Autoformer/Surge Suppressor
In the market for a surge suppressor and find that the Hughes RV2130 Autoformer says it's also a surge suppressor . Does this mean there is no need to have both? Thanks,Mike
Forum Discussion
popeyemth wrote:
In the market for a surge suppressor and find that the Hughes RV2130 Autoformer says it's also a surge suppressor .
Does this mean there is no need to have both?
Thanks,Mike
NO, it does not. There are two different devices that are CALLED surge supressors. One is a spike supressor.. This simply means they wire MOVs (metal Oxcide Varisistors) across the power lines so that if the voltage SPIKES, it gets shunted.. These devices are sold all over as Surge Supressors.
you go to the store and get one of those six outlet power strips called a "Surge Supressor" that's what they are.. You get a "Whole House" Surge Supressor you wire to your breaker box, that's what it is.
And that is what is built into the Hughes autoformer. and many other devices.. By the way you can't reasonably have too much of this kind of protection (I mean you can but you'd need thousands of them to be too much)
But a true SURGE (Sustained high voltage lasting for 1 second or more) and with MOV's it is going to sound a bit like Independence Day Evening fireworks.. I know, Been there when it happened.
A RV-Surge protector is a whole nutter can of electroincs.. YES, it does contain even more MOV's (As I said, a good thing to have more of) but it also contains sensors and a computer.
The sensors generally monitor Current (For your info, it does not care about current but it monitors it and displays it for you)
"Connection" (more on that later)
Voltage and frequency If too high/low the device will shut off power to your RV rather than risk burn out of assorted devices.. Electronics generally start smoking long about 150 volts,, The Protector shuts down around 130 to protect them.. Motors smoke at around 100, so 105 or 108 gets you shut down as well.
Frequency is not often a problem on mains power, but may be with a cheap generator, and can damage SOME electrnoics.
Likewise waveform but i do not think they monitor that (My Prosine does but it's an inverter).
I mentioned Connections:
A 30 amp plug has \3 wires
White: Neutral
GREEN: Ground.. Neutral and Ground are bonded at the park end service panel so there should be near zero volts between these two.
Black (hot) This one should show 120 volts to either white or green.
The unit will report if the black and white are reversed, if the ground is open, (or the white is open) The only thing it will not report is an open black (Cause if the black is open it has no power to report with).
Another feature of the RV surge guards is a time iu timer.
We have, where I'm parked, had several "power flickers" this is where power is lost for like one second.. Well air conditioner and referigator compressors really do not care to be "hot started" that is shut off and re-started right away.. Which this does.
The Surge Guard (TRC) models keep you shut off just shy of 3 minutes when this happens. .The Progressive Industries models by default 15 seconds but you can change it to 2 1/2 minutes.
My A/Cs take another 30 seconds to kick in after power is restored (They too have timers) and that makes 3 minutes, the recommended minimum off time is 3 minutes.
