Forum Discussion
barchetta1
Jun 18, 2019Explorer
Ski Pro 3 wrote:
No. Here's why;
The odds of you getting bad power that is so bad it damages something on a camper is pretty small. After all, what works on the camper that is AC powered? Not your stove, water pump or hot water. If you have an air conditioner AND it's hot outside, then maybe that, but otherwise nothing really.
I've never used one and never will on a camper I own. It's easy enough to work on and if anything ever did get damaged by some bad power, I'd fix it and probably for a lot less than that 'protector' costs.
If you need it for your computer gear as you elude to, get a UPS from Costco for around $60. It will convert the AC mains to DC and keep a battery charged. This battery will use an inverter to make AC again, isolating the AC mains from your computer gear.
But even that I wouldn't bother with, just get a surge protector power strip for under $30.
My current location is quite good and when I monitor voltage its 110v or better. However, I dont have time to stare at my multimeter.
I may end up moving and soon.. looking at a place in mobile AL for $450 including utils.. my current charges for electric..
To answer other questions:
AC
electric or gas water heater (not sure if its cheaper to run gas, right now its on electric).
Radio gear for interwebs access is protected behind a 3kv ups.
Microwave gets used a lot.
What prompted all this is:
Yesterday was running air, water heater and micro. 30amp main blew.
Then I smelled burning.. I panicked of course.. found the issue; where power enters the coach (5th wheel) there is a junction box with wire nutted connection to breaker box. Neutral wire nut disintgrated. for now I cut off 4" of neutral on both cables and put a new wire nut on. Im going to change this to some sort of terminal setup as opposed to wire nuts. I was thinking a 30amp receptacle. Which is where I would have connected the transformer but it sounds like I just saved about $370 because its a waste.
Problem is, I dont know if I will wind up on bad power.
My truck is a solid 7.3l diesel. Im right now upgrading the transcooler significantly and doing all maintenance..
'Work car" is a 2017 bmw on lease. Yes, I am indeed an idiot. That will be the last of my poor decisions. I may end up turning it in and taking a hit on my credit.
Im done with all of this idiocracy.
Thank you to all that responded. I have access to another large UPS and am going to use it for everything but the large current items. I may even put it ahead of my inverter.. I changed everything to LED in the coach so the load will be very minimal on it. Inverter blew up last year so its virtually new. Im mostly worried about my ac unit. Its a coleman and maybe 6 yrs old. Running fine, I just cleaned the evaporator and it was BAD.. so now is running efficient as it can with 1.5" foam insulated coach.. (1.5-2" not sure".
My dog is everything to me. I have a temp sensor connected to the interwebs and I get a text message on my phone if it exceeeds 80f. I also have a web cam on the internets.. so I watch him all day. Any sign of trouble and I am in my car.
thanks to all who replied. Guess I will have more money for food.
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