Confused over Progressive LCHW50 display; also shore power cord
GeorgeWM said
11:42 AM Jun 1, 2017
1 -- We have a Progressive LCHW50 with remote display hard wired into our fifth wheel and it has saved us a couple of times (open ground, low voltage issues). At our last stop, we had to connect to 30 amp service since 50 amp was not available. Checked the display and confirmed there were no electrical errors. After we settled in and a few appliances were being used, the display showed Line 1 drawing 28 amps and Line 2 drawing 13 amps ... so I assume that 30 amp service applies to each line coming in and that's why there are two 30 amp breakers at the electrical connection -- correct?
2 -- Our shore power extension has two small blue lights that light when the male end is connected to the power supply. Yesterday when we plugged into 50 amp shore power and turned on the breakers, only 1 of the small lights showed power was "on" but remote display on the Progressive showed no errors on either Line 1 or Line 2 (frequency and voltage acceptable). I then connected to 30 amps and found the same power cord light was out. I assumed that the power cord light is bad but the cord itself is OK and there are not any problems with the electricity reaching our unit. Correct assumption? Since the lights are not present on all power cords, what purpose, besides showing electrical current present, do those lights serve?
Neil and Connie said
03:45 PM Jun 1, 2017
Nope…30 amp means 30 amps total because you're only connected to one leg of the power pedestal. 50 Amp means you're connected to two hot legs…and you have 50 amps on each leg for a total available of 100. If you were pulling 41 amps total through a 30 amp breaker…I'm surprised the breaker didn't trip. Did you use an adapter to convert from the 50 amp 4 prong plug on your power cable to the 30 amp 3 prong plug and plug it into the 30 amp outlet?
You'll need to adjust your Progressive to know when you're on 30 amps…hit the shore power button, scroll around until you see the Shore Max selection, scroll to say 30 amps and depress the button to turn on the asterisk in the display and enable the 30 amp max.
Added later…disregard the above paragraph…that setting is on the Magnum Inverter panel…not the Progressive and is used to limit the charging current if you're on limited shore power.
Don't know about the lights on the cord…usually there are two breakers in the box for the 50 amp connection but they typically have a little metal piece on the handles so they move together.
Even on 30 amps…you'll still see voltage and amps on both L1 and L2 on the Progressive…just make sure that you don't have more than 30 total between them as usually it will trip the breaker. On 30 you can generally only run 1 A/C unit at a time and if you use the microwave or a coffee maker while the A/C unit is running you might be getting close to the limit. I've never seen a 30 amp breaker that didn't open at 41 like you were using.
If you were using the extension cord and had voltage on both L1 and L2…the cord itself is good.
-- Edited by Neil and Connie on Friday 2nd of June 2017 10:12:35 AM
GeorgeWM said
04:56 PM Jun 1, 2017
Thank you for your quick reply -- You confirmed my understanding that 30 amps meant 30 amps total and that I had 50 amps on both legs when connected 50 amp service. We had to connect to 30 amps once before and knew the restrictions that placed on our usage. Yes, we did connect with a 50 to 30 adapter but I did not realize I had to adjust the Progressive when connected to 30 amps. I think we were making coffee and running the microwave when the AC kicked on ... that's when I looked at the display and saw 28 amps on line 1 and the surprise on line 2. I guess the breaker would have tripped if Line one exceeded 30 amps -- 28 amps was definitely pushing it. We have a 2nd AC but turned it off when we knew we would be limited to 30 amps.
Thank you, too, for the information on the power cord ... we sure didn't want to buy a new one if it was not necessary!
Neil and Connie said
10:16 AM Jun 2, 2017
See my edited original reply…the 30 amp setting that I said was on the Progressive is actually on the Magnum Inverter control panel that those of us with the larger Magnum Inverter to support a residential fridge.
Bill and Linda said
01:57 PM Jun 8, 2017
Neil and Connie wrote:
See my edited original reply…the 30 amp setting that I said was on the Progressive is actually on the Magnum Inverter control panel that those of us with the larger Magnum Inverter to support a residential fridge.
