I have a 5th wheel in Florida that suffered a power surge. I had a portable 50A Surge Guard. It's obviously bad now. I lost the converter and the Microwave. It appears everything else is ok.My question is would a model 35550 hard wired model be a better choice? It says it can cut power completely in a fault. Does that mean during a surge event? I assume it would then need replaced, correct? Thanks for any help. Mark

Look at the Joule spec and the higher the better. No device can protect against very high transients. My first thought for FL is lightning. Power transients are stopped within their limits by destroying related electronics. Typically they are much to short for the power protector to disconnect. For a number of reasons I prefer the PI HW50C including field replaceable parts. When a surge destroys the related electronics it displays a error but doesn't shut down power likely because of the short duration of many transients. It does shut down for the other 9 errors.

I like the Hard Wired over the Portables for two reasons neither is technicalThe ratings are virtully identicll1 With the HW you are secure you do not need to worry about it "Growing legs" and walking off2: Unforgettable, since it is always there.

I use GAS TUBE DISCHARGE devices in my protection devices 200 volt triggerThen fused MOVs and TVS avalanche rectifiersThe MOVs are 20mm and the TVS are 2000 watt ratedThey are not inexpensive to buildBut they are far lighter than an isolation transformer to haul up and down hotel stairsAnd yes some transients have enough energy to make a 60 watt medical brick insides look like a whole chicken look like it sat on a barbecue for 12 hours.

What surge protector did you have that apparently didn't work so well?If this was lightning, you should unplug.

wa8yxm wrote:I like the Hard Wired over the Portables for two reasons neither is technicalThe ratings are virtully identicll1 With the HW you are secure you do not need to worry about it "Growing legs" and walking off2: Unforgettable, since it is always there.3: It's always on w/o any effort. And requires only 1 plug in not 2 like a portable. 4: The PI HW50C remote is inside or in the basement or both if you buy 2 remotes and constantly displays amps, volts, frequency, past and present errors. Note past error like low voltage is a red flag when you return to the rig as the unit reconnects when the voltage is OK. And the remote has a bypass switch that disables disconnect but not surge protection. 5: Wiring is required of course including the data cable to the remote which is one reason the portable unit might be chosen.

Need help about surge protection | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

ol_Bombero-JC
Explorer
Jul 23, 2019
MARKW8 wrote:

"........we live in Ohio and got a call while in Washington state there was a problem."

The converter is in so the ac is back on and drying things out.

I have a company coming out to clean the mildew.

It had a 50 amp portable Surge Guard.

Mark

Exactly - what did the couple say "the problem" is/was?

"The converter is in - so the A/C is back on and drying things out".
(what needed "drying out".....from the mildew? - or?)

"It had a 50amp portable Surge Guard".

What caused the surge guard to fail?

The mildew? - or some other event (as someone mentioned, lightning)?
(Surge guard = no help for that).

Anyway - PI 50 amp EMS (not "merely" a "surge guard") whether hard wired or portable.

Leaving an RV in FL (un-attended, outside) is no bueno.
Remediation for mildew damage - sight unseen - could be a "crapshoot"!
Suggest you find indoor storage (or maybe a replacement RV).

Good luck - you may need it.

:(
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jul 14, 2019
He keeps telling you he had a SURGE GUARD (thoe are made by TRC)

Now if he's gone with a HW-50C from progressive INdustries

Lifetime warranty might just well apply.
time2roll
Nomad
Jul 14, 2019
The SG 35550 should serve you well in most conditions.

Curious what model the portable was... Just surge protection or full EMS protection?
MARKW8
Explorer
Jul 14, 2019
Thanks for the replies. I'm trying to make decisions long distance. The trailer stays in Florida, we live in Ohio and got a call while in Washington state there was a problem. We are currently in Iowa. There is a couple full time in the park who check up on unoccupied units. I have to let the repair shop know what to install.

The converter is in so the ac is back on and drying things out. I have a company coming out to clean the mildew. It had a 50 amp portable Surge Guard.

Mark
neschultz
Explorer
Jul 13, 2019
CA Traveler wrote:
wa8yxm wrote:
I like the Hard Wired over the Portables for two reasons neither is technical

The ratings are virtully identicll

1 With the HW you are secure you do not need to worry about it "Growing legs" and walking off

2: Unforgettable, since it is always there.

3: It's always on w/o any effort. And requires only 1 plug in not 2 like a portable.

4: The PI HW50C remote is inside or in the basement or both if you buy 2 remotes and constantly displays amps, volts, frequency, past and present errors. Note past error like low voltage is a red flag when you return to the rig as the unit reconnects when the voltage is OK. And the remote has a bypass switch that disables disconnect but not surge protection.

5: Wiring is required of course including the data cable to the remote which is one reason the portable unit might be chosen.

6: The hardwired unit will protect your RV if the cord has an open neutral
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Jul 13, 2019
wa8yxm wrote:
I like the Hard Wired over the Portables for two reasons neither is technical

The ratings are virtully identicll

1 With the HW you are secure you do not need to worry about it "Growing legs" and walking off

2: Unforgettable, since it is always there.

3: It's always on w/o any effort. And requires only 1 plug in not 2 like a portable.

4: The PI HW50C remote is inside or in the basement or both if you buy 2 remotes and constantly displays amps, volts, frequency, past and present errors. Note past error like low voltage is a red flag when you return to the rig as the unit reconnects when the voltage is OK. And the remote has a bypass switch that disables disconnect but not surge protection.

5: Wiring is required of course including the data cable to the remote which is one reason the portable unit might be chosen.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Jul 13, 2019
wa8yxm wrote:
I like the Hard Wired over the Portables for two reasons neither is technical

The ratings are virtully identicll

1 With the HW you are secure you do not need to worry about it "Growing legs" and walking off

2: Unforgettable, since it is always there.

3: It's always on w/o any effort. And requires only 1 plug in not 2 like a portable.

4: The PI HW50C remote is inside or in the basement or both if you buy 2 remotes and constantly displays amps, volts, frequency, past and present errors. Note past error like low voltage is a red flag when you return to the rig as the unit reconnects when the voltage is OK. And the remote has a bypass switch that disables disconnect but not surge protection.

5: Wiring is required of course including the data cable to the remote which is one reason the portable unit might be chosen.
2oldman
Explorer II
Jul 13, 2019
What surge protector did you have that apparently didn't work so well?
If this was lightning, you should unplug.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jul 13, 2019
I use GAS TUBE DISCHARGE devices in my protection devices 200 volt trigger
Then fused MOVs and TVS avalanche rectifiers
The MOVs are 20mm and the TVS are 2000 watt rated
They are not inexpensive to build
But they are far lighter than an isolation transformer to haul up and down hotel stairs
And yes some transients have enough energy to make a 60 watt medical brick insides look like a whole chicken look like it sat on a barbecue for 12 hours.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jul 13, 2019
I like the Hard Wired over the Portables for two reasons neither is technical

The ratings are virtully identicll

1 With the HW you are secure you do not need to worry about it "Growing legs" and walking off

2: Unforgettable, since it is always there.

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Need help about surge protection

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