no on shore power

[Imelda]

4 hours ago, Imelda said:

I am connected to 110 V shore power not using the generator.

I have 110 volts going to the trailer connected to a camp site outlet but no power at the surge protector display. The display is blank and looks like it has no power to it. Is there a fuse between the surge protectors and the 110V input connector that needs to be reset or did I fry the surge protector? 

I am running of the batteries but it would be nice to turn on the ac. It get hot here in the afternoon.

 

  

 

[Imelda]

All see pics above. Yes ac power is coming to the trailer see pic w green light on power cord. The surge protector display is not on and I do not get ac power in the trailer when I switch the bypass ems. I do get dc 12 volts and the inverter works. Just no ac power in the trailer 

did I fry the ems in the trailer or is there something else going on? 

[SteveCr]

 

I found the following discussion that seems almost the same situation that you describe.

The RV owner contacted Progressive Industries and troubleshooted it over the phone...they sent him a replacement control board.

 

https://www.loveyourrv.com/update-to-progressive-industries-ems-hw30c-surge-protector-review/

Update to Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C RV Surge Protector Review

1) I was able to break it!

I was messing around with one of my Champion 2000 watt generators during a recent boondocking adventure and decided to try and see if I could fire up the 13,500 BTU Air Conditioning unit. This is most definitely at the extreme max of the generators performance specs and was very unlikely to work. But that didn’t stop Captain Curious. So I fired up the generator, went inside and turned on the AC’s fan, so far so good. Now time to hit compressor on button. A big groan could be heard from the AC unit then a loud Click! Click! Click! from the location of the surge protector.

EMS-HW30C Surge Protector Installed in my trailer
My wife Anne looks at me and asks, “What was that”!? Oh I just overloaded the circuit and blew the surge protectors breaker. No biggie. Then Anne gave me the look. Guys who do a lot of fixing and tinkering will know it well. Actually it was a biggie because my little experiment rendered our brand new Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C  RV surge protector stone dead. I could not even see the error light lit up on the control board inside the unit.

I had heard that Progressive Industries had great warranty service. I figured this would put it to the test. I emailed the tech support detailing what had happened, that I had no power, no display and even the error led wasn’t lit up. They replied the same day saying the control board was at fault and they would send out a new one free of charge. Then I had to send back the dud within 30 days. But we were boondocking and far from home? No problem, they just shipped it to the nearest postal outlet. I was relieved that I would have my surge protector back functional again soon. The board swap was very simple, just unscrew the top, unplug the the board connectors and then one screw that holds it in place.

EMS-HW30C Surge Protector

[Imelda]

Wow this looks exactly my situation. Thank you so much for sharing.   Miss desperate here (I was really hot) here in Bog Bend NP and tried to run the ac of 2K watt generator and had the same outcome  I will call Progressive and get a tell them what happened and get a replacement board send out and I can repair it. We are boon docking of the batteries for the next 4 days then home. I will keep you posted. 

[SteveCr]

Hopefully PI will be able to diagnose and get  you going.

I run my LE2 AC with a Honda EU2200i generator. The key is having the easy start installed on the AC. Even with the easy start, the AC compressor start up pushes the generator toward its upper limit for a short while....less than 30 seconds. Afterwards...all is groovy!

(All other accessories, coffee maker, battery charger, etc need to be off. The Honda will sense an overload condition and shut down...how do I know this  😵 ? )

[Imelda]

Thank you Steve. I am seeing a 4K watt quiet generator in my xmas stocking this year so I will be able to run a few extras. So far I am running of the batteries and I am at high altitude so I don’t  need the ac. When I get good cell service hopefully tomorrow I will call Progressive and get a replacement circuit board and that should do the trick. I will keep you posted on how it works out. 

[Ralph Mawyer]

Why not just add soft-start to AC?

[Imelda]

Ralph, I will look into adding the soft start also. I will have to take it to a RV dealer as there is no way I am getting up on the roof of the Oliver to add the soft start. I realized that by going with a 4K generator, its going to be a lot heavier (and likely noisier)  than the 2K one I have already and I might not be able to pick up a 4K generator. I am wondering if I could leave a 4K one in the bed of the truck, run it from there and not have to move it. 

I took the cover of the EMS-HW30C and my voltmeter says there is 120V going into it but nothing coming out so for sure it is broken and needs to be replaced, either the whole unit or just swap out a circuit board as in SteveCr case. 

I had another question on keeping the batteries topped up. I have solar panels that I did not bring on this trip but could I have used a trickle 12V battery charger plugged into a 120V outlet at the campsite to keep the batteries charged up? 

[SeaDawg]

Imelda, call your local rv dealers. 

Getting the soft start installed is likely cheaper and easier than hauling a giant generator around . Seriously . I'd start there 

If you don't do that, look at some of the Westinghouse and champion generators, 2400 to 3000 range. Honda used to sell a "companion" 2000, which you could wire in parallel, and take two gensets when you needed ac. It's discontinued,  but you might find one used.

[Mike and Carol]

21 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

Getting the soft start installed is likely cheaper and easier than hauling a giant generator around . Seriously . I'd start there 

Agree.  I’ve got the soft start and a Champion 2K Watt generator that runs the AC fine.  Mike

[mossemi]

30 minutes ago, Mike and Carol said:

Agree.  I’ve got the soft start and a Champion 2K Watt generator that runs the AC fine.  Mike

Do you have a SoftStart or a Micro-Air EasyStart?  I believe Oliver is installing the EasyStart but SoftStart is doing a lot of advertising and the products look identical.  And I read this on the internet "SoftStart was started by an ex Micro-Air employee" so it must be true.😉  So I was curious if you are using a generic term or a business name.

Mossey

[SeaDawg]

I used the term "soft start " as the generic term. Most recently,  when we added Tesla whole house batteries, we changed up to "soft start" on home ac unit.

There are a number of brands. I know most people here use the micro air product. Sorry for the confusion. 

[Mike and Carol]

I think what I have is the Easy Start.  It’s the one that was being installed at the early rally’s.  I had Oliver install mine a few years ago.  Mike

[Imelda]

Thank you all. Yes, it makes sense to add the easy start and not lug a heavier and nosier generator around so I think I will go with the Micro-Air easy start that Oliver are offering as an add on option.  I am sure I can get someone local to install it and run the ac of my 2K generator 

 

[Imelda]

Hi all, thanks for your help and support. Happy days again. An update on my no shore power topic. Progressive sent a replacement surge protector that I just now installed and I am very happy to report all electrics are working again on the trailer. AND I am ordering the soft start and an electrical engineering colleague will install it for me. It looks simple enough to do from the you tube videos I have watched. I could install it - I am an Electronic Engineer but I have a fear of heights so there is no way I could go up on the roof of the trailer. My younger, fitter colleague can. So I will get that done and use the lighter weight, low noise 2K watt generator that I already have. 

Happy Trails.

 

Imelda

[SeaDawg]

Glad you got everything sorted out, Imelda. Happy camping.