EMS-HW50C install

[mbaril]

Just bought an EMS for my new Aspire. It is in storage in New Orleans so I call Dixie RV to see if they would do the install, they said Yes but for $400.00.......I guess I will try do do it myself. I saw some pics of finish installations but would like to know what to do first, remove the reel? and after? Please Help

[Gary.Jones]

Michel

There are several threads on here that deal with exactly what you are asking including pictures. USe the search box up at the top (forget the one right at the top of the various threads) that defaults to iRV2 and enter what you are looking for and you will find it. The search box up near the top works well.... the other one is a waster of time.

Its a simple DIY job, takes maybe 2 - 3 hours and minimal tools. The wire needed to add the EMS is the main purchase the way I did it (included both power pole and the generator).

Gary

[Misty123]

Originally Posted by mbaril

Just bought an EMS for my new Aspire. It is in storage in New Orleans so I call Dixie RV to see if they would do the install, they said Yes but for $400.00.......I guess I will try do do it myself. I saw some pics of finish installations but would like to know what to do first, remove the reel? and after? Please Help

If you buy the 50amp dryer cord it will be much more flexible and easier to work with.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Misty123

If you buy the 50amp dryer cord it will be much more flexible and easier to work with.

Be carefull using 50 amp appliance cords. Some will only have 2, 6 gauge hot wires and the neutral and ground will be 8 gauge.

[Smitty3509]

I have not found an appliance cord that has all #6 wires, don't skimp on this! You pull more power than an electric stove or any appliance in your house! I ended up buying a shorter RV extension cord on Amazon and cut it up.

[brobox]

Just my experience with the installation of the HW 50. I originally mounted it to the wall below the transfer switch. Recently the printed circuit board had to be replaced. I had to removed it to replace the board. Found out it was easier to mount it behind the cord reel on the floor. It's still out of the way, easier to get to and easier to mount. I used a 2 ft piece of #6 romex from Lowe's. But if I could get the more flexible cord from an electrical supply, I would.

[Ann n Gene]

I would suggest you go to a welder a supply and get copper welding cable. They have it on a roll so you can get any length you need, it is very flexible and you can get any size from 00 to 6 at most any of them. They will even crimp the heavy found lugs on the ends for you. All JMHO


2016 45 B Topaz Cornerstone
2014 MKT towed

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by Smitty3509

I have not found an appliance cord that has all #6 wires, don't skimp on this! You pull more power than an electric stove or any appliance in your house! I ended up buying a shorter RV extension cord on Amazon and cut it up.

Found that to be the case also, on those appliance cords the Neutral is a lighter gauge and they are only rated for 45 Amp I believe.

Why not just use ordinary 55Amp 6/3? Looks like that is what Entegra uses for the house and genset feeds.

It can be bought by the foot at Home Depot or Lowes and is relatively inexpensive. The 3 primary conductors (Red & Black hots plus the White neutral) are 6 gauge. The safety ground is a lighter gauge but is not carrying any current. This is the same as in the flexible shore power cord. The conductors are stiffer than a finely stranded shore power cord but then again this wire is not being wound around a reel on a regular basis. It is UL listed and properly rated for the voltages it is handling and the application for which it is being used.

Southwire (By-the-Foot) 6-3 Black Solid CU NM-B Wire-63950099 - The Home Depot

I think I bought about 5 feet and that was plenty...



If you feel the need for flexible wire use marine cable which is also properly voltage rated and has an even higher ampacity.

[GeezerViz]

Just reading the replies and I can tell that the $400 would be the best way to go for me. If ya can't understand the instructions, time for the professionals.

[brobox]

Originally Posted by WAscubaDude

Just reading the replies and I can tell that the $400 would be the best way to go for me. If ya can't understand the instructions, time for the professionals.

The instruction are a little wrong. Rob's picture shows the correct way. The instruction say to cut the power cord and splice the HW 50 in line. You do not need to cut the power cord. Disconnect the power cord from the transfer switch (big black box on the wall) Rob's picture shows that cord well. Connect those wires to the clearly marked Hw50. Using the #6 jumper wire that you will need to buy, connect that to the other side of the HW50, then to the terminals where the power reel cord was disconnected. That's it..follow Rob's picture and you should have no problems, it is an easy DYI. The more flexible the cable the easier. I can understand a $100. install, but not $400. If it takes them 4 hours to install a HW50 they need to find another line of work.

