Completed-added an EMS to our 2023 T@B 400

RTWCTS

Our first real mod to our 2023 T@B 400 will be adding a Progressive Industries EMS LCHW30 hardwired surge and electrical protector. We decided to install it in the compartment accessible by the hatch on the passenger side.
We spent some time this morning removing wood panels, drawers, etc. to get a good look at the routing of wires. It appears the easiest method will be to disconnect the 10GA (orange) main cable at the distribution panel. We'll then reroute it to the EMS and run a new line to the panel. Thoughts?

BTW, with everything exposed it is easy for us to take pics of anything you may want to see...

KK1L

So this is an eerie coincidence! I just finished with a cover over my fan and now I am doing the same install as you today. Bottom line is I have come to the same conclusion.

I pulled the bed panels and after fixing a loose inverter and battery which had bounced up and over the tab meant to hold it in place moved over to the drawer between the sink and stove...just like you. I have not yet opened the panel below the drawer since I had to come inside and do my day job for an hour or two (on a Zoom meeting right now no video obviously.

It makes perfect sense to install at the breaker panel. I had no idea there would be room. I will soon find out. It will make a very clean install to move the romex from the main breaker to the EMS and run a new wire to the main breaker. Super clean...no need to cut...no need to try and find slack. I am going to see if I can find a good way to mount the remote monitor near the rest of the control stuff by the entrance door to the camper.

So, yeah, sounds good to me! Posting pics would be great...saves me the trouble 

RTWCTS

@KK1L I meant that we are going to install the EMS under the bed (arrow in picture).

That way we can see any error code looking through the outside hatch when we first hook up to power. Don't think there is room back in the cabinet with the WFCO (or at least I wouldn't want to pull out the WFCO to get to any vacant space). Once unhooked from the distribution panel (WFCO), the supply cable is loose and will be relatively easy to pull back to our intended location. Then we'll just add more cable to complete the circuit. It looks like 6FT will be more than enough.
Let us know how your install progresses. And thanks for the input!

Chiprchuk

Any pointers to where to get the small breaker / panel?

RTWCTS

Chiprchuk said:

Any pointers to where to get the small breaker / panel?

Not quite sure what you mean. Can you explain the question in a bit more depth?

kottum

Some years ago we were going to install one of these, but were told by dealership that it would be ruined protecting the camper electrical systems. This would leave us without a source of external power, so we bought a quality external device instead (we have used it for some 15 years without a problem).

Is this true?  If so, should an easy bypass be installed in case it fails?

RTWCTS

@kottum I had installed a hardwired EMS (with the remote display) in the 320 we bought in 2018. It tripped a few times over the years when we hooked up to bad campground pedestals, thus saving the onboard electronics. Not sure why you'd want to bypass it.

The only caveat we found to using the hardwired EMS is that it doesn't like when you hook up to some generators. It reads as a ground fault error and will not allow electricity to flow (as I understand it, this issue can be overcome with a neutral bonding plug on the generator).

KK1L

I finished the job. Installed behind the breaker box under the bottom drawer between the stove and the sink. There is an access panel. Pretty easy. No cutting existing wires.

RTWCTS

You da' man @KK1L!  I was thinking I was too old to get back in there. Maybe I'll take my vitamins and try it later.

Edit to add: Looking at mine, the neutral bus bar is further back, right where your EMS seems to be mounted. Que Sera Sera...

KK1L

61yrs young. Move it over. It is pair of screws. The wires won't mind

I did not have to move mine. I would have thought about moving it to the forward side of the space. Either works...or of course where you were planning is a fine place if you don't have the remote head. You can see the gray/silver "telephone" cord in the shot. I pulled it through to under the sink and might ultimately mount it with the other control stuff by the door.

subkron

That is a nice fit! I have been considering putting an EMS in the same location. I will have to shift around my ground bus bar, my last mod was getting a bus bar with more terminals (really don't like doubling up if I don't need to) which is now a wider bus bar.  I really do prefer keeping any source of additional electromagnetic energy (EMS) away from the sleeping quarters (i.e., anywhere under the bed) so this is a prime location.

subkron

@KK1L If I recall the side walls are very thin, what length screws did you use to mount the EMS so that screw points would not protrude into the adjacent area??

KK1L

1" sheetrock screws. I don't se any protrusion on the opposite side. I think there is a space.

RTWCTS

Completed our install today. This is the unit without the remote and is located in the well on the passenger side. At the time of ordering the unit with a remote cost $160 more than this unit. I drilled 1 1/4" holes in the plywood and ran the 10-2 Romex through the chase.

Below you can see the (orange) Romex in the chase right after we ran it all.

KK1L

Very nice.

subkron

I ended up putting the EMS in the same area as @KK1L, behind power distribution center but rather than mounting the hardwired unit on the right wall (by the ground busbar) I mounted it the left wall.  When I disconnected the romex from the WFCO and connected to the EMS there was just enough cable with some service loop to mount to the left.

I removed the cable clamp that held some bundled wires to that wall and it only used a 1/2" screw since the wall between that area and the storage under the sink is only 1/2" thick.  I used 1/2" screws (x4) to mount the EMS.

I routed the the remote display cable into the nautilus compartment and installed just above the compartment's light. I'll laminate the error code and mount it to the nautilus access door when I get a chance.

