My family is new to this forum and to this lifestyle.We just purchased our first travel trailer (2018 Forest River Cherokee 294BH) and will take delivery in March (too cold in the Midwest right now). The dealership is asking if we want to install a few options before we take delivery and I am wondering if they are worth it or not. The first offering is for slide toppers for the two slide outs (super slide & bunk house) - the cost seems high for something I could probably do with a ladder and a broom, but I'm a novice (what do I know?). The second option is for a vent cover. This is something I believe is a good investment (low cost, high payoff) to keep moisture out of the RV. The final option was for a hard-wired power surge protector. I'm torn between getting an in-line protector or having it hard-wired. The in-line is less expensive, but there is a potential for theft - or am I wasting my money getting one all together?Thanks!

I don't have slides, can't help there.Vent covers are great, I don't know why they're not standard equipment. I installed mine, bought from Amazon two for $20 total shipped. Took maybe 30 minutes to install using self drilling screws instead of the junk nuts and bolts they came with. Now I can leave the vents open and not worry about rain, even when driving.Surge protector I bought an expensive inline unit due to pressure from this forum, surge protector have a strong fan club on this forum. It's not compatible with the way my inverter tests the shore power. It's buried, unused in storage for three years now.

Answering in part depends on your planned usage. If you are intending to stay in RV parks and will use the electrical hookups frequently AND will spend most days touring etc yes the built in surge protector is a good idea. If you intend to mostly boondock or dry camp in secluded areas, then you dont need it. Its dependent on your usage. Slide toppers along with keeping debris from damaging the seals on a slide out, provide shade along with rain shielding. If you only have the one AC unit in the trailer and intend to use it often, the slide toppers may help keep the trailer cooler as well as protecting the seals. And ,,,, enjoy the new unit.

I'd go yes on the slide toppers,I'd do the roof vent covers myself easy job four holes and nuts and bolts and it's done. The surge protector make sure you get the one that is engery magement system (EMS) not just surge protection and that's your call portable or hard wired. You can always lock the portable to the power post.

If you will be dry camping/boondocking, no surge protection is needed since you’ll not be plugging in. Solar systems and inverter generators don’t need them IMO to recharge. Spend that money on a solar system.

I also have no slides. But, you are correct, you can use a ladder and broom. Definitely get the vent cover. It's cheaper to DIY but either way they are worth installing.I have an inline surge protector. I bought it after a lightning strike very close to our RV. It damaged several items..Are they worth it? I don't know but it makes me feel better.Some on the forum feel they are not worth buying.

What to buy for a first time RV? | Good Sam Community

drsteve
Explorer
Feb 21, 2018
Slide toppers yes, if you camp anywhere near trees. I made one trip lugging a ladder so I could sweep debris off the slide before closing it, and that was enough for me.
bigorange
Explorer
Feb 21, 2018
Vent covers - yes
Slide toppers - probably, depending on price.
Surge protector - I’m learning from this thread

You didn’t ask about other things but here’s my opinion based on my recent purchase of a Cherokee 235b. My buddy just bought a similar trailer and I learned a couple from his experience too. At least find out prices for these as well if interested...easier to get them as part of the package up front in my opinion.

If boondocking is in your plans consider 2x 6v batteries instead of a 12v
Consider 30# propane tanks
Solid step - had no idea I wanted one until it was already installed on my trailer. Love it.
Battery kill switch - easy enough DIY but nice to have it done for you
Electric tongue jack
mycamperfriend
Explorer
Feb 21, 2018
We were too pretty overwhelmed when the dealer presented us all the must have accessories on the day we picked up our first camper. My strategy since then has always been to politely decline, do some thorough research and then order online or go back to the dealer when I know what I do need. For the items in question, I'd recommend the following:

Vent covers: Yes
Slide toppers: No
Surge protection: Maybe
Mortimer_Brewst
Explorer II
Feb 12, 2018
I realize both links are active, which in turn has caused the confusion. Has anyone been able to find the version which says the unit must be dealer installed on the current website? I haven’t been able to find it unless I use the link from the older post.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Feb 12, 2018
drsteve wrote:
I certainly don't blame Mort for doubting, since he went to the PI home page and viewed their warranty.

Yes, there's confusion at the moment since both links are still active but why does that justify Mortimer Brewster jumping all over my bones for "spreading misinformation"?!! He clearly didn't ready the entirety of your post, only chose to believe what he wanted, and blames me for the confusion which I have nothing to do with. :S :S
drsteve
Explorer
Feb 12, 2018
SoundGuy wrote:
Mortimer Brewster wrote:
X2 on a Progressive Industries hard-wired unit to protect your electrical system. I’d take a look the installation instructions on their website and decide if you can install it yourself.

drsteve wrote:
If you self install, they will not warranty the unit in case of failure. Has to be done by an RV dealer.

