Portable or Hard-WIred Surge Protector?

Camper Ken wrote:
I have the PI 50amp portable unit. I cut the shore cord inside the cargo bay, put a male and female plug and receptacle on the cord. All the safety of a hard wired unit, but can be unplugged of it ever needs service. Camco makes good 50 and 30 amp plugs and receptacles.

Sounds like a great solution.

I have the PI 50amp portable unit. I cut the shore cord inside the cargo bay, put a male and female plug and receptacle on the cord. All the safety of a hard wired unit, but can be unplugged of it ever needs service. Camco makes good 50 and 30 amp plugs and receptacles.

Mine is hardwired and nobody can steal it!

LarryJM wrote:

travisc wrote:
I have a 30amp hard wired- you can't lose it if its inside the rv.

Same here and nothing extra to hook up, it's a true install and forget and like someone else said get the remote which is great for real time monitoring, but at 50A not as useful as if one only has a 30A power source.

Larry

When a 50 amp protector is wired in, it is just as effective with whatever power source you are plugged into, be it 15, 20, 30 or 50 amp service. Besides all current MH's are 50 amp service.

Mine is wired and located in my power bay and protects both generator power or pedestal power.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Depends..........do you have easy access to area where it can be wired in?

I didn't have a spot for hardwired so went with portable.
No I don't lock it down and no I don't worry about it getting stolen.

IF I had room/access I would have gone with hardwired.......one less thing to have to hook up and carry around.

X3, I even bought one of these lockable hasps. I never, ever used it. As soon as I realized how easily it can be defeated with a standard screwdriver or hacksaw, I put it away. If anyone wants it I'll give it to you for free. You'll have to pick it up though. I'm not shipping or delivering it.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Depends..........do you have easy access to area where it can be wired in?

I didn't have a spot for hardwired so went with portable.
No I don't lock it down and no I don't worry about it getting stolen.

IF I had room/access I would have gone with hardwired.......one less thing to have to hook up and carry around.

X2

Hard wire and use plugs to make it easier to remove if necessary. Overtime the contacts will wear and the unit will develop a humming sound.

I hardwired my PI 30A EMS in my TT. I went a step farther and installed using interlocking 30A plugs, so that if it were to fail or I wanted to move it to a new trailer in the future, I can take it out, reconnect the plugs and the trailer has power.Also, I don't have to worry about it growing feet.
Regardless of the type of unit you get, that and a good water pressure regulator are absolute musts to have. A Watts pressure regulator is going to cost you about $75 online, but it's worth every dime.

Depends..........do you have easy access to area where it can be wired in?

I didn't have a spot for hardwired so went with portable.
No I don't lock it down and no I don't worry about it getting stolen.

IF I had room/access I would have gone with hardwired.......one less thing to have to hook up and carry around.

A few years ago took our rig in to A Thermo King / Coleman service center for AC work left the 30A adapter on & a kid plugged it into a 220 socket & it only cost them a little over 3,000 bucks as the refrigerator was locked on gas & was ok.

When we got our new rig had 50A built in. It tells me if ground is ok and if wires are reversed, or if Voltage or Amps are to low. Have had low voltage at a few camp sites so have gone on to a different sites if still bad a new campground. Also have had it shut down a few times when to many things going & Amps got to low. What I love about it is I can read voltage & amps on each line, just looked over & L1 122V 4A = L2 119V 17A wife has the AC on upstairs.

Would not be with out mine.
Red