipment (like your a/c compressor) can take place.

Get a grounding plug and don't look back.

While checking the PI instruction book about the bypass switch I did notice that there are multiple warnings to NOT use the EMS when running off of inverter power. So, if you have an inverter wired to supply power to the whole trailer you don't want the EMS to be in that system.

[Air2Dream]

Originally Posted by richard5933

The bypass on the PI EMS bypasses all protection other than the surge protection. As mentioned above, bad idea to do this.

When using the generator you will inevitably have the generator cut out on your. It will run out of gas or have some other issue. While it's doing its little cut out dance, you might have a few seconds of low voltage. The EMS will do its job and disconnect the trailer from the generator in a split second, long before any damage to equipment (like your a/c compressor) can take place.

Get a grounding plug and don't look back.

While checking the PI instruction book about the bypass switch I did notice that there are multiple warnings to NOT use the EMS when running off of inverter power. So, if you have an inverter wired to supply power to the whole trailer you don't want the EMS to be in that system.

So running the trailer off of a Ford F150 Powerboost, an inverter supplied source, the PMS should be turned off?

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by Big Enough

So running the trailer off of a Ford F150 Powerboost, an inverter supplied source, the PMS should be turned off?

I can't say how it would work on something like this. Here's the line from their list of warnings in the manual:

Never plug the EMS into an inverter.

(bold text is in the original).

A phone call to Progressive Industries tech support would seem like a good next step on this question.

Technical Support
Phone: 1-800-307-6702 press 2
tech.progressive@oneasg.com

Here's the link to the manual:

https://www.progressiveindustries.ne...6859d201ff.pdf

[Air2Dream]

Thank you - some good advice!!!

[K4TCJ]

Be advised that the hard wired units DO NOT protect your shore power cord, connectors and interior wiring to the unit. I only use the unit that plugs directly into the shore power at the pedestal. That way the entire system is properly protected. Have been using it for 4 years, full time with no issues.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by K4TCJ

Be advised that the hard wired units DO NOT protect your shore power cord, connectors and interior wiring to the unit. I only use the unit that plugs directly into the shore power at the pedestal. That way the entire system is properly protected. Have been using it for 4 years, full time with no issues.

This is a somewhat controversial topic - whether the external or built-in EMS protects better.

True what you're saying about the built-in units not protecting the shore power cord. But, on the flip side putting the EMS on the pedestal doesn't provide the same protection against low-voltage as it does when installed inside the trailer.

Why? The EMS will read the voltage coming into it and cannot account for anything that happens after. If the voltage coming from the pedestal is right on the edge of being too low for safe operation, it might actually be too low once it reaches the trailer after traveling across the shore power cord, especially if you need to use an extension cord to reach a distant pedestal. A weak connection or damaged shore power cord might create even more voltage drop, and in internal EMS will be able to protect against this, as well as protecting against a shore power cord with a damaged ground connection.

There is relatively little risk to the shore power cord and/or the wiring from it to the internal EMS as compared to the potential risk to the trailer's electrical devices from a low-voltage event.

Fortunately both internal and external EMS units are available so we can all select the risks we feel comfortable taking.