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Old 09-09-2014, 06:41 AM   #1
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Surge protector

Removed our surge protector - Progressive Industries Model EMS-HW50C with remote display. Was having too many problems when I ran my generator. The vendor did not have any suggestions for correcting the problem.

So I'll sell the one I removed and purchase a "pole mount" unit.
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Old 09-09-2014, 06:48 AM   #2
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I have to ask---
What problems were you having? Was it due to the brand of generator?
I have run our generator for years and never had an issue.
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Old 09-09-2014, 06:53 AM   #3
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Bob since you had to splice in the surge protector what did you do to reconnect to the panel? Junction box?
Secondly what generator are you using?
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Old 09-09-2014, 07:31 AM   #4
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I have to ask---
What problems were you having? Was it due to the brand of generator?
I have run our generator for years and never had an issue.
Yamaha generator (4000 watt) - the voltage dip when starting the AC made the surge protector relay chatter and I was worried about damaging the unit.

I thought it was a generator issue so I had it checked out at the Yamaha dealer and he did not find any problems with the generator.

I have a volt meter in the RV so I can monitor the generator voltage.
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Old 09-09-2014, 07:43 AM   #5
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Bob since you had to splice in the surge protector what did you do to reconnect to the panel? Junction box?
Secondly what generator are you using?
Yamaha generator - Yamaha YG4000D

The original cable to my electrical panel was had allot of length to it. I never cut it when I installed the surge protector. I had purchased cable from Lowe's to connect the output of the surge protector to the electrical panel.

All I had to do was remove the input (original RV power cable) to the surge protector, disconnect the output from the surge protector to the electrical panel, reconnect the original input cable to the electrical panel. Then remove the surge protector froom the spot where I installed it. Took me less time to remove then install.

Will probably purchase a Progressive Industries Portable 50 AMP Electrical Management System, EMS-PT50C. Tweetys RV seems to have the best price ($314.80). A similar SurgeGuard model - 34750-001-LCD is a little more ($351.54). The Progessive model has the lifetime warranty too.
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Old 09-09-2014, 07:56 AM   #6
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Bob
Some portable generators power, or the electricity that they produce fluctuates more than others.... I think that your generator is not producing a PURE enough stream of electricity to stay within the parameters of the surge protector....

For example GENERAC GENERATORS... When recently talking to a GENERAC company rep. for advise on a portable for electric outages, for my home. I was told that their XP line of portable generators was a better choice for use with electronics. Since almost everything in our house is controled with electronics, refrigerator, washing machine, computers, phones, clocks etc,etc.. The rep. advised me to buy the XP series, instead of GP, or XG series, because XP produced the purest stream of electric. The rep. also said that all the other series would power up the house, but with extended use COULD NEGATIVELY effect the electronics...

So I am thinking that your generator, while it is good enough to supply power to your camper, it is NOT good enough to pass the surge protector's requirements... After all that is what it's function is... With that being said see if you could borrow someone's portable surge protector to see if it does the same thing ....IMHO
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Old 09-09-2014, 08:25 AM   #7
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sleepyT - basically that is what the folks at progressive told me. Surge protector is doing it job - your generator voltage regulation is what is causing the problems.

I only use the generator a couple times a year when I go to the races. Also - it is an emergency backup for the home - mainly to run the sump pump.

It was in the 90's at the race track this weekend and I wanted to run the Ac so I removed the unit before I went to the races. The generator voltage output was actually higher when loaded Vs unloaded - 116 loaded and Vs 107 volts un-loaded. The frequency has not been the problem - only voltage.
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Old 09-09-2014, 08:36 AM   #8
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Mine chatters when A/C starts not all the time just once in awhile, then kicks in fine. I will sometimes turn off the Surge Protector when running the A/C off generator.
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Old 09-09-2014, 09:15 AM   #9
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I wondered about what happened if you put it in bypass, still chatter?

