Help choosing location for EMS hardwire

[Sonders]

Hello all. I’m changing up the 30 amp shore power plug from the mouse nest box to Smart Plug. While I’m at it, going to install the Watchdog EMS hardwired unit I removed from our old camper. Wondering on the best location to install it on our 18’ Hideout 28BHS. It’s either going at the very back of the camper where the box for the old shore power cable was once it’s removed or right behind the fuse panel/inverter which is centrally located right under the refrigerator. Would it be better to have it at the very back of camper where electric first comes into the camper, or close to the fuse box/inverter? My thoughts were very back to shut down power before it even enters the camper to save the wiring running throughout. Thoughts/suggestions?

[chuckster57]

Anywhere between the shore receptacle and the main breaker is good. There should be a junction box where the shore cord attaches to the Romex. Do you have remote display?

[Sonders]

No remote display, just the wifi app. Guess I’ll just take a look for the junction box once I remove the box the shore cord is in.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Sonders

No remote display, just the wifi app. Guess I’ll just take a look for the junction box once I remove the box the shore cord is in.

That’s where I put mine, I have remote display in the cabinet right above it.

[Sonders]

Thanks Chuckster. I’ll see what works best when I tear into it; just wanted to be sure one spot wasn’t better than the other first. Plan to get started on it when we get home from vacation this weekend. Have next week to get camper ready to go before our first trip over Easter weekend.

[flybouy]

Where it fits is where you should mount it. The distance (being a feet further from the distribution panel" is not revelent as electricity flows at the roughly the speed of light.

[Sonders]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Where it fits is where you should mount it. The distance (being a feet further from the distribution panel" is not revelent as electricity flows at the roughly the speed of light.

Yep, well have plenty of space to mount it in either location. I’ll make final decision once I pull the shore cord out and remove the box it was in. I already pulled the panel off under the refrigerator and there is a huge dead space under there.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Sonders

Yep, well have plenty of space to mount it in either location. I’ll make final decision once I pull the shore cord out and remove the box it was in. I already pulled the panel off under the refrigerator and there is a huge dead space under there.

Just my thoughts: if you mount it at the panel you have to cut the Romex, if you use the space where the shore cord went, you don’t have to cut any Romex.

[Bill-2020]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Where it fits is where you should mount it. The distance (being a feet further from the distribution panel" is not revelent as electricity flows at the roughly the speed of light.

Anyone ever try as a kid to make it to the bed before the light went out as you slapped the switch off on the wall and leaped for the bed across the room?

Wasn't until years later when I learned SOL was 186,000 miles/second that I remembered those silly nights.

[LHaven]

I made my decision on the basis of the remote display that you don't have. It made a lot more sense to have it next to the refrigerator, where everybody can see it, rather than in the bathroom where the mouse hole came in, which was also a wetter location.

[Sonders]

Got around to installing the Smart Plug and EMS yesterday. Was pretty easy install with plenty of room to work in the rear storage compartment area. First picture is the box that the shore cord retracted into. Had to break it apart to get it out of the opening to remove. Next 2 are the new Smart Plug installed on rear of the camper. Last pic is the Watchdog EMS installed and working.

Next will be to install some block off panels to keep stuff from sliding into the EMS/wiring and the incoming City Water and Black tank flush lines in that storage compartment.

[wiredgeorge]

Is that smart plug 30A? Never saw a plug (the orange one) like that.

[Sonders]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Is that smart plug 30A? Never saw a plug (the orange one) like that.

Yes sir, 30A. I installed the same plug on our previous camper and loved it, so went with it again on this camper. It is easier to connect and get a good connection on the 3 flat plugs with the 2 metal locking clamps on the sides, vs the screw on type plugs. They make them for 30 and 50A.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Sonders

Yes sir, 30A. I installed the same plug on our previous camper and loved it, so went with it again on this camper. It is easier to connect and get a good connection on the 3 flat plugs with the 2 metal locking clamps on the sides, vs the screw on type plugs. They make them for 30 and 50A.

Thanks! Never saw one like that... the other end is likely a standard 30A male.

[Sonders]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Thanks! Never saw one like that... the other end is likely a standard 30A male.

Yes, the stock end stays. The Smart plug kit comes with the female end in picture that goes on the cut off end that originally went into the junction box.