Yahoo Message Number: 112004 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/112004)
I have a couple of random questions that just bubbled up and am throwing them out to the forum:
- Surge / Open Neutral / 220V questions
- Someone just posted that they have a Progressive Industries Portable Electrical Management System on their coach. I'm assuming this is in addition to the surge protector that is installed. Is this a good idea? I worry about staying at a CG that has an open neutral or plugging into a 50amp that is 220V vs. 120V two legs.
- Would you hard wire it in on the back side of the power cord before the inverter/transfer switch etc, or would you buy a portable one.
- Is the Progressive Industries a good option or are there others that people like more?
- Electricity scares the bejezzus out of me. Do normal electricians work on this stuff or can they screw it up because RV electrical systems are not stick and brick house systems. Nearest RV place is 90 miles away and sells travel trailers and pop ups.
- Basic RV Power knowledge.
- I'm a reasonably smart guy, but went the liberal arts route in college so my knowledge of all things electrical is limited to trial and error and a few burnt fingers with Google being my major knowledge base. Is anyone aware of a decent book, video series, etc that explains how RV (especially Class A Coach) electrical systems are worked. I'm still quite fuzzy on the difference between 120V and 220V and two hot legs with a ground, etc…. I'm a slow learner, but once I get it, it stays with me.
- Echo Charger problems?
- We have the coach parked over the summer at our lake cabin. Its just sitting waiting for fall and for us to travel again. I have her plugged into a 30amp circuit that was a stove/dryer circuit that I had an electrician run out to a pseudo power pedestal I'm assuming that its okay because she's been plugged in all summer. However, if we go a couple of weeks without starting her up, the chassis battery is weak and will barely turn the starter. Today we had to tie the batteries to the house batteries to start her up.
- Is there a way to “test†that the echo charger is indeed working?
- I have AGM Batteries for the house but Lead Acid batteries (i think) for the chassis. They are probably 3-4 years old. Probably due for replacement, especially if they are struggling to hold a charge for more than a couple of weeks. Recommendations on new batteries (type and brand?)
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That's all for now. Jim and JonaJim and Jona Seifertjim.jona.seifert@... ("jim.jona.seifert@...") "Big Frieda"2007 Country Coach Intrigue Ovation 530 42' Coach #12150525 Cat C13 Allison 6spdToads: 2014 Ford F150 / 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser w/ REMCO DS Disconnect. Airforce 1 Brake system Blue Ox Aventa II Towbar[/list]
Yahoo Message Number: 112018 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/112018)
For your echo charger check the in line fuse. Some folks switch the chassis batteries off if the coach is going to sit for a long while. Also check & clean battery cables there are plenty of posts with just this one issuse.
Sincerely
Alex Ritchey 2000 CC Affinity
Yahoo Message Number: 112020 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/112020)
Jim we bought our coach new. I long ago abandoned the echo charger and connected a Battery Tender maintenance charger to the chassis battery every time we park for more than a couple of days. It plugs into an outlet in the rearmost storage bay, and is removed and stowed between uses. The results - 11 years on a lead/acid battery before it wore out. The house agm's are fine with what the coach charger provides, but the echo charger was a disappointment from the start. Float charge maintenance is the key. Good luck and safe travels.
Jeff and Peg Thurston
03/04 Intrigue 42ft Ovation
11630 with '13 Equinox AWD
Yahoo Message Number: 112024 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/112024)
#1 Pretty sure you have an protector on your coach. My coach came with the TRC Surge Guard buried in the electrical bay. Although the electrical schematic for my coach shows the Surge Guard wired after the transfer switch it is not. It is wired to the shore power just before the transfer switch.
Although it was working there was no way for me to determine what fault caused it to disconnect since it was buried in the electrical bay. I replaced it with the hardwired Progressive Instruments 50 amp HW50C EMS with the remote readout. I don't believe there is a better EMS.
The only problems I've heard of with normal electricians is when they set up a circuit, particularly 30 amp, for motorhome connections and wire it as if it is a clothes dryer receptacle for 220 volts and not the 120 volts the rv needs. I'm guessing this is more of a communication problem than an electrician problem in that the customer didn't specify a 120 volt circuit.
#2 Try this website Electrical Tutorial (http://www.rvtechmag.com/tech/39_tutorial.php)
#3 Your coach is newer than mine and your Echo Charger may be slightly different. There is a green LED on the EC that will glow green when the voltage is above 13 volts. It will blink green when the voltage is less than 13 volts and the EC shuts off. If there is an overheat problem the LED will glow red. But, on my coach, although the LED does not work the EC does.
There are two inline fuses for the EC. On my coach they are in yellow fuse holders. One of the wires is red and the other is red/yellow. Follow the wires out of the EC to find the fuse holders.
Echo Chargers do die but mine is 17 years old and still going strong.
pete
2000 40' Magna CAT C-10, #5892
Yahoo Message Number: 112028 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/112028)
I'm not having any problem with the power in the coach and I've had the circuit for over a year… so far so good. Did you put in the HW50C EMS yourself? How hard was it to do. I'm reasonably comfortable with wiring up light switches, electrical appliances etc. I get confused with multiple switch circuits like multiple light switches that control the same light, etc. 220V or 50a with 2 power legs and a neutral completely mystify me. I'm really thinking about getting the HW50C. Would you take out the surge gard and just put in the HW50C at the end of the power reel, prior to the transfer switch?
Jim and Jona Seifert
jim.jona.seifert@... (jim.jona.seifert@...) 2007 Country Coach Intrigue Ovation 530 42' Coach #12150
525 Cat C13 Allison 6spd
Toads: 2014 Ford F150 / 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser w/ REMCO DS Disconnect.
Airforce 1 Brake system
Blue Ox Aventa II Towbar
Yahoo Message Number: 112030 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/112030)
Great advice thanks Pete
Yahoo Message Number: 112047 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/112047)
#3: One more possible reason the echo charger isn't working as intended - reversed wiring. Some units apparently left the factory with the echo charger wires (one red, one red/yellow) to the house and chassis batteries swapped. Mine were reversed, so every time we dry camped for a few days, the chassis battery discharged even though solar panels were keeping the house battery bank fully charged.
After swapping the red and red/yellow wire connections, the original echo charger has functioned perfectly for the past 14+ years.
--
Tom Harsch '02 Allure #30791
Rapid City, SD
Yahoo Message Number: 112048 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/112048)
Funny! I'll check that. Its true that since we've had the coach its turned over hard if its sat for a few weeks….
Jim and Jona Seifert
jim.jona.seifert@... (jim.jona.seifert@...) 2007 Country Coach Intrigue Ovation 530 42' Coach #12150
525 Cat C13 Allison 6spd
Toads: 2014 Ford F150 / 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser w/ REMCO DS Disconnect.
Airforce 1 Brake system
Blue Ox Aventa II Towbar