Automatic Energy Select Swtich

[Dan_Johnston]

in my Pulse 2010, under the stove area. It is clicking. It feeds the microwave and water heater, so I'm told. I unplug the microwave and it still clicks, about every 1-2 mins. Is the switch defective or ? Not certain how to isolate the water heater.

'thanks,
dan

[BFlinn181]

Not clear as to what you are talking about. "Automatic Energy Select Switch" is not a term I know. You probably have an automatic transfer switch if you have a generator, to switch between 120 v generator power and shore power. The water heater is most likely LP gas, perhaps with a 120 v heating element in addition to the LP gas. That is usually switched manually when you want to conserve LP or maintain hot water. The only other item I can think of would be your converter/charger that takes 120 v power and converts it to 12 v use in the RV and charges the battery. Many have an Inverter/charger that does what the converter/charger does but in addition converts 12 v DC battery power to 120 v AC when not connected to shore power or generator. It switches between the inverter and shore power as a source of 120 v AC. Unless faulty, none of the above switch on and off except the charger function as the battery needs charging.

[Mich F]

The only thing I can think of that might "click" is the gas ignitor for the water heater (or refrigerator). I've also never heard of a "Automatic Energy Select Switch" . Perhaps as Bflinn181 mentioned, you are referring to an ATS.

[wa8yxm]

Automatic Energery Select.. I can see where two devices might be called that by someone who does not know the proper name

The Automatic Transfer switch (NOT in this case)
and Energery Management (load shedding)_ System. Which he described rather well.

I agree with the Fridge or water heater comments though Likely a DSI

[Dan_Johnston]

It is a device that handles power to water heater and microwave. Since both draw huge amounts of power, if the microwave is being used, it does not allow power to the water heater until microwave power is shut off (done cooking). Power comes in from main circuit breaker. Power out priority is water heater. Power out to microwave is delieverd but the circuit shuts off power to water heater. I gave u trying to figure out what is wrong and dropped it off at Camping World yesterday. I'll post what they find.

[wanderso]

If the relay doesn't end up being bad, I wonder if it is just corroded terminals. It appears based on what you describe that your water heater is 110v electric and I suppose it probably is electric and propane, right? Is there also a separate water heater 110v switch or does it automatically go to 110v when the RV is plugged in? The problem could also be the water heater itself if somehow it isn't switching over to 110v or has a bad electric heating element or failed controller and there is an amperage draw problem. Will be interesting to hear what they find.

[JohnMcHugh]

I have a similar problem in my 2014 Winnebago View. Started with occasional clicks, now sounds like the water pump (constant hammering). On the wiring diagram, the part is labeled "EMS" (Energy Management Switch?), but the Winnebago parts catalog describes an "Automatic Energy Select Switch" (AESS) with the same function, shut off the Electric Hot Water Heater element when the Microwave is drawing power since they share a single 20A circuit and draw more than 10A each. Unplugging the Microwave does not alter the behavior, so I suspect the EMS/AESS. Since we seldom use the Microwave, I will probably replace the EMS/AESS with a 20A SPDT switch and select the connected appliance manually.

[Dan_Johnston]

so you're going to install a toggle switch, Where will you wire it to/from the old switching device?

[JohnMcHugh]

The current device appears under the galley drawers on the RHS of the sink cabinet as a metal box 3 or 4 inches square. There are 3 pieces of #12/2with ground that pass into the device box through strain relief clamps for the power source and the two loads. My thought is to remove the device, use the original or substitute a similar size box, wire the neutrals together, tie all the grounds to the box, and use a piece of #12/3 to connect the hot source and the 2 hot load wires to the SPDT switch. I will mount the switch in a small box inside the sink cabinet.

Having found that the combination microwave / convection oven does not do either of its tasks well, I removed it, added a shelf over the vent hood and installed a small toaster oven. (There is plenty of ventilation around the oven, more than was available for the old device.) I will probably add a small LED strip at the top of the cabinet opening to provide additional illumination and that will serve as a reminder that the HWH is off.

[BFlinn181]

So the water heater 120v element is always on when 120v power is present? Is it also heated by LP gas? I can see the need for a power shedding device if that's the case for microwave and water heater sharing the same circuit, but so would a simple switch to turn off the water heater element when cooking.

