Ready for a surge protector

On my coach for low voltage reasons I have an autoformer. Since some parks "Object" to autoformers, It's "Installed" and hidden,, I wish to use a surge protector (and in fact have one) but need to put it after the autoformer.

This will happen likely later this summer,, Currently I have to use it outdoors (it is well sealed against weather)

But I do know what is needed to install it (Basically two pigtails)

Then I have just the spot for it.

I'm returning a brand new, 30 amp Surge Guard Model 34730 that didn't last 24 hours on its Maiden voyage this week. It was properly oriented (vertical) and worked fine for one night. Rain started about 9AM and the Surge Guard didn't make it 'til noon. There was/is moisture inside the unit. It wasn't a hard rain. I've completely lost any trust I might have had in their products.

I did basically the same thing as pianotuna but just went from a 50 amp plug to two 30 amp outlets. can test both sides and pick the best. the time to check voltage is in the middle of the afternoon when all ACs are on or at noon when electric appliances are going full bore.
the main problem I had was although I had used a large square aluminum box for the connections bending all of that 50 amp and 30 amp wiring inside it took a bunch of strength.
bumpy

Hi,

My "break out box" for 50 amp to one thirty and two twenty amp plugs has individual breakers for each circuit.



50 amp plug-->box-->leg #1-->30 amp breaker-->30 amp female outlet.
=============\->leg #2-->20 amp breaker-->20 amp female outlet.
===================\-->20 amp breaker-->20 amp female outlet.

Inside the RV power panel as it happens my converter uses a standard 120 volt plug. I simply added a cord (20 amp) with one outlet by the power center, and two extra outlets in the bedroom area.

For the water heater, I chose to to use 15 amps with again an outlet close to the power center, and one additional outlet.

When I'm at a home that allows me to use up to 3 15 amp circuits giving me pretty much full functionality on the Rv.

At a campground with 50 amp service I have the OEM 30, the 20 secondary, and the 15 amp tertiary if need be. If there is only 30 amp I can quickly change back to the OEM configuration. Sometimes there is a 30 and a 15 at the campground. When that occurs I plug in the water heater to the 15 amp--and then I no longer have to worry about power management.

One added side benefit is that I have run up to 6500 watts of electric heat in the winter, and not pay extra.

Pianotuna / Bumpy ...Do you have a diagram of what you did? Or know where I could look at one? I am a little challenged when it comes to electrical.

Hi,

If low voltage is the worry, then an autoformer may be a better investment than the surge units. No one makes a surge device that cuts out at 108 volts, which is my personal comfort level.

Personally, I get around low voltage by doing "double conversion" where I plug in just the converter to shore power and then run the rest of the RV from the inverter. I caused two auxiliary shore power cords to be added to the OEM 30 amp. One operates two plugs and the converter, the other one plug plus the water heater. I used male and female plugs, so I can switch back to the OEM configuration in under a minute.

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:


I've seen voltage below 100V at rally sites, COE, National Park Service and commercial campgrounds from low end to high end.

based on advice in this forum I made an adapter that had a 50 amp plug and two 30 amp outlets so that I could sample the juice and hook to the better side. all too often when old campgrounds update their systems it seems like many/most of the 30 amp outlets are on the one/old side with the new side having less of a draw. If you are plugged into the bad half in the middle of the day when all of the ACs are running, water heaters on, fry pans on etc., microwaves. the juice can take a tumble causing an undervoltage situations.
bumpy

pianotuna wrote:
That slapped together system at the campground has to be inspected, and meet code requirements.

I've seen reversed polarity at COE, State Park and commercial high end resort campgrounds.

I've seen voltage below 100V at rally sites, COE, National Park Service and commercial campgrounds from low end to high end.

I've seen open neutral at a high end membership park and a high demand state park.

I'm sure all were inspected and passed code - at that time. Things happen over time.

I was assigned a site at a Texas State Park in October, and received a shock as I went to open the pedestal. When they sent someone over to look - it appeared that a previous occupant had pulled out with his 30Amp cord still attached. The 30Amp plug was broken and shorting.

Two nearby rigs were off - and one had a refrigerator fried because he didn't have any protection device for his power connection.

All the campground maintenance could do was disconnect the broken plug and luckily I had a 50-30Amp adapter.

riven1950 wrote:
Yes Dick_B I actually did do the search first. Sorry to hit you with yet another post on the subject.

I have learned something though. I was thinking any surge protector would also protect against high or low voltage supplies and shut down power to RV. I guess not. Now I need to decide whether to continue to use the little outlet checker I have now or go all the way with the progressive electrical mgmt system, which seems to be the best choice.

Ozlander...not sure what you mean by use the one I use at home? Only SP I use at home is for my office computer / printer / modem / router.

Ding, ding, ding

Hi riven,

Exactly. I use one on my converter.

riven1950 wrote:
Ozlander...not sure what you mean by use the one I use at home? Only SP I use at home is for my office computer / printer / modem / router.