[Matt D]

Originally Posted by brobox

The instruction are a little wrong. Rob's picture shows the correct way. The instruction say to cut the power cord and splice the HW 50 in line. You do not need to cut the power cord. Disconnect the power cord from the transfer switch (big black box on the wall) Rob's picture shows that cord well. Connect those wires to the clearly marked Hw50. Using the #6 jumper wire that you will need to buy, connect that to the other side of the HW50, then to the terminals where the power reel cord was disconnected. That's it..follow Rob's picture and you should have no problems, it is an easy DYI. The more flexible the cable the easier. I can understand a $100. install, but not $400. If it takes them 4 hours to install a HW50 they need to find another line of work.

What Chuck said!

I've installed 3 of these and I certainly wouldn't pay $400. $100-150 is fine, $400 is a bit steep.

-Matt

[royals1212]

At $125 an hour for labor I can see how it can cost that much. Looks like the job would take 2 to 3 hours if you are including wiring and placement of the remote display

[brobox]

Originally Posted by royals1212

At $125 an hour for labor I can see how it can cost that much. Looks like the job would take 2 to 3 hours if you are including wiring and placement of the remote display

It's not that hard or time consuming. If mounting the remote display above the cord reel where it can be seen while plugging in, that is 2 self tapping screws. If that shop has installed an EMS before, no way should it take them 3 hours. Now that I have installed one on an Entegra, with the parts in front of me, about an hour.

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by brobox

The instruction are a little wrong. Rob's picture shows the correct way. The instruction say to cut the power cord and splice the HW 50 in line. You do not need to cut the power cord. Disconnect the power cord from the transfer switch (big black box on the wall) Rob's picture shows that cord well. Connect those wires to the clearly marked Hw50. Using the #6 jumper wire that you will need to buy, connect that to the other side of the HW50, then to the terminals where the power reel cord was disconnected. That's it..follow Rob's picture and you should have no problems, it is an easy DYI. The more flexible the cable the easier. I can understand a $100. install, but not $400. If it takes them 4 hours to install a HW50 they need to find another line of work.

Thanks for clarifying Chuck, that's exactly the best way to do it. Don't cut the cord from the reel, just remove it from the upper left set of terminals on the transfer switch and reconnect it to the Line In side of the HW50C.

FYI for those of you new to the project, the upper right terminals on the transfer switch are connected to the generator and the bottom set of terminals are the main feed into the coach.

I posted a few more photos from my install here.

Agree the flexible cable is easier to work with and I would have used it if I could have found it sold by the foot the week I did the install. The NM-B takes a little manhandling but otherwise has all the proper specs.

Note that I had to cut the 12v DC supply wires to the cord reel to get it out of the way. Suggest when re-connecting you replace the factory butt splices with quick disconnects in the event the cord reel needs to be removed in the future.

I placed my HW50C as shown in my other photos because I though that might be the most likely arrangement that would give me possible access to the surge board (should it ever need replacement), without removing the cord reel.

During installation you may want to consider changing the delay jumper on the HW50C from the default 15 seconds to the 136 seconds setting. In certain circumstances it is possible to short cycle the AC units (such as a short duration AC power outage) and the 136 second setting would prevent the compressor from overloading and blowing the circuit breakers. Some AC units have this delay built in, but the Coleman MACH 8's do not (at least on my 2013 Aspire they didn't).

As for time to do the project, the AC wiring can be done in well under 2 hours and for someone that has done it a time or two I agree with Chuck an hour is not unrealistic. I would suggest making the HW50C electrical connections working with it outside BEFORE mounting it inside the compartment, it will be much easier and go more quickly. Make the final connection to the transfer switch with the new 6 gauge cable last, after the HW50C has been mounted.

I mounted my display outside just under the shore reel switch. Some self adhesive velcro hook material on the back of the display is all you need - it sticks to the trunk liner like glue. I also have the second display/switch kit and plan to put the other display inside.



If you want the display inside that may take a couple extra hours if you need to fish wires. I did that on my 2013 RBQ and managed to pull a wire up thru the wall into the bath cabinet. It took a lot of fiddling but it's doable.

It's also possible you might find a pre-existing cable that isn't being used. I spied an unterminated telco cable near the inverter but haven't traced it yet. Also if you have the Solar Panel pre-wire there is a telco wire that goes from the battery switch area (on the 2017's) to the panel over the entry door - if you're not going to use it for solar that might be a simple way to get the HW50C display inside. Note that the progressive display requires straight thru pin to pin 4 conductor wiring, not a crossover like a standard telephone cable.