EMS-PT30C says I was drawing 39 amps???

savedbygrace · 08-09-2015, 07:26 PM

Hi all,

Forgive me if I overlooked a similar topic when I searched the forum, but I'm curious about something I saw this weekend.

While my AC was running, along with an electric griddle and a few other things (microwave may or may not have been on -- can't remember), I went and peeked at the display on my ems-pt30c, and was surprised to see 39A -- i.e. 39 amps drawn at that time!

Now assuming I did not somehow see 29 and mistake it for 39 (always possible, even probable), wouldn't the 30a breaker on the inverter have blown? Presuming I saw what I thought I saw, would this indicate an overly "tolerant" breaker? Could the EMS unit be off somehow?

As an aside, I felt the cord, and it was warm, but not hot (I tried to buy a quality cord).

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks,
John

p.s. The trailer's a 2015 Surveyor 245BHS, not that that should make a difference...

davel1971 · 08-09-2015, 07:31 PM

AC and griddle will put you in the upper 20s alone. Not knowing what else was really on, and you don't know if you even read it right, hard to answer

savedbygrace · 08-09-2015, 07:45 PM

Thanks for the reply! I'm reasonably sure it said 39, but I'm allowing for my misreading it -- what I'm most curious about is whether it's even possible for this to happen...

KenHwy61 · 08-09-2015, 07:51 PM

It is possible to draw over the breaker rating for a short period of time. Your eyes may not have been playing tricks on you!

deartruc · 08-09-2015, 08:02 PM

I've pushed my hw30 to where it was well over 30 amps at campgrounds that had rather trustworthy power. No pop in either the 30 amp post breaker nor the campers breakers.

mud yapster · 08-09-2015, 08:44 PM

I think breakers are + or - 15% so 30 amps X 15% = 34.5 amps. To know for sure what you are drawing you'll need to put an amp probe on it to check you amp draw. Breakers are in place to protect your wiring and they do fail. So I'd check your amp draw with a good meter and if it isn't tripping as designed get a new one from Lowe's or Home Depot and replace it, they aren't expensive. Better than having an electrical fire.

HONDAMAN174 · 08-09-2015, 10:19 PM

I called PI for my hard wired unit for the same reason " high displayed amperage". Their response was that the reading (36 amps) is not an accurate reading and should not be used as a hard number. They just told me to check to see that I wired it correctly.

Um...there are only three wires and one is green!

juice5 · 08-10-2015, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savedbygrace

Hi all,

Forgive me if I overlooked a similar topic when I searched the forum, but I'm curious about something I saw this weekend.

While my AC was running, along with an electric griddle and a few other things (microwave may or may not have been on -- can't remember), I went and peeked at the display on my ems-pt30c, and was surprised to see 39A -- i.e. 39 amps drawn at that time!

Now assuming I did not somehow see 29 and mistake it for 39 (always possible, even probable), wouldn't the 30a breaker on the inverter have blown? Presuming I saw what I thought I saw, would this indicate an overly "tolerant" breaker? Could the EMS unit be off somehow?
Number one get an "Amprobe ' to get an accurate reading of voltage and amperage !...you mention ed cord was warm, was it just warm at the plug ? (at normal loads poor contact creates heat...which causes galvanic action and heat increases) Circuit breakers listed with underwriters lab are really guarrenteed to open under rated load only once unless marked "Switch duty" as on commercial 277 lighting panels. Circuit breakers are notorious for running long periods well over rated loads. You have far better control of loads using the variouse tpes of fuses available. Keep in mind that the camp receptacle you plugged into might not have voltage drop configured into the equation so you supply voltage could be down near 100 volts or up near 130. varying the voltage from low to high for a given load reduces current but can also damage equipment. just a little Alnox (oxide inhibiting compound) on RV supply cords can increase contact and reduce heat induction ! juice
As an aside, I felt the cord, and it was warm, but not hot (I tried to buy a quality cord).

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks,
John

p.s. The trailer's a 2015 Surveyor 245BHS, not that that should make a difference...

I mistakenly put a reply in the middle of your request fo help

Prism 24G · 08-10-2015, 02:58 PM

Hi guys,
I have Prism 24G and want install EMS HW 30A.
Prism have receptacle as transfer switch, plug in shore power cable and use generator power, unplug shore power cable and plug at camp power box get commercial power.
EMS will be install in shore power cable and in case using one of each power sources I will be protected.
My question is, do I need install additional transfer switch or I can do that function plug in/plug out shore power cable from that receptacle by myself.
Thank you for suggestions or instructions.

Prism 24G · 08-10-2015, 02:59 PM

Hi guys,
I have Prism 24G and want install EMS HW 30A.
Prism have receptacle as transfer switch, plug in shore power cable and use generator power, unplug shore power cable and plug at camp power box get commercial power.
EMS will be install in shore power cable and in case using one of each power sources I will be protected.
My question is, do I need install additional transfer switch or I can do that function plug in/plug out shore power cable from that receptacle by myself.
Thank you for suggestions or instructions.

TURBS · 08-10-2015, 03:55 PM

Install ems after transfer switch, nothing else needed.

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"

savedbygrace · 08-10-2015, 06:02 PM

Thanks everyone! I'm headed back out in a couple weeks -- I'll pay closer attention this next time, check the amperage at the breaker, and possibly replace it if there's any truth to that number.

Thanks!

Prism 24G · 08-10-2015, 07:55 PM

@Turbs,
thanks for replay, but
I do not have access to the TS in my Prism, because TS is, as Coachmen owners manual stated inside of converter.
In my shore power cable compartment I have
- one metal box with 30A female plug ( wired with 10/2 Romax wire from generator ) where the male 30A plug need to be plug in to get generator power into the coach.
At that box are connected dead end of shore power cable with other 10/2 Romax from converter.
At the moment I do not know how to post the photo, they asking me of URL of my image.
Sorry, I guess that the text be enough

deartruc · 08-10-2015, 09:44 PM

x2 with Turbs. Pull the breaker/converter and find where the 30 amp powercord goes in. Though I would talk to a technical person at Progressive. Not sure how the ems and its delay will play nice with your auto transfer switch.

Iowaprism · 08-11-2015, 07:08 AM

When I installed my EMS HW 30A, I took the breaker panel out of it's mounting and found the end of the power cord that supplies AC power to the coach, at that point it was Romex, and bolted the unit to the floor, wiring it in between the shore power cable and the input to the breaker panel. There is no AC transfer switch (TS) in the Prism. The TS is a manual function of plugging and unplugging the shore power cable into either the generator plug in the cable storage box, or plugging it into shore power box on the campground pole.

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