If buying the Progressive unit go to
http://www.lawrencerv.com/products.asp?cat=13

They are listed on Progressive's website as a recommended dealer and the current price is $311 w/free shipping. I used them and it took 3 days to get it.
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Old 09-09-2014, 09:19 AM   #10
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Had heard a while back that genny's and surge protectors don't get along so I went with portable 50 amp too...
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Old 09-09-2014, 09:33 AM   #11
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Had heard a while back that genny's and surge protectors don't get along so I went with portable 50 amp too...
From what I understand it's the grounding issue, very few people properly ground their generator and the PI unit senses this. PI recommends if you have problem put it in bypass mode.

I have the Yamaha EF4500 and it runs my trailer just fine but I haven't tried it since installing the surge protector. I'll find out the first of next month when I use it.
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Old 09-09-2014, 10:08 AM   #12
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The trailers ground is not like a house ground. If you just plug your trailer into the generator, the hard wired surge protector will show a fault every time. You have to bond the ground and neutral together. I did this inside generator adapter plug and no more faults.
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Old 09-09-2014, 10:18 AM   #13
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The trailers ground is not like a house ground. If you just plug your trailer into the generator, the hard wired surge protector will show a fault every time. You have to bond the ground and neutral together. I did this inside generator adapter plug and no more faults.
X2. I unbonded ground and neutral on my generator for home use, then built this little plug for RV use

http://www.noshockzone.org/generator...utral-bonding/
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Old 09-09-2014, 10:37 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by shoe2728 View Post
Mine chatters when A/C starts not all the time just once in awhile, then kicks in fine. I will sometimes turn off the Surge Protector when running the A/C off generator.
Chattering was "read bad" - even with the surge protector turned off.
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Old 09-09-2014, 10:40 AM   #15
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Had heard a while back that genny's and surge protectors don't get along so I went with portable 50 amp too...
Thought I would take the change with the hard wired unit - worked OK with the generator until I tried to use the AC - about 3 months after I installed it is when I tried to used the generator and AC.
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Old 09-09-2014, 10:43 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by avvidclif View Post
From what I understand it's the grounding issue, very few people properly ground their generator and the PI unit senses this. PI recommends if you have problem put it in bypass mode.

I have the Yamaha EF4500 and it runs my trailer just fine but I haven't tried it since installing the surge protector. I'll find out the first of next month when I use it.
Even in BYPASS the relay chattered. The progressive rep. indicated that people with Yamaha generators had had are more issues than those with Honda generators.
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Old 09-09-2014, 10:43 AM   #17
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X2. I unbonded ground and neutral on my generator for home use, then built this little plug for RV use

http://www.noshockzone.org/generator...utral-bonding/
Nice read. Thanks Jason.
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Old 09-09-2014, 10:46 AM   #18
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The trailers ground is not like a house ground. If you just plug your trailer into the generator, the hard wired surge protector will show a fault every time. You have to bond the ground and neutral together. I did this inside generator adapter plug and no more faults.

Mine never showed a ground fault - only low voltage fault codes. Was going to try the ground and neutral bond but decided to remove it an go with a portable unit.
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Old 09-09-2014, 12:19 PM   #19
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X2. I unbonded ground and neutral on my generator for home use, then built this little plug for RV use

http://www.noshockzone.org/generator...utral-bonding/
Yes excellent read. I think I will grab the Kindle book RV Electrical Safety
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Old 09-09-2014, 03:50 PM   #20
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I was dry camping next to a guy that also dry camping but couldn't get power to his 5th wheel. He was hooking his portable progressive surg. protector up to his generator and it would not let power through. Asked him if he had bonded the grd and neutral together, he wasn't sure what I was talking about. Generator hooked up directly would work. He didn't want to run it that way and use the surg. prot. Tried to explain to him how to make a plug but he wasn't sure about it. I was going to make him one, but then thought better about it. I did my own and feel confident in my work but if something was to happen, it goes from thanks for helping to you burnt up my trailer. Next day he went to home depot and came back with a 10 foot grounding rod and pounding it in the ground, someone had told him that would work. He ended up running generator without the surge protector.
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