Surge Protector, Do I need one???

Do you not keep insurance on the RV because you haven't had an accident in the last 20yrs?

Same principal. Now how fancy of a unit, that can be open to debate.

Personally, I would be nervous with a 30amp rig that tries to run 2 air/con units. Continuous draw allowed per code on a 30amp outlet is only 24amp. Your average rooftop air/con pulls 10-15amps, so 2 will be 20-30amps and the lower the voltage, the higher the amps. Hopefully the system has it built in but I would be checking the amperage draw the first few times, both air/con kick on.

Obviously you don't 'need' one after all these years, but it can save you tons of trouble and money if something goes bad with the power at your site. We have a portable 50 amp Progressive that we have had for years. It is portable because we didn't want to leave it on a MH if we traded or up graded.
Over the years we have run into only a few instances where it actually saved us. Once when it would not pass power because of low voltage on one leg of the post. The CG owner swore nothing was wrong but did agree to another site. Turns out the receptacle was burned on one side and not getting contact. Saved a potential problem with a lightning strike near a state park and the PG50 shut the power off when the CG power surged. In a short time it re-set and we were back in business. Did it save us from disaster or was there even a potential for disaster? I certainly thought there was and slept better knowing it worked.

I didn't think a Surge Protector was needed, until I had lightning hit