Advise on Surge Protectors?
I have a 2016 Fleetwood Storm 28MS that uses 30 amp shore power. I have never had a surge protector on my other coaches and never had any problems. What is the minimum surge protector I should have? A...
Forum Discussion
"SURGE PROTECTOR" is a most confusing buzz-word. Electrical "protection" ranges from voltage monitoring and automatic cutoff if high or low limits are reached - to sophisticated VOLTAGE CORRECTION DEVICES that tame high voltage, low voltage or both, moderating voltage to a safer more reasonable span perhaps 110 - 130 volts.
Some "surge protectors" absorb sharp jolts of power that last only slight fractions of one second. Such protectors are found in strips with a plug in wire and four to seven outlets. These power-strips originated the name "Surge Protector". This is confusing since a flash of voltage that happens so fast a person cannot see it using a light bulb at least to me, is quite different than a "surge" like an ocean "surge" or "surge" of a crowd.
This gets more complicated. Trying to decide which type of protection device is most suitable for your likes and needs.
A voltage cutout protector, disconnects your rig from the pedestal if it decides the power can be damaging or incorrectly connected to the park's hookup socket. The downside of such a device is many facilities have grossly incorrect voltages, which can leave a person disconnected overnight, draining batteries if the rig's heater is being used hard.
A voltage correction device attempts to change damaging levels of voltage to that within an acceptable voltage band.
But a voltage correction device may or may not contain additional electronic components that protect against micro-second flashes of high voltage that eventually tire your rig's appliances electronic circuits.
So a buyer needs to -learn- little, about what kind of protection they need for their rig. A voltage safety cutout may or may not do a danged thing for damaging electrical "jolts" which called by their correct name are referred to as "voltage transient spikes".
I would keep this advice in mind as further comments arrive that stresses the "importance of" one type of device over another. I have yet to see an RV'ing product that "Does It All". Pay particular attention to comments that include nothing but glowing endorsements, yet ignore shortcomings of their recommended device.
Some "surge protectors" absorb sharp jolts of power that last only slight fractions of one second. Such protectors are found in strips with a plug in wire and four to seven outlets. These power-strips originated the name "Surge Protector". This is confusing since a flash of voltage that happens so fast a person cannot see it using a light bulb at least to me, is quite different than a "surge" like an ocean "surge" or "surge" of a crowd.
This gets more complicated. Trying to decide which type of protection device is most suitable for your likes and needs.
A voltage cutout protector, disconnects your rig from the pedestal if it decides the power can be damaging or incorrectly connected to the park's hookup socket. The downside of such a device is many facilities have grossly incorrect voltages, which can leave a person disconnected overnight, draining batteries if the rig's heater is being used hard.
A voltage correction device attempts to change damaging levels of voltage to that within an acceptable voltage band.
But a voltage correction device may or may not contain additional electronic components that protect against micro-second flashes of high voltage that eventually tire your rig's appliances electronic circuits.
So a buyer needs to -learn- little, about what kind of protection they need for their rig. A voltage safety cutout may or may not do a danged thing for damaging electrical "jolts" which called by their correct name are referred to as "voltage transient spikes".
I would keep this advice in mind as further comments arrive that stresses the "importance of" one type of device over another. I have yet to see an RV'ing product that "Does It All". Pay particular attention to comments that include nothing but glowing endorsements, yet ignore shortcomings of their recommended device.
