50A surge protectors

So in other words if you have an extra $800 buy both

Oldman2

Trying to link back to prior conversations and threads seems to be next to useless because this topic is a source of huffing and puffing of different viewpoints. Politics, sports, wimmen.

For other genders it would be movie stars, fashion and gossip.

Useless To Complain

The Progressive Dynamics 1970's style display is superior to a single lit LED.

I see they have one now with surge protection but I'm not seeing where it protects from miswired pedestals, bad freq. and open neutrals. Does it do that too?

AFAIK the Hughes autoformer only "protects" your rig from line source errors in the sense that it has indicator lights to warn you of an issue. However, unlike an EMS it has no ability to do anything about these errors, it merely tells you there is a problem, so if you still plug in any error will be passed on to your rig. An EMS in this same situation will not connect power to the rig even if you do plug in. This is all the more important if you're already plugged in and a problem then occurs - the Hughes will simply pass that error on to the rig, an EMS will instantly disconnect power to the rig. Ergo the reason for both if you want full protection - Source Power > Autoformer > EMS > Rig.

The Hughes manual says it has an amber light that comes on to tell if there is a fault in the shore power connection, and the user should not connect the power. It doesn't say what the fault may be. The units protect against surge. They correct voltage by 10% if it sags to below 115 volts.

Thoughts about using both:

Order. If the ems comes "first" (shore power-->--ems-->hughes-->rv) then low voltage will not be corrected, defeating the purpose of the Hughes.

If the Hughes comes first (shore power-->hughes-->ems-->RV) Now the ems is essentially useless and would only disconnect on a bad neutral or incorrect polarity. But then there is that nice amber light on the Hughes--does it prevent connection on over voltage? Or is it a polarity checker?

Perhaps someone who owns one could let us know, as the manual does not give details.

I see very little reason to use the ems in series with the Hughes--because the only time it makes sense is if it is later in the chain--after the Hughes has already massaged the power.

I do not use a Hughes, preferring the much better three layers of boost and one of buck from the Sola Basic. There is also the ecowise (spelling) unit that keeps voltage dead on 120. I do have better surge than the current crop of ems units as an add on to the Sola Basic. It doesn't hurt that the Sola Basic is about 2/5'ths the price of the Hughes--and less than the top of the line ems units. (the surge only are going to protect from almost nothing and are a waste of money)

The lowest shore input voltage I've seen is 97 volts which the Sola corrected. The Hughes would probably not get me to my comfort voltage of 108. I've moved the "trigger" voltage up by 2 volts from 110 to 112.

I still believe, that even with an ems, that it behooves an RV'er to check voltage under load before plugging in, as well as polarity. It is easy to do. If you are in a 30 amp RV that more or less obviates the need for an ems. Do monitor voltage.

I did burn one connection this year--because I plugged into a borrowed cord that was faulty. As it happens it was the input for the Sola Basic. Voltage was maintained even with the plug frying itself.

I do place the Sola basic near the RV and then run a shore power cord to the Sola. I do limit my input to 24 amps using the Magnum hybrid inverter/charger.

hotpepperkid wrote:
What about surge protectors V something like Hughes autoformers

If you want a small car to zip around town you buy a small car, if you want a truck with adequate towing capacity you buy a truck - different animals for different purposes. If you need both then buy both - same for an EMS w/surge protection vs an autoformer. Different solutions to different problems. Most will opt for an EMS and just live with those times when it shuts down power to the trailer because of an error in the source power, including low voltage, whereas an autoformer's primary purpose is to boost low voltage whenever it may occur and therefore avoid the need to shut down power to the rig. If you want both solutions, buy both. ;)

I believe it does--but I do not own a Hughes. I do use an autoformer, and I check voltage under load as well as polarity before plugging in the class C.

Low voltage abounds at campgrounds, and does cause cumulative damage to electric motors, specifically the air conditioner. Autoformers fix low voltage instead of cutting the power off.

pianotuna wrote:
The new Hughes blows the others right out of the water.

2naEagle wrote:

hotpepperkid wrote:
What about surge protectors V something like Hughes autoformers

A autoformer can be a good thing to have (I have one) but it will not take the place of a EMS.

I see they have one now with surge protection but I'm not seeing where it protects from miswired pedestals, bad freq. and open neutrals.
Does it do that too?

The new Hughes blows the others right out of the water.

2naEagle wrote:

hotpepperkid wrote:
What about surge protectors V something like Hughes autoformers

A autoformer can be a good thing to have (I have one) but it will not take the place of a EMS.

hotpepperkid wrote:
What about surge protectors V something like Hughes autoformers

A autoformer can be a good thing to have (I have one) but it will not take the place of a EMS.