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mrbodywork · 12-02-2011, 09:54 AM

Fellow RVer's,

This forum has provided many answers to my RV questions and I turn to your expertise once again.

We have a 2004 Monaco Windsor. Recently we have begun to hear a periodic clicking inside the 50 amp distribution panel in the bedroom. No breakers have been tripping, I haven't noticed lights dimming or browning but the clicking is a bit unnerving. It isn't any of the breakers themselves clicking but somewhere in the panel.

We have a 2500 watt intellitec inverter with a Smart EMS Xantrex RC7 GS controller.

We are currently attached to 20 amp service up here in MA. We are running a small electric heater to supplement the coach heat but I have not seen the EMS exceed 20 amps on the digital read out.

We will be moving into an apartment shortly and will have the panel checked out by an RV center before putting the coach into storage. I want to reassure DW that the panel won't spontaneous light up and to be able to talk intelligently with the tech.

What is causing the clicking? Thanks for all your help.

Bill

GaryKD · 12-02-2011, 02:05 PM

Hi mrbodywork,
Welcome to iRV2. Consider posting this question in the Monaco Owner's forum. On the iRV2 main page, scroll down to the Owner's Corner. There you will find a forum specifically for Monaco products. I suggest this because nobody knows your coach like somebody who owns one just like yours.

For me, I'd do nothing until you connect to 50 AMP shore power. 50 AMP shore power is really 100 AMPS available to the coach. 20 AMP power is just that, 20 AMPS. Regardless what the monitor says, operating your coach on a 20 AMP power source is a challenge for the EMS.

Tallyrver · 12-02-2011, 02:15 PM

Welcome to the forum...On my 07 Neptune I had the same clicking ,a tech at Lazy days said it was the EMS unit shedding power . There are relays inside the panel . I had an inverter that had issues and the EMS was trying to compensate for it.

Wayne

wa8yxm · 12-02-2011, 02:38 PM

You told us about your inverter.. You did not tell us the make of the panel that's clicking nor did you mention if you have an EMS unit and it's model.

I can think of several reasons for clicking behind the panel.. alas, I need the answers to the above to figure it out.

MikeandClaudia · 12-02-2011, 06:40 PM

Plus--A picture is worth a thousand words.

If you could download a picture of the unit that is "clicking" it would be a big help!

Gary RVRoamer · 12-03-2011, 08:49 AM

It's the EMS shedding power. The EMS is built into the 50A load center and is trying to manage you down to 20A when you have that heater running. The heater is probably drawing 13-14 amps all by itself, so there isn't much left for anything else. The click is the EMS opening a circuit to hold the amps to 20. Then it reconnects the power and quickly sees that it is still going to exceed, 20A, so it opens the circuit again. In other words, it is doing what it is supposed to.

Trying to run an electric heater with only 20A available is problematic at best. Shut if off and use the propane furnace instead. That way you will have some electric left for the rest of the coach.