EMS Install

Topic: EMS Install (Read 1284 times) previous topic - next topic

EMS Install

January 21, 2018, 02:36:51 pm

Would it be ok to use a 50A range cord to add the EMS in the Utility Bay. The coach has a long cord connected at the junction box in the bay, but I didn't want to cut it in half to install the EMS. I was looking at the dryer cords but they were all rated for 30A.
Thanks, John M.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #1 – January 21, 2018, 02:44:02 pm

John,

Look for SOOW type cable. This has very fine copper strands which make the cable quite flexible and each of the individual wires easier to manipulate into position. You cn buy it by the foot at places like Home Depot.

Roger

Re: EMS Install

Reply #2 – January 21, 2018, 03:40:37 pm

What gauge is needed. I went to Home Depot they didn't anything larger than 10 gauge in 4 wire. Roger do you know if they carry that at Lowe's?
Thanks,
John M.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #3 – January 21, 2018, 04:20:28 pm

I went to Lowes and they had the 6/3, 8/1 wire but it was stiff like what I have in the bay. They had a range cable rated for 50A but it was 6/2, 8/2. The ground and neutral were 8 gauge. Wasn't sure if this would work. RV cables are 6 gauge on the power and neutral leads and 8 gauge on the ground. I was going to change my cord plug so maybe I'll remove 4 feet of cord install the new plug and order a 50A extension cord. I wanted to order one any how.

John M.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #4 – January 21, 2018, 06:43:40 pm

John, I did not see what you need at Lowes. 6/4 SOOW cable

At Home Depot, $5.64 / ft
Southwire (By-the-Foot) 6/4 600-Volt CU Black Flexible Portable Power SOOW...

You can get a 10 ft piece at Amazon, pretty good price. Less than $4/ft
10' 6/4 SOOW Wire Cord Cable Portable Power 6 Gauge 4 Conductor USA - -...

I got this 50 amp 50' extension cord at Amazon (warehouse deals) for $130. Damaged box.
Amazon.com: NU-CORD 94561E 50-Feet 50-Amp Rv Extension Cord: Lamps & Light...

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #5 – January 21, 2018, 06:48:46 pm

Roger,
Thanks for the help. Maybe I'll try Home Depot again. The person that I had today was not very helpful and lacked the desire to do his job. If not, I'll go to another Home Depot and try. Thanks for the Amazon info. I always forget to check their warehouse deals.

John M.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #6 – January 21, 2018, 09:20:16 pm

Quote from: John Morales – January 21, 2018, 06:48:46 pm

Roger,
Thanks for the help. Maybe I'll try Home Depot again. The person that I had today was not very helpful and lacked the desire to do his job. If not, I'll go to another Home Depot and try. Thanks for the Amazon info. I always forget to check their warehouse deals.
John M.

You can look up the part and the store you are wanting. The web site will tell you if they have in stock. There web inventory is updated every night so if item is sold during day the web will have wrong quantity. The web is always one off at start of the day. So if they think their inventory is 10 the web will only show 9

Re: EMS Install

Reply #7 – January 21, 2018, 09:30:26 pm

I checked inventory of the stores within 22 miles of my zip and none of them carry the 6/4 wire, but they can ship to my store for free

Getting back to your original question I think you can use the 50 amp pigtail. You just need to check and make sure it is 6/4 and not something else. I looked on homedepot but it does not say the wire size, only says 50 amps. I believe if you look at one it will have the wire gauge on the side of the cable.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #8 – January 21, 2018, 09:52:08 pm

How long a piece do you need. I have a leftover piece, maybe 18-24 inches. I will look if this is close.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #9 – January 21, 2018, 10:59:54 pm

EBay item number:382336351527 IS a 25' extension cord includes a right angle 50 amp-125/250V plug and connector. -40° cold weather jacket. 100% copper. Type 6/3 and 8/1 STW. . Total cost including shipping is $73. I bought something similar along with a second male and female end, made two 10' extension cords I needed for a project and had 5' cable left over.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #10 – January 22, 2018, 04:59:54 am

Roger,
Thanks for the offer. I'm looking for 4 feet of cord. No need to hunt. I will keep looking. There are places on the Internet I can order from and Home Depot will do a ship to store. I appreciate the offer.
John M.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #11 – January 22, 2018, 09:27:12 am

Quote from: CDM 2005 36' U270 – January 21, 2018, 10:59:54 pm

... Type 6/3 and 8/1 STW ...

STW cable is commonly used for RV extension cords. It is pretty flexible but not quite as flexible as the SOOW cable. It you are connecting with a short piece or adding an EMS in the foot-of -the-bed space the extra flexability is a big help.

