Progressive Industries hardwired HW50 EMS failed

[JoeUSNRET]

We've been having ongoing issues with our hardwired PI HW50 electrical management / surge protector. it has been throwing a high frequency code on L2 of more than 132volts for awhile. Called PI for assistance and they sent me instructions to adjust the POTS to correct the high voltage error. Did that, then it threw a OPEN GROUND code. we've been running it on ByPass mode for a few days until we can get a replacement. Last night at 7pm and 95 degrees we lost all AC power. Opened the basement wall and pulled the EMS out and it appears to have been overheating, interior was covered in thin coating of oil.

Was REALLY lucky to find some large butt connectors at the only open truck stop in town. Spliced all the wires back together as a temporary fix and got the AC power back online. We are using a portable surgeguard EMS as a backup. I may not reinstall a hardwired EMS due to the failure.

IF you have a hardwired EMS fail like this the only temp fix to get power back on is to remove it and hope to have the ability and parts to splice the wires back together safely.

[DutchmenSport]

It's for this very reason I never wanted a hard wired EMS.

On my previous travel trailer (Keystone Outback), someone "borrowed" my portable Progressive surge protector (If you know what I mean). I'm hoping someday, that some one will return it? But probably not, never! especially since I don't know who that person was!)

Meanwhile, I decided to go a different route when I purchased a new one. I accessed the junction box where the umbilical cord attached to the main wiring and cut the umbilical cord enough to put a plug on it. That way, I could plug the new portable one, to the now short one, plug the new protector into that and shove the over end of the cord for the protector through the mouse hole. On the remaining 35 feet of umbilical cord, I attached the opposite plug and continued using it as my power cord. This way, in the event of failure, it was simply a matter of unplugging the portable protector and plug the original umbilical cord back in.

When I traded the camper for my current Montana, I simply pulled the protector and plugged back in the umbilical cord. I did tell the dealership what I did if the next person ever wanted to put a different protector there.

This is something you may consider doing. Attach plugs to the hard wired protector and in the event of failure, you can simply unplug the protector and plug directly back into shore power. Or ... use a portable one.

On my current Montana, I don't have a way to access the junction point, and not sure where even is. So, I'm religated to using the portable one at the shore power post. I do have a bicycle cable attached and I keep it locked now.





This is the other end of the surge protector sticking out the mouse hole. I used a different 30 amp cord (longer) plugged in, in this photo:



My current EMS, purchased it the day we took delivery of our Montana. It's been plugged in every since!

[mlh]

That is the reason I have a portable unit l. I get to choose when I use it.
Lynwood

[JoeUSNRET]

Thanks for the reply. attaching plugs to both ends of the hardwired EMS sounds interesting. Although I would have to wire in 4 separate plugs which would be a lot of work. Maybe worth it though. If I hadn't been able to find appropriate butt connectors at the last open truck stop last night I would have been SOL. I could not find any heat shrink to protect the connectors and cut up an extra hose and used a bunch of electric tape to to shield each of the splices. hope to find a replacement option in Missoula tomorrow. headed to Glacier NP then on to the MOC rally in CDA'L next week.