Need to add EMS, none installed on older hulls?

[jd1923]

Watched the OU video on the EMS system. Noted a post where @John E Davies mentioned the display may be mounted under by inverter. My 2016 hull #113 does not seem to have one. No display in the rear attic and none to be found. I can see the incoming power going directly to the PD5100 without EMS before or after.

Thinking I should install one. I'm not the guy who plugs in external devices and blue water filters at the camp site! Thinking I should install this one correctly. Is this what OTT installs? Amazon.com: Progressive Industries RV Surge Protector 30 Amp with Electrical Management System, Hardwired with Remote Display, EMS-HW30C : Automotive

I'll bet @Scuba Steve knows the history here or perhaps @topgun2, since Bill's Oliver and mine are cousins (hulls 113 and 117).

I imagine the EMS needs to be installed near first in line, just after the PD 5100 which switches between the two built-in shore power sources. Let me know. Thx

[Ronbrink]

9 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Is this what OTT installs?

Yes, that is the same model PI EMS installed in my OTT.

[topgun2]

jd1923 - 

Given the amount of electronic "stuff" in the Oliver, I simply chose to have this system installed at the time of birth.

It has worked perfectly over the past years, but, I've never really looked to see exactly how it is installed (with the exception of that remote readout).  Unfortunately, Twist is in off-site storage or I'd get some pics for ya.

Note that the readout was initially installed under the street side bed.  This meant that in order to see what it was trying to tell me, I'd have to lift that bed!  Be careful as to where you decide to mount it - the flashing (as it scrolls through its various screens) will make you think that you are trying to sleep in a cheap hotel if you mount it just about anywhere out in the open part of the cabin. However, you will want it in a place where you can see it easily as you plug into shore power.  I moved mine from under that bed to inside the pantry - it is high up on the rear wall of the pantry.  All I do is open the pantry door and I can see the readout from the entrance door, yet, it is not in the way of storage inside the pantry and, when the door is shut that flashing red display can't be reflecting off the interior of the cabin.

Bill

[Galway Girl]

The EMS in our 2019 EIi is installed under the rear dinette seat on the wall facing the aisle.  This pix is looking down under that seat.

 

The readout is mounted in the attic on street side wall.

 

[CRM]

16 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Thinking I should install one. I'm not the guy who plugs in external devices and blue water filters at the camp site! Thinking I should install this one correctly. Is this what OTT installs? Amazon.com: Progressive Industries RV Surge Protector 30 Amp with Electrical Management System, Hardwired with Remote Display, EMS-HW30C : Automotive

I

 

My 2010 Hull 45 did not come with any type of surge protection either. Used one of those pedestal types for a while but recently installed a hardwired Hughes Autoformer with surge protection.  So far it seems to be working as advertised and I like the fact it can be monitored with bluetooth and that it's DIY to replace the surge protection module should it fail.

Hughes Autoformer

[Geronimo John]

4 hours ago, Galway Girl said:

 

The readout is mounted in the attic on street side wall.

Our 2018 readout is mounted on the street side wall, to the right of the pantry, above the Fresh/Gray/Black/LP sensor readout.   

[topgun2]

22 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

Our 2018 readout is mounted on the street side wall, to the right of the pantry, above the Fresh/Gray/Black/LP sensor readout. 

That's a great place for seeing it from the entry door, but, doesn't the "flashing" red light bother you at night?  Or, did you find a way to tame it?

[Geronimo John]

2 hours ago, topgun2 said:

That's a great place for seeing it from the entry door, but, doesn't the "flashing" red light bother you at night?  Or, did you find a way to tame it?

Frankly not enough to get out 1/2" of black electrical tape.   But when I did the Lithium project, I moved it to below the bed rail so I could put the Victron 712 smart in it's place.  Under the bed rail it for sure does not bother us. 

More often though, I have seen it mounted on the StreetSide rear tire fender facing the "hallway".  

[MAX Burner]

On 11/18/2023 at 7:56 AM, topgun2 said:

I moved mine from under that bed to inside the pantry - it is high up on the rear wall of the pantry.  All I do is open the pantry door and I can see the readout from the entrance door, yet, it is not in the way of storage inside the pantry and, when the door is shut that flashing red display can't be reflecting off the interior of the cabin.

Great move, Bill!  Seem to remember reading about this mod. in previous posts - we'll definitely mount it high up inside the pantry...  Another item for the "To Do" list; thanks!

Cheers!

[jd1923]

On 11/18/2023 at 10:38 AM, Galway Girl said:

The EMS in our 2019 EIi is installed under the rear dinette seat on the wall facing the aisle.  This pix is looking down under that seat...

Thank you @Galway Girl. It may be hard to capture another picture, though a good picture of the connections would be great! Can anyone explain the OEM install? Are the incoming wires coming from the output of the PD5100? (The PD5100 is the shore power ATS.) Does the outgoing cable feed the PD4000 Power Control Center (containing the 120V circuit breakers)? Newer units may have newer PD model numbers, but all would have an ATS (automatic transfer switch) and a 120V AC power panel. This would be my guess, if I were to install this, but wondering how OTT does it at the factory? 

