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Topic: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey (Read 615 times) previous topic - next topic

Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

We've installed Progressive Industries EMS-HW50C units in our previous rigs and want to do so in our 34' U270.  I'd initially considered mounting it under the bed near the transfer switch with one display in the utility bay (to see when hooking up) and another on the panel where the Power Line Monitor is now.

Don (AKA acousticard) cautioned that they'd been sensitive to a "hum" when mounted under the bed and chose to mount it in the utility bay.  Have others of you noticed the "hum".  We had one from the power supply in our 5th wheel but don't remember one from the EMS.

Don had mounted his in his utility bay but I'm concerned that the bay in our 34' is smaller and would take up space I'd otherwise use for storing other items.

Any alternate locations you might suggest?

Thanks

Randy
Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #1 –
Mine is mounted under the bed with displays as you noted. Just asked the DW if she noticed a hum from under the foot of the bed. she says no.

A definitive answer.

Rick and Wendy Green
1998 U270 3600 The Coach Formerly known as Princess
Build# 5336
2007 Ford Explorer

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #2 –
I've had three of them mounted under the bed with no noticeable hum. As you plan, I installed one monitor in the wet bay and another inside. I put my inverter monitor in place of the Freedom 25 and mounted the EMS monitor on a kitchen drawer side wall.
jor

93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #3 –
Ours is in the space at the foot of the bed.  Make sure it is securely fastened.  We don't hear anything from it.  Once in a while a hum from a transfer switch or cooling fan from our battery charger mounted in the engine bay itself.  Nothing that ever bothers us.  We have a ceiling fan in the BR that makes a bit of a hum at one of the speeds.  Pretty soon it is white noise and you don't hear it.  We are older and don't hear as much anymore anyway.

Roger
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #4 –
As I found out before when I started my thread on the subject, they aren't all noisy... nor I suppose is everyone as sensitive to such noises as my lovely companion. I could definitely hear it but was able to program it out... probably because of the amount of work I knew it would entail to move it :o  Well, I combined the project with putting in hose and cord reels and getting rid of the useless OEM sewer hose storage pipe, and IIRC, putting in the wastemaster camlock sewer hose and third valve relocation etc. so compared to all of that, it was a piece of cake. As it happens, the Progressive Industries EMS that I bought at Quartzsite to replace the one fried by the Honda generator, is much quieter than the first one. Anyway, a noisy one isn't enough of a reason to get them to replace it under warranty. However, I expect that the fried one should do the trick and when I get the replacement, I will locate it near the front of the coach and use it for when we are running off of the generator.
Don
Quote from: AncloteJoe –
Mine is mounted under the bed with displays as you noted. Just asked the DW if she noticed a hum from under the foot of the bed. she says no.

A definitive answer.


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Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #5 –
On my 36' , 2005, U270 I mounted mine on the storage bay partition to the right of the transfer switch, on other side of partition the HWH motherboards are mounted on. I used male/female twistlock plugs on both ends of the Progressive so I could remove the Progressive if it fails completely and reconnect the power cable. I mounted the display inside the cabinet above the toilet. I fished the wires up thru the pantry cabinet, had to remove all the pullouts. When I want to read the display, I just open the cabinet doors. I could have mounted it on the wall so it could be seen from the hall/kitchen area, but did not want to see those scrolling display readouts all the time. Worked out well
2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"
2014 Honda CRV
Washington, Vermont
Lady Lake, Fl,  Independence, VA
Former owner of 2002 U320, 2003 U320, 2005 U270

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #6 –
We have two PI-EMS hard wired under the bed near the transfer switch.  No sounds from these devices.  One EMS is on shore wire connected to transfer switch.  The other EMS is on the cable connected to the 50-amp main panel breaker.

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #7 –
Just don't mount the monitor panel near your bed unless you have some black plastic tape. It seemed that it was only bright at 2:00 am. That was on a previous coach.
Larry
1996 U295 36'
Build # 4805
Actually we sold it but just like to lurk

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #8 –
I look at our battery charger from time to time, but looking at a EMS scrolling thru is insane, IMHO. Our EMS sits on the pedestal, it will lock in to a problem until taken care of, and the whole cable run is protected. I do like the idea of a EMS on the gen side, though. ^.^d
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #9 –
We feel that one of the major features of PI-EMS is the remote display showing volts, amps & frequency for each leg, all on a small display.  Well designed system.
Having the display in a common area like the kitchen where we can take a quick look to see if turning on a microwave will push the current loads too high.

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #10 –
Agree with Mike.  Ours is plugged into the pedestal and secured.  No fuss no muss and certainty no hum.  If there is a problem the error codes are right at the source of the issue and can be reviewed.  Can't say that I have ever had to worry about overloading the systems.  It has never occurred in our case, even when just about every electrical thing my wife can find is turned on and running...just saying.
Randy & Connie Peterson
Carlsbad, NM
1994 Grand Villa  #4593  SOLD
U240 36' Unihome CAT 3116 6 Speed Allison
Motorcader  17988    SKP  103142
2016 Ford F150 Towed Vehicle

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #11 –
Quote
I used male/female twistlock plugs on both ends of the Progressive so I could remove the Progressive if it fails completely and reconnect the power cable.
What a great idea!

Re seeing the display, I love lookin' at that thing.
jor
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #12 –
When plugged into 50 amp pedestal, not much to worry about, as it's difficult to overload a leg.  But when plugged into 30 amp or 20 amp, there is nothing like knowing that something needs to be turned off before something big is turned on. 

Managing RV limited resources is always a good idea.  Just like engine & transmission monitoring is important, so are monitoring RV 12 volt and 120 volt systems. 

When we have expensive electrical devices in use, like our AutoFormer, we keep it in a locked bay, connected to motorhome SmartPlug inlet with a short 50-amp cable, and to the pedestal with a long 50-amp extension. 

Same bay idea could be used for portable EMS units to make them semi permanent, waterproof, more secure and make hooking up to pedestal quicker & simpler.

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #13 –
I installed mine in the electrical compartment under the bed.  I does hum a little.  On a small plywood platform attached to the front and back wall, and electrically and physically between the Transfer switch and the main electrical CB box.  After the transfer switch in case the generator or shore power cause a problem.
Jerry Whiteaker former owner 96 U270  36' #4831 Austin,TX-Owner Mods LCD TV w/front cabinet rebuild - LCD TV bedroom - Dual Central AC, either can cool coach w 30 amp - Skylights at roof AC openings - Drop ceiling for ducting of AC - Shower skylight white gelcoat/wood/epoxy frame - Air Springs/Shocks replaced - 2014 CRV - 8K Home Solar - Chevy Volt
 

Re: Progressive Industries EMS Mounting Location & "Humm" Survey

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Jerry Whiteaker –
I installed mine in the electrical compartment under the bed.  I does hum a little.  On a small plywood platform attached to the front and back wall, and electrically and physically between the Transfer switch and the main electrical CB box.  After the transfer switch in case the generator or shore power cause a problem.

I did the same not too long ago, disappointed because of the the HUM even after mounting it on Insulated material. What prompted me to do so the voltage regulator went bad on my PT Generator. Checked voltage after starting vacuum, thought it was tuning higher than normal rpm's (147 volts). Now I'm afraid to plug into my Honda 2000 with the EMS hard wired in after reading, I think it was Don's post about firing his. Well hopefully I won't need it with 520 watts of solar newly installed.
Doug W.
96 36' U270 CSGI #4946
04 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
PNW