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Topic: Electrical Emergency - Progressive Industries EMS Failure (Read 772 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Electrical Emergency - Progressive Industries EMS Failure
Reply #25 –
Hi Don.   Anywhere there is a screw connection, inside a plug or power distribution panel for instance, there is a little voltage drop. Power lost warms the connection, the conductor swells up just a bit. When it cools, some molecules of oxygen get inside the joint and cause oxidation, and a slightly worse connection. Repeated cycles cause a hotter spot to develop which exacerbates the problem. Every few years, tightening the screw fittings will keep this problem at a minimal level. Copper is softer and more maleable, and doesn't oxidize as quickly as aluminum. Aluminum cracks, cold flows and oxidizes very quickly in air. A chemical preparation is used on aluminum wiring, appropriately named Noalox (that may be trademarked) at junction points. This deterioration depends on current density. With all of the motorhome's current going through the surge protector, that is where the screws need to be periodically tightened. The Marinco plugs and sockets next, the ATS and power distribution box. Big power users like the AirCon and big Inverters should be checked also.
   Aluminum is still a better conductor than copper, and cheaper, but is best reserved for places where special treatment and supervision are available.     RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Electrical Emergency - Progressive Industries EMS Failure
Reply #26 –
"Aluminum is still a better conductor than copper, and cheaper, but is best reserved for places where special treatment and supervision are available"

I don't know where you ever got that idea, RonB, but as I understand it, aluminum has about 61 percent the conductivity of copper. It is lighter, but that and cost are its only advantages.

Rich ex 2000 MB  - Birch Bay, WA
Former 2000 MB- Now Bullet Crossfire 1800RB trailer pulled by a Chevy 2500HD
Re: Electrical Emergency - Progressive Industries EMS Failure
Reply #27 –
Sorry Rich;    Silver, followed by Copper, then Gold, then Aluminum. So I should have just started with cheaper. RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Electrical Emergency - Progressive Industries EMS Failure
Reply #28 –
Solid wire is not flexible, which is the most important reason for not using it on equipment that has any potential for vibration.  When it does vibrate, even gently going down the road for example, it is continuously putting stress on the terminations, whether they be a lug, a spade connector, or a screw terminal on a receptacle, with the potential to loosen these over time.  Stranded wire is flexible, so doesn't usually suffer from this problem, particularly when the wire is secured carefully and without stress on it.

I'd much rather all of the romex in my rig was properly sized SO cord. Since it's not, I try to check all my terminations at least once a year.  And, I'm not shy about putting all of my diminishing strength into it when I do. 

YEMV
Bill
2003 -- 23' FL
Re: Electrical Emergency - Progressive Industries EMS Failure
Reply #29 –
Quote from: Rich Gort  - 
I don't know where you ever got that idea, RonB, but as I understand it, aluminum has about 61 percent the conductivity of copper. It is lighter, but that and cost are its only advantages.
We own a house built in 1967, back when aluminum was used in the electrical.
At the time, much of the country's copper production was used for making brass, used in ammunition.
Our house's breaker panel's bus bars were aluminum and finished burning up one night, not long after moving in back in 1995.
It was an amazing lightening show with the breakers, along with the bus bars, being destroyed.
Another one of those joys of home ownership.
We were lucky that the rest of the house's wiring wasn't aluminum.

Larry

Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Electrical Emergency - Progressive Industries EMS Failure
Reply #30 –
Here is an update on the situation. Progressive's customer service left something to be desired. Our friend would have happily paid for expedited shipping. However, PI shipped UPS ground and took days to provide a tracking number. She ended up having to extend her stay another week waiting for the unit to be delivered.

It finally came in on Friday afternoon and the tech came out and installed it Saturday morning. She says he did a really nice job on the install. Once they plugged in the unit wouldn't allow power into the coach. The pedestal and the input side of the EMS were reading 123 volts but the EMS was seeing 133 volts which was enough to block power.

She called PI and within an hour someone called back. Here is what she had to say about her conversation with PI.

"Anthony the tech support guy said that they are now all set that high at the factory, and have to be calibrated to work.  When I asked where that information was in the installation instructions, he said it wasn't....the RV tech installing it would have to call them to find out it had to be done and how to do it.  Then I asked how the RV tech would even know...to which Anthony replied that it wouldn't work unless they called."

Attaching a photo from the tech that installed the unit pointing out the set screw.

 
Re: Electrical Emergency - Progressive Industries EMS Failure
Reply #31 –
That poor customer service experience report is not good news. Unfortunately, ownership change can often bring about a 'redirection' in business market focus, and a decline in product quality, and/or customer service; Progressive Industries was sold to Power Products several months ago. Power Products is a subsidiary of a larger entity; the ownership 'chain' is detailed in this article:

Power Products acquires N.C. manufacturer | BizTimes Media Milwaukee

If the reason for not including information on the necessity of calibration of the unit in the installation instructions is an attempt at 'CYA', i.e., to ensure contact between the installer and the PI tech support person to 'verify' (as much as possible remotely!) that the product was installed correctly, one would think that this 'little detail' would be noted in the instructions! If the lack of information is an 'oversight', IMO, it's an example of a poorly structured and indifferent customer service policy.


2003 TK has a new home