I have always resisted buying one because I always checked hookups that I didn't trust and it worked until last month when we were in Big Bend and the power company had problems. We were away from the trailer and the power in the whole area was popping on and off, when we got back to the trailer our satellite receiver was toast. After $100 for a new receiver and a 190 mile round trip we decided it was time.

I decided on a Progressive Industries HW50C hard wire system with a remote monitor. I wanted a hard wired one so I could have protection after the generator and it's out of sight of sticky fingers.

I mounted the monitor next to the inverter and generator controllers, the EMS monitor is on the right, it's also behind a cabinet door so we don't have to look at annoying LED lights all the time.

The great thing about the Progressive unit it's made in the USA and has a lifetime warranty.

Denny

 

Excellent! A very good company, super consumer support, and it works. Would suggest everyone own one for exactly what happened here. If you are not there, there is no one to disconnect your camper when the power goes South. And if you have a genset, installed it the way Denny did, not just on the shoreline (and if you are having it installed, tell the dealer to do it the same way.)

We also have Progressive, but have owned its competitor and it is also worth a look, IMO.

Steve

 

revisiting this. Since I have a surge protector built in that will also do the power transfer from shore power to gen set I would think I am protected from this?


Thoughts?


It was one of the reasons that I got a built in surge protector.

 

Couple of thoughts. whether you have protection on both the shoreline and the genset depends entirely on how it is wired. Historically the concern has been on the shoreline and that is usually protected and the genset output may not be.

If the energy management system (EMS) is after your transfer switch, you are protected on both. If it is ahead of transfer switch, you are protected on only one. I always found it interesting when I spoke with techs who installed them, most only thought about the shoreline.

And everyone remember, you want not only surge protection, but high/low voltage protection. An EMS is not just a surge protector. If you are buying one, expect to pay north of $200 - $300 depending on 30 or 50 amp system.

Steve

 

This is all I have for pictures right now, but I always assumed it was wired to protect both.

 

Looks to me like you are covered.

Steve

 

That was what I was thinking all along. When I first got the unit and snooped all around the wiring I thought I was good.

 

And you were on the money! That is one pricey piece of equipment there. I normally only saw that in high-end diesel pushers. There actually is a much cheaper way to do the same thing by feeding the EMS after a separate transfer switch, but what you have is mighty fine!

Steve

 

When I was getting this 5th wheel I specified as much as I could. Since I have what is called referred to as an extended stay 5th wheel I wanted to get as much as I could.


It is an alternate route to go if you can get it from the factory.


Wonder if you could work something like this into a deal if it didn't have it? Something for the new purchaser to think about.

 

I've looked at new trailers over the years (just in case something happens to ours) and the first thing I look at is what the options are. Its getting harder to get upgrades like this from the factory, it's not eye candy so its not needed to sell to uninformed buyers.

Denny

 

I have that same EMS...I pulled the jumper so the delay is 2:16...I like the longer delay. So far I really like that unit.

 

I thought about the longer delay for a long time but so far I'm using the short one. I also have a delay on my generator so the long delay would be a real long delay when using the generator.

Denny

 

Another advantage to the built in unit is it is harder to leave it hanging on the power pole like I did.
My next one will be a built in.