[Unplanned Tourist]

Originally Posted by JohnMcHugh

The current device appears under the galley drawers on the RHS of the sink cabinet as a metal box 3 or 4 inches square. There are 3 pieces of #12/2with ground that pass into the device box through strain relief clamps for the power source and the two loads. My thought is to remove the device, use the original or substitute a similar size box, wire the neutrals together, tie all the grounds to the box, and use a piece of #12/3 to connect the hot source and the 2 hot load wires to the SPDT switch. I will mount the switch in a small box inside the sink cabinet.

Having found that the combination microwave / convection oven does not do either of its tasks well, I removed it, added a shelf over the vent hood and installed a small toaster oven. (There is plenty of ventilation around the oven, more than was available for the old device.) I will probably add a small LED strip at the top of the cabinet opening to provide additional illumination and that will serve as a reminder that the HWH is off.

John, don't you have a switch on the control panel to turn the hot water heater on or off? I thought Winnebago still had the option of using gas, electric or both for water heat. Handy for a quick heat-up of water or you need more than your tank holds. Maybe the switch isn't as handy as you want it, or you just need another project. Take care.

[JohnMcHugh]

There is a control panel which has buttons to cycle the propane and electric functions of the HWH. Another controls the water pump. Pushing a button when a function is OFF, turns it ON, and vice versa. The HWH buttons activate portions of the control circuits in the HWH. This has several consequences: 1) the electric HWH is not always on when the coach is connected to 120V. The electric portion of the HWH must be switched on using the electric button on the control panel. 2) As currently set up, the AEES/EMS relay sits between the 20A breaker and the two loads, the HWH and the microwave outlet. Since the relay is failing, it must be replaced or removed: a) replace with a similar unit, b) replace with a manual switch, c) wire in either the HWH or the microwave socket rendering the other inoperative, or d) wire both the HWH and the microwave outlet together (as I think you are suggesting), relying on only having one or the other active at the same time.

If both are turned on, the likely consequence is that the 20A breaker will trip. The breaker is at floor level, below the refrigerator, a painful trip for me and impossible for my wife. To complicate maters, the control panel HWH switch status cannot be seen without altering one of its settings. The screen goes dark after a brief viewing period (saves energy? prolongs screen life?). The same display panel is used for tank levels, battery status, and control of the HWH and water pump. Pushing one of the 3 control buttons causes the display to shift to the controlled devices mode and alters the state of the device whose button was pushed. Thus it is necessary to push one of the buttons to see the state of any of them and doing so will turn a device on or off, i.e., if pushing the electric HWH button shows the electric HWH to be OFF, it means it was ON when the button was pushed. For now, I am running the HWH exclusively on propane which avoids the problem, but I would like to be able to use the electric mode when camped in one place for an extended period.

[Unplanned Tourist]

I see now what you are up against. If the relay is on the way out, then go for the extra switch you had planned. A SPDT 120 volt switch will work fine as long as it's rated for the amps you will be putting through it. The extra light is a neat reminder also.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by JohnMcHugh

There is a control panel which has buttons to cycle the propane and electric functions of the HWH. Another controls the water pump. Pushing a button when a function is OFF, turns it ON, and vice versa. The HWH buttons activate portions of the control circuits in the HWH. This has several consequences: 1) the electric HWH is not always on when the coach is connected to 120V. The electric portion of the HWH must be switched on using the electric button on the control panel. 2) As currently set up, the AEES/EMS relay sits between the 20A breaker and the two loads, the HWH and the microwave outlet. Since the relay is failing, it must be replaced or removed: a) replace with a similar unit, b) replace with a manual switch, c) wire in either the HWH or the microwave socket rendering the other inoperative, or d) wire both the HWH and the microwave outlet together (as I think you are suggesting), relying on only having one or the other active at the same time.

If both are turned on, the likely consequence is that the 20A breaker will trip. The breaker is at floor level, below the refrigerator, a painful trip for me and impossible for my wife. To complicate maters, the control panel HWH switch status cannot be seen without altering one of its settings. The screen goes dark after a brief viewing period (saves energy? prolongs screen life?). The same display panel is used for tank levels, battery status, and control of the HWH and water pump. Pushing one of the 3 control buttons causes the display to shift to the controlled devices mode and alters the state of the device whose button was pushed. Thus it is necessary to push one of the buttons to see the state of any of them and doing so will turn a device on or off, i.e., if pushing the electric HWH button shows the electric HWH to be OFF, it means it was ON when the button was pushed. For now, I am running the HWH exclusively on propane which avoids the problem, but I would like to be able to use the electric mode when camped in one place for an extended period.

Does seem like a non user friendly setup. I'd want to see about adding indicator lights (LEDs possibly) to light up when HWH and WP circuits were energized.