KK1L

@subkron That is not a bad idea for the remote display location. I am sure I will tire of the bright red LED display being anywhere in the main cabin. Heck I put a strip of black eletrical tape over the blue porch light switch so only the edge emits blue. I might put it next to the battery disconnect though. Have not decided. Thanks for the idea.

SLJ

I mounted the remote display behind the TV and cover it. It needs an on/off switch.

xdr

If you use a Honda generator, you may want to verify it will work with your progressive ind.surge protector. We learned the hard way that our Hughes surge protector would not until we added a ground-neutral bonding plug to the Honda. Not sure if that is an issue with PI. 

RTWCTS

Good point to mention @xdr. The Progressive Industries EMS will trigger with most generators too because of the floating neutral. As you mentioned, the neutral bonding plug does the trick and allows everything to work with our Champion brand generator.

subkron

The remote module contains a mode switch (see pic) so that when "Bypass EMS" is selected you can run from a generator with open ground. Of course not the way to go (progressive even references this for use in an emergency), but in a pinch you would be relying on generator output management for protection. As stated the bonding plug is the solution.

Illini83

@subkron @RTWCTS @xdr @SLJ @KK1L Thanks for posting your installation details for the Progressive Industries EMS. 

I want a hardwired EMS in order to get a more accurate voltage measurement (in the TAB versus at the electric pedestal), but in other threads and in Amazon Reviews, I'm seeing many complaints about the 60Hz buzz from the unit. What are your experiences with the noise of the unit when mounted in your chosen locations? 

RTWCTS

@Illini83 We haven't ever noticed a buzz. Ours is located at the foot of the bed, as shown in previous posts in this thread. Good luck on your install!

donmontalvo

I mounted my EMS-HW30C in the driver side wheel well inside compartment in my 2024 320S. I installed the remote display on the outer wall of the compartment.

I planned ahead and got some thich rubber washers to reduce the resonance/hum from the device. The Romex was expensive (note to self to buy by the foot next time - a 25' roll is $90!).

I disconnected the existing Romex from the 30A port to avoid having to splice it, and especially to avoid tampering with the WFCO. I nearly had a heart attack when the 30A port blew apart and pieces flew all over the place. Luckily the pieces were easy to find, and surprisingly were color coded and could only be re-assembled correctly.

Then I cut 5' or so and pre-bent it to sit in the right position (out of the way). Connected the new Romex to the connector, and reinstalled it. I had plenty of clear weatherproof silicone caulking to ensure it was water tight.

I don't have the best hearing, in fact I have tinnitus, so I can absolutely say I don't hear any hum.

Tested fine at an RV park. The bypass switch on the remote display does not stop the surge protection, only stops all the other features. Glad I got this done.

Also blogged about the install: https://donmontalvo.com/2025/05/04/progressive-industries-ems-hw30c/

subkron

@Illini83
To answer your question about hum/buzz...

When I first installed it I did not notice any noise. That being said, after a few trips out & back a noise started up, it was rather loud. I contacted Progressive and submitted a warranty claim, provided them details (like voltage in, frequency, etc.) and they quickly sent out another unit. I was going to (and eventually did) change the original noisy to "...render the device inoperable...) per their instructions but experimented a bit on the noisy one . In a nutshell, the internal contactor coil vibrates which, when coupled to the case via the contactor mounting screws, produces the sound. Isolating the whole unit with rubber washers/gasketing only slightly reduced the sound (since the enclosure/contactor still vibrates).  Going to the source, I removed the screws holding the contactor to the case and used (UL fire rated) neoprene foam gasket on both the top and bottom of the contactor surface.  I tried a couple of different durometers & sized the thickness of the foam so that when the enclosure's top cover is placed it compresses the foam and holds the contactor in place. I did not use any screws to remount the contactor.

Night and day difference, went from being very load to can't hear it at all.  I was going to go back to Progressive with this info (never did) and recommend they change the contactor mounting so that it essentially "floats"  rather than being hard mounted.

Illini83

@subkron - Wow, you went above and beyond to solve that buzzing problem. I'm guessing you're an engineer and couldn't let a good problem go unresolved. Thanks for the details. I'm was definitely going to use rubber washers on the install, but when mine starts to buzz, I know what to do.....

Illini83

@RTWCTS  @KK1L I also have a 2023 TAB 400. What's the EMS Timer Jumper setting for the CoolCat 10.5K BTU?

I installed on the left hand side wall, behind the breaker box. The number 10 wire makes this install a pain.

Considering the BUZZ problem that many people seem to have with these EMS devices (both Progressive and Hughs), I regret not replicating RTWCTS and installing in the passenger side well. It's an easier location to access if you need to replace or fix a buzzing unit. Thanks to all who posted their installs and gave me advice.

subkron

@Illini83 "I'm guessing you're an engineer...".
Winner, winner chicken dinner. Retired (as of Jan '25) EE.

RTWCTS

Illini83 said:

@RTWCTS  @KK1L I also have a 2023 TAB 400. What's the EMS Timer Jumper setting for the CoolCat 10.5K BTU?

I left it at the factory setting and have had no issues these last two plus years. I believe it was preset to 15 seconds, but you may want to check the install paperwork.