I found a 50 ft 50 amp RV extension cord (STW) at Amazon's warehouse deals for less than $140. It seems like most everywhere I have been in need of an extension cord it was more than 25 ft. Sometimes only 3'. In the Canadian Provincial Parks the power is always at the road. Those who knew brought very long cords.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #12 – January 22, 2018, 04:56:24 pm

THey have the thicker/heavier gauge cord/wire on the rolls in electric

go to the area where you buy wire by the foot

Re: EMS Install

Reply #13 – January 22, 2018, 05:55:41 pm

If you are installing a Progressive EMS, remember this little note. The lag freaked me out after a power outage when the Park came on and I did not!

Re: EMS Install

Reply #14 – January 22, 2018, 06:49:26 pm

We have the hardwired Progressive Industries EMS. This model has a user settable start delay. Maybe the other non-hardwired models have a similar option. The unit has to be opened and with a jumper on the circuit board the delay time can be set. Usually the longer time is to give a generator time to stabilize.
Per user manual:

"Set time delay jumper on the circuit board. Factory setting is for 15 seconds. Remove jumper to change setting to 136 seconds."

Re: EMS Install

Reply #15 – January 22, 2018, 06:49:28 pm

On our EMS #2 installation, I used #6 (50-amp) SO cable, and found that the many thin strands create a termination problem. Tightening down the bare dozens of copper strands under terminals designed for stiffer wires allowed many strands to slip out from under the tightened terminal. I resolved this by slipping a round crimpable/malleable electrical terminator around all the bare strands before putting the end under the terminal screw.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #16 – January 22, 2018, 07:27:31 pm

Quote from: Barry & Cindy – January 22, 2018, 06:49:28 pm

Tightening down the bare dozens of copper strands under terminals designed for stiffer wires allowed many strands to slip out from under the tightened terminal.

I solder the ends of any stranded wires I am going to crimp, never fails

Re: EMS Install

Reply #17 – January 22, 2018, 07:33:22 pm

I think Barry is referring to a gound wire crimp connector or sleeve. They are used in electrical boxes where all the ground wires are pushed through the sleeve and then it is crimped. It takes less space than a wire nut. You should be able to find these at most hardware stores in a size big enough to slip over the fine wire cable. Then screw down on the ground wire sleeve with the fine wire inside. Works great. It is how I did it. Be sure to tighten the wire clamps sufficiently. There is probably a torque spec. Tug on the wires to be sure they are secure.

They have lots of sizes at Amazon. You won't need many.

Gardner Bender 10-311C Crimp Connector, Copper, 14-8 AWG, 50Pk - Electronics...

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #18 – January 22, 2018, 08:24:35 pm

I was going to tin the ends before inserting them using a torch.
John M.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=20BTRn-vqTY

Re: EMS Install

Reply #19 – January 23, 2018, 02:34:23 pm

John, soldering the end of the wires is OK. Part of what makes them flexible is the fine strands of annealed copper wire. While heating the wire strands to solder them will not change the annealing the solder will form a rigid section and the point where the fine wire strands transition from the soldered mass to the unsoldered wire is a point at which bending streeses are concentrated and the fine strands are more likely to break.

So if you solder, use enough heat for a good joint and the minimum amount of solder needed to bind the stands together. Use a rosin core electrical solder, not what they use for copper pipes. Clamping pressure on the soldered end should be done to a specified torque. Once clamped in place fix the cable within a foot of the clamped connection to minimize any possible movement.

And since the soldered wire end is probably more compressible than the copper wire by itself, this connection should get retorqued after a year or so. If you have aluminum wires feeding into your main breaker box in your house (common) these should be retorqued every few years as well. The aluminum continues to compress under pressure and the connection is not as good and can get hot. These connections are generally greased with a conductive grease to help improve contact and make torqing the joint easier.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #20 – January 23, 2018, 03:18:06 pm

Thank you Roger. For my posting, I looked for a picture of the sleeve, but could not find the correct descriptor. From Roger's correct ident, I found this:
Ideal 2006S Crimp Connector (Pack of 100): Electrical Wires: Amazon.com:...

We used these (of the correct, tight-fitting size) on all SO ends.
Barry

Re: EMS Install

Reply #21 – January 23, 2018, 04:28:38 pm

After a "pedestal incident" that melted & shorted my male & female cord ends, plus the male connection in the wet bay, I bought the EMS that fits on the pedestal. I feel better having it at "the source".

Re: EMS Install

Reply #22 – January 26, 2018, 04:10:51 pm

Well we were able to order the wire that Roger recommended from Home Depot. It arrived today. Now to install get the EMS installed and button up the Utility Bay.
Thanks everyone for the help and input,
John M.

Re: EMS Install

Reply #23 – January 26, 2018, 05:35:12 pm

John

Consider adding a second display. We put one in the utility bay along with the display selection switch and the other in the kitchen on the panel which had the original power monitor. I like monitoring power both at initial hookup and during the stay.

Randy

Re: EMS Install

Reply #24 – January 26, 2018, 07:43:41 pm

I had this EMS on the shelf and it does not have the second display. We don't worry about a second display. Once it clears us for the connection we are good to go.
John M.

Affiliate Notice