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
Here’s the warranty . They will NOT honor the warranty for an improper installation and they strongly recommend that it be installed by a qualified electrician. Nowhere does it say that if you self install the warranty is voided.

drsteve wrote:
There was a discussion that touched on this last week. The company apparently changed hands recently, and changes were made to the warranty. I went and read it, and at that time the warranty specifically excluded self installs. Looks like they changed it, which is good. They probably realized they were going to lose a lot of sales...

On edit: That page is still up, and can be viewed here: http://www.progressiveindustries.net/warranty-information

The first item under "exclusions":

"Installation of hard wired units by any party other than a qualified RV dealer."

One has to wonder which of these applies....

Good catch Dr Steve! Obviously the new owners of Progressive Industries have altered the terms of their new limited lifetime warranty as I myself saw that same exclusion myself, voiding warranty on a hard wire EMS if not installed by "a qualified RV dealer". Here's a screen shot of that warranty for the doubters like Mortimer Brewster ...

I certainly don't blame Mort for doubting, since he went to the PI home page and viewed their warranty. The larger question is, why are both of these pages still up? Both links are active. And most important, which one applies if you buy a Progressive Industries product? Which version of the warranty is on the printed material supplied with each unit?
SoundGuy
Explorer
Feb 12, 2018
Mortimer Brewster wrote:
SoundGuy - Stop spreading misinformation! I strongly urge you to go to the Progressive Industries website and look up the latest warranty. The warranty which you referred to is an older version. If you had actually read Dr. Steve’s last post on the warranty rather than just snip pieces out of it which suited your argument, you would have realized this.
Again, please go to the Progressive Industries website and look up the latest version of their warranty. It’s under Support & Resources. You will find:
Improper installation IS NOT covered by the warranty.
They strongly recommend hiring a competent electrical professional.
NOTE: Dealer installation is no longer required.

It's YOU who is spreading misinformation - drsteve's point was that the terms of this limited lifetime warranty was JUST changed in the last week so unless one had read the most updated version posted in the last few days one wouldn't know it had been changed. Further to that, the previous version which did include this "RV dealer exclusion" is still posted online here for all to see. :S
Mortimer_Brewst
Explorer II
Feb 12, 2018
SoundGuy - Stop spreading misinformation! I strongly urge you to go to the Progressive Industries website and look up the latest warranty. The warranty which you referred to is an older version. If you had actually read Dr. Steve’s last post on the warranty rather than just snip pieces out of it which suited your argument, you would have realized this.
Again, please go to the Progressive Industries website and look up the latest version of their warranty. It’s under Support & Resources. You will find:
Improper installation IS NOT covered by the warranty.
They strongly recommend hiring a competent electrical professional.
NOTE: Dealer installation is no longer required.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Feb 12, 2018
Mortimer Brewster wrote:
X2 on a Progressive Industries hard-wired unit to protect your electrical system. I’d take a look the installation instructions on their website and decide if you can install it yourself.

drsteve wrote:
If you self install, they will not warranty the unit in case of failure. Has to be done by an RV dealer.

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
Here’s the warranty . They will NOT honor the warranty for an improper installation and they strongly recommend that it be installed by a qualified electrician. Nowhere does it say that if you self install the warranty is voided.

drsteve wrote:
There was a discussion that touched on this last week. The company apparently changed hands recently, and changes were made to the warranty. I went and read it, and at that time the warranty specifically excluded self installs. Looks like they changed it, which is good. They probably realized they were going to lose a lot of sales...

On edit: That page is still up, and can be viewed here: http://www.progressiveindustries.net/warranty-information

The first item under "exclusions":

"Installation of hard wired units by any party other than a qualified RV dealer."

One has to wonder which of these applies....

Good catch Dr Steve! Obviously the new owners of Progressive Industries have altered the terms of their new limited lifetime warranty as I myself saw that same exclusion myself, voiding warranty on a hard wire EMS if not installed by "a qualified RV dealer". Here's a screen shot of that warranty for the doubters like Mortimer Brewster ...
valhalla360
Navigator
Feb 12, 2018
Sounds like they are padding the profit margin.

If you aren't a DIY kind of guy call up a mobile RV tech and get a bid.

Slide toppers: Just checked and small ones run around $200 big ones maybe $400, so $600 each is high even with some installation cost.

Vent covers are about $25 and take 15-20min to install.

As mentioned by someone else, the surge guard is way overpriced.

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