Yea, if I might amplify a bit for any reading along - There is nothing to adjust or set on the Progressive Industries Power Monitoring systems such as the LCHW50 or HW50C, etc. Just plug in and go via any adapter. It does not matter if the power is 50AMP - 30AMP - 20AMP or 15AMP. The PI will protect the trailer from high and low voltages as well as other bad things regardless of the power source without any user intervention. Really important box to have. Highly recommended to protect the rig and those expensive options.
1 -- We have a Progressive LCHW50 with remote display hard wired into our fifth wheel and it has saved us a couple of times (open ground, low voltage issues). At our last stop, we had to connect to 30 amp service since 50 amp was not available. Checked the display and confirmed there were no electrical errors. After we settled in and a few appliances were being used, the display showed Line 1 drawing 28 amps and Line 2 drawing 13 amps ... so I assume that 30 amp service applies to each line coming in and that's why there are two 30 amp breakers at the electrical connection -- correct?
2 -- Our shore power extension has two small blue lights that light when the male end is connected to the power supply. Yesterday when we plugged into 50 amp shore power and turned on the breakers, only 1 of the small lights showed power was "on" but remote display on the Progressive showed no errors on either Line 1 or Line 2 (frequency and voltage acceptable). I then connected to 30 amps and found the same power cord light was out. I assumed that the power cord light is bad but the cord itself is OK and there are not any problems with the electricity reaching our unit. Correct assumption? Since the lights are not present on all power cords, what purpose, besides showing electrical current present, do those lights serve?
Nope…30 amp means 30 amps total because you're only connected to one leg of the power pedestal. 50 Amp means you're connected to two hot legs…and you have 50 amps on each leg for a total available of 100. If you were pulling 41 amps total through a 30 amp breaker…I'm surprised the breaker didn't trip. Did you use an adapter to convert from the 50 amp 4 prong plug on your power cable to the 30 amp 3 prong plug and plug it into the 30 amp outlet?
You'll need to adjust your Progressive to know when you're on 30 amps…hit the shore power button, scroll around until you see the Shore Max selection, scroll to say 30 amps and depress the button to turn on the asterisk in the display and enable the 30 amp max.
Added later…disregard the above paragraph…that setting is on the Magnum Inverter panel…not the Progressive and is used to limit the charging current if you're on limited shore power.
Don't know about the lights on the cord…usually there are two breakers in the box for the 50 amp connection but they typically have a little metal piece on the handles so they move together.
Even on 30 amps…you'll still see voltage and amps on both L1 and L2 on the Progressive…just make sure that you don't have more than 30 total between them as usually it will trip the breaker. On 30 you can generally only run 1 A/C unit at a time and if you use the microwave or a coffee maker while the A/C unit is running you might be getting close to the limit. I've never seen a 30 amp breaker that didn't open at 41 like you were using.
If you were using the extension cord and had voltage on both L1 and L2…the cord itself is good.
-- Edited by Neil and Connie on Friday 2nd of June 2017 10:12:35 AM
Thank you for your quick reply -- You confirmed my understanding that 30 amps meant 30 amps total and that I had 50 amps on both legs when connected 50 amp service. We had to connect to 30 amps once before and knew the restrictions that placed on our usage. Yes, we did connect with a 50 to 30 adapter but I did not realize I had to adjust the Progressive when connected to 30 amps. I think we were making coffee and running the microwave when the AC kicked on ... that's when I looked at the display and saw 28 amps on line 1 and the surprise on line 2. I guess the breaker would have tripped if Line one exceeded 30 amps -- 28 amps was definitely pushing it. We have a 2nd AC but turned it off when we knew we would be limited to 30 amps.
Thank you, too, for the information on the power cord ... we sure didn't want to buy a new one if it was not necessary!
See my edited original reply…the 30 amp setting that I said was on the Progressive is actually on the Magnum Inverter control panel that those of us with the larger Magnum Inverter to support a residential fridge.
Yea, if I might amplify a bit for any reading along - There is nothing to adjust or set on the Progressive Industries Power Monitoring systems such as the LCHW50 or HW50C, etc. Just plug in and go via any adapter. It does not matter if the power is 50AMP - 30AMP - 20AMP or 15AMP. The PI will protect the trailer from high and low voltages as well as other bad things regardless of the power source without any user intervention. Really important box to have. Highly recommended to protect the rig and those expensive options.
Bill