[jd1923]

I purchased the PD EMS-HW30C five weeks ago (time of last post). I have always respected the quality of Progressive Dynamics products, so another vendor was not in my consideration. My last RV had everything PD! And I installed a PD Inverter and loved it, as it performed flawlessly.

Finally finished today (so many items on the to-do list). I could not install it where @Galway Girl showed OTT installed hers (my Xantrex Inverter is mounted in that spot). Not a lot of room under there, but you can see where I installed it, just to the right of the PD5100. It really did not need physical mounting, a few layers of carpet tape were enough, as the main power cables and the cable you see above it (second 'shore power' input for a front generator) holds it nicely. I'll keep my eye on it to see if later I need a physical bracket.

There was extra length on the main 120V cable from the PD5100 to the PD4000 Power Control Center. So much that I even salvaged almost a foot of this cable for when I need some again. First pic shows the wiring, as simple as it can be!

[jd1923]

lastly, besides thanking @Galway Girl for the pic of her EMS, a thank-you to @Ronbrink, @topgun2, @CRM, @Geronimo John and @MAX Burner.

Many of you warned me of the bright display! Yep, it's not of master-bedroom quality. So I was thinking, when do we first need to view this display. The answer of course is, when we first hook-up!

So, I mounted mine right there, not inside the cabin at all. Many of you may have too much stuff in the Oliver trunk for this to be feasible, but I only place a few light objects back there (love having a full 8 FT truck bed, heavy stuff does not belong at the rear).

I keep our shore power cord back there, the freshwater hose and a few other items needed upon hookup. So why not, when you have the hatch open anyway, put the EMS display there as well?

I mounted the display with VHB tape to a L-bracket. Two screws to mount it to the flooring, using one existing screw. The opening for the data cable was already there, a little corner cutout, and it is so simple to run the wire under the pantry and streetside bed area.

The display could be mounted high and out of the way of storage, but then not easily in view. For hook-up, I remove a parts bag, the power cord and hose, and it's simply in straight-line view. The attic, or anywhere else inside means you have to climb in, check status, and climb back out to finish.

After installing, the screen read "No Power." I realized I had pushed the main switch off while I was working. Next thought was to protect the on/off switch while traveling. I mounted a simple L-bracket to keep stuff from hitting it while traveling. The 'pretty' install could include a screened type of enclosure for the display, but I prefer finishing the job today with spare parts when possible.

Got done at sunset tonight. Time for a drink and dinner soon. I'm happy to be done with this upgrade, one item off the list, and it works well!☺️ 

[ScubaRx]

When Hull #050 was built, an Electrical Management System was not an option (in fact, there were NO options). I did a little research in late 2014 and decided on the Progressive Industries EMS. It was available with an integrated or a remotely mounted readout. Since my plan was to mount the main unit under the rear dinette seat, I opted for the remotely mounted one. When it came in, I was astonished at how butt ugly the readout was. I wanted it mounted where it was easy to see, but only if I wanted to see it. I mounted mine up high inside the cupboard.

 

[Mike and Carol]

Hull 135 still doesn’t have an on board EMS.  The PD power pole unit has worked well.  This thread has me thinking though…..  Mike

[jd1923]

5 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

Hull 135 still doesn’t have an on board EMS.  The PD power pole unit has worked well.  This thread has me thinking though…..  Mike

Once I got to it, the job was only about 2 hours total. If yours has the front power receptacle for a generator, then you should have the PD5100 Automatic Transfer Switch right where mine is under the rear dinette seat. But either way, you want to cut the main line going into the PD4000 Power Control Center. It's easy to see, on mine it looped down to the floor. You can cut it in half (at the floor) to be safe and trim some excess when you get the EMS box in position.

@ScubaRx yep, it has a bright RED display that constantly changes every few seconds. Why does OTT put these in the attic? It's a long walk around to get up there after plugging into shore power, which is the only time you really need to check it. I would think you could see the flashing red during the night, and more so for those that have the frosted glass cabinet doors. You could easily move the attic display to where I have mine or another location.

An easy way to do this is to merely remove the new display (two screws), purchase a new data cable (looks like a phone cord) and run it from the EMS to a preferred location. Just leave the old cable where it was, or you could pull it down from the attic to the rear trunk area and reuse it (if so, tape the head of the cable so it doesn't get wrecked from pulling it).

[mossemi]

15 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

Since my plan was to mount the main unit under the rear dinette seat, I opted for the remotely mounted one. When it came in, I was astonished at how butt ugly the readout was. I wanted it mounted where it was easy to see, but only if I wanted to see it. I mounted mine up high inside the cupboard.

My factory installed our EMS remote display was installed under the street side bed.  This was a great location for me because I then got the choice of where to move it to.  I found out while  researching a new location that I could purchase another remote display and link both the displays together in a mast/slave configuration.  Ultimately I just decided to move the original display to a more convenient location, as shown below.  My normal new site setup entails testing all outlets available at the pedestal. When I have determined the outlet I will connect to, I’m pretty confident it will work at that time, so the inside upper cabinet location is fine for me.  If at a later time a condominium moves in next door and interrupts our power supply, resulting in reduced voltage, all I have to do is move the picnic tablecloth and the display with an error chart taped to the wall above it, allows for pretty quick troubleshooting.  And if it’s raining or snowing, I don’t have to go outside to verify the pedestal is providing the correct voltage

Mossey