Portable or Hard-WIred Surge Protector?

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

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

I bought my portable used on EBay and it has served me well through two fifth wheels. It is one more thing to take out and put back and I worry it might go missing but so far so good. The electrical outlets in campgrounds are to low to hang the surge protector and 30A adapter and the surge protector ends up laying half on the ground instead of upright as recommended. If I hadn't had the portable when I bought the last fifth wheel I would have installed the hard wired.
Brian

ky8t wrote:
Just bought a new Tiffin Allegro RED and want to protect it from voltage problems. I plan to purchase a 50A Progressive energy management system/surge protector, but I do not know whether to purchase a portable or hard-wired unit. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

I'm biased towards the hard-wired unit.

Outside of the obvious, like lower risk of theft with the hard-wired version, there's the advantage of placing the remote data display inside your TT where it's easy to view. You'll find viewing the voltage, and especially current draw, realtime (inside your TT), very helpful, useful information. If you get an "error" in inclimate weather you'll be able to view the exact cause inside your TT--no need to run out into the wind and rain. Even though the hard-wired unit is "hard-wired", electrically it only requires cutting the incoming a/c to your TT in half and "splicing" the EMS in the middle. That, and running a small wire from the EMS to your remote data display. I could remove mine in 5-10 minutes. Depending on the TT, the physical placement/installation of the hard-wired unit could take time--this is where the portable EMS has a very distinct advantage, especially if you have a need to use it in more than one TT.

I would hard wire in such a expensive unit.

You can pull into a campsite and "forget" to use it after a really long tiring day of driving if it is a portable system, or the portable system can grow legs and leave on it's own.

Fred.