best place to buy a surge protector

bertrand wrote:
Because some resort have surcharge of power I'm told I should get a surge protector. Where can I buy one and what brand name should I get? I'm from Vancouver Island, Canada.

Be very sure you understand the difference between a surge protector, an EMS and an Autotrans.

Surge Guard is a Brand name that sells Surge Protectors and EMS. Surge Protector is a product name. Surge Protector is a very overused statement. Surge Protector is a one hit wonder.

Autotrans is different than Autransformer.

Surge protector can be bought for under $100. EMS goes for around $300. EMS is what you want.

3 different units that do different things. Some protect 2 out of 3 problems. I have not seen a device that does it all.

cavie,

He does not need a stand alone surge device that ONLY covers surges. He needs a top of the line PI or SG, but only if he has 50 amp.

pianotuna wrote:
cavie,

He does not need a stand alone surge device that ONLY covers surges. He needs a top of the line PI or SG, but only if he has 50 amp.

Surge protector can be bought for under $100. EMS goes for around $300. EMS is what you want.

What part of this statement don't you understand?

The part where you don't know whether he is 30 or 50 amp.

I don't use surge devices for disconnecting low or high voltage. I use an autoformer to correct issues of low voltage which is endemic at RV parks. I do have better surge protection that either the PI or SG units provide. I do limit my consumption to 24 amps on a 30 amp shore power supply.

I always check voltage under load before I plug in my RV.

cavie wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
cavie,

He does not need a stand alone surge device that ONLY covers surges. He needs a top of the line PI or SG, but only if he has 50 amp.

Surge protector can be bought for under $100. EMS goes for around $300. EMS is what you want.

What part of this statement don't you understand?

Doesn't matter weather he has 30 or 50 amps. 50 amps is 240 volts 30 amps is 120 volts. They both need protection. High and low voltage cut offs are used to protect A/C compressors. EMS checks for neutral and ground connections. High and low voltage. Revers polarity on both 30 and 50 amp services. Autotrans in front of EMS is the way to go.

cavie,

The reason for the need for protection on 50 amp is because of the possibility of an open neutral which could feed 240 volts through one leg of the RV frying lots of items.

The risk of that happening on 30 amp is far lower.

Check polarity and check voltage under load.

My configuration is (only) surge before autoformer (actually in parallel), then post autoformer limit demand to 24 amps. If more amps are needed, I switch on the hybrid inverter/charger.

pianotuna wrote:
cavie,

The reason for the need for protection on 50 amp is because of the possibility of an open neutral which could feed 240 volts through one leg of the RV frying lots of items.

The risk of that happening on 30 amp is far lower.

Check polarity and check voltage under load.

My configuration is (only) surge before autoformer (actually in parallel), then post autoformer limit demand to 24 amps. If more amps are needed, I switch on the hybrid inverter/charger.

I am 68 year old 50 year Licensed Master Electrician and owner of two electric businesses. Ii am fully aware how this stuff woirks. Have a nice day!

pianotuna wrote:
I always check voltage under load before I plug in my RV.

I’m not being smarmy, but how do you check voltage under load without plugging in?

Hi ependydad,

I'm in a 30 amp class C.

I have a 30 amp male to 15 amp female adapter. I check the polarity. Then plug in a kill-a-watt meter. I plug an electric heater into the kill-a-watt. I let it run for a few minutes, monitoring the voltage.

I have a break out box for 50 amp--and can load both legs, measuring voltage on each.

If all is well, I plug in the RV. If voltage under load is low, I add the autoformer. I've never seen high voltage.

I don't find many folks here who are smarmy, most folks just want reliable information. Thanks for asking how I do voltage under load. I hope my answer is clear.

In the bad old days, when I did not have a hybrid inverter/charger, if voltage was low, I'd plug in only the converter. Then I'd plug the rest of the RV into the inverter. That would let me run the microwave, induction cooker, water heater, and air conditioner (one at a time--inverter was only 2500 watts). Of course the use was limited by the capacity of the battery bank--which at the time was 875 amp-hours @ 12 volts.

ependydad wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
I always check voltage under load before I plug in my RV.

I’m not being smarmy, but how do you check voltage under load without plugging in?

pianotuna wrote:
Hi ependydad,

I'm in a 30 amp class C.

I have a 30 amp male to 15 amp female adapter. I check the polarity. Then plug in a kill-a-watt meter. I plug an electric heater into the kill-a-watt. I let it run for a few minutes, monitoring the voltage.

I have a break out box for 50 amp--and can load both legs, measuring voltage on each.

If all is well, I plug in the RV. If voltage under load is low, I add the autoformer. I've never seen high voltage.

I don't find many folks here who are smarmy, most folks just want reliable information. Thanks for asking how I do voltage under load. I hope my answer is clear.

In the bad old days, when I did not have a hybrid inverter/charger, if voltage was low, I'd plug in only the converter. Then I'd plug the rest of the RV into the inverter. That would let me run the microwave, induction cooker, water heater, and air conditioner (one at a time--inverter was only 2500 watts). Of course the use was limited by the capacity of the battery bank--which at the time was 875 amp-hours @ 12 volts.

ependydad wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
I always check voltage under load before I plug in my RV.

I’m not being smarmy, but how do you check voltage under load without plugging in?

Thanks, appreciate the response. It makes sense.