BamaRam
05-27-2018, 07:13 PM
I took the good advice I've found here and installed an EMS. I found a Progressive EMS-LCHW50 on sale for $100. Total cost of the mod was $133 and 4 hours of my time. I really wanted the one with the remote display but I couldn't pass up a bargain. It took some time and effort but I mounted it so the display can be seen from the living area.
There was plenty of slack in the main input cable to disconnect it from the distro panel and pull it over to the EMS. I bought a 4' section of 6/3 W/G stranded Romex at Lowes to go back over to the panel from the EMS.
The most difficult part was working the 6 gauge wires into the input and output of the EMS. Installing the wires through the sensors gave me fits. I found that 3" jacket strip per instructions does not allow enough slack to route the wires up to the termination when the sensors are installed. Ended with red and black about 3/8" longer than the white.
Engineering and assembling the mount/support was tedious and time consuming but I think it's worth the effort. I used spruce 2x2s and screws and placed it so the face of the EMS is flush with the back of the access panel at the distribution panel / convertor. Luckily there was wall stud in exactly the right spot to attach a short length of 2x4 to the trailer, then attached 2x2 mount. Then cut a hole in the panel with a drill and coping saw, sanded and finished the edges of the hole with flat black paint and added a translucent plastic viewing window made from a CD case to the back of the panel. The plastic panel and flat black paint tones down the red flashing display considerably. It's alarmingly bright ( it flashes full time) without it.
I had the option of installing it on the shore side at the input connector but I decided on this location so I can easily uninstall it when I sell it or trade it in and I didn't have to cut existing wiring to install it.
I do plan on adding a bypass switch. I'm going to try to mount it behind the small slot above the distro panel and cut a hidden hole to operate switch.
There was plenty of slack in the main input cable to disconnect it from the distro panel and pull it over to the EMS. I bought a 4' section of 6/3 W/G stranded Romex at Lowes to go back over to the panel from the EMS.
The most difficult part was working the 6 gauge wires into the input and output of the EMS. Installing the wires through the sensors gave me fits. I found that 3" jacket strip per instructions does not allow enough slack to route the wires up to the termination when the sensors are installed. Ended with red and black about 3/8" longer than the white.
Engineering and assembling the mount/support was tedious and time consuming but I think it's worth the effort. I used spruce 2x2s and screws and placed it so the face of the EMS is flush with the back of the access panel at the distribution panel / convertor. Luckily there was wall stud in exactly the right spot to attach a short length of 2x4 to the trailer, then attached 2x2 mount. Then cut a hole in the panel with a drill and coping saw, sanded and finished the edges of the hole with flat black paint and added a translucent plastic viewing window made from a CD case to the back of the panel. The plastic panel and flat black paint tones down the red flashing display considerably. It's alarmingly bright ( it flashes full time) without it.
I had the option of installing it on the shore side at the input connector but I decided on this location so I can easily uninstall it when I sell it or trade it in and I didn't have to cut existing wiring to install it.
I do plan on adding a bypass switch. I'm going to try to mount it behind the small slot above the distro panel and cut a hidden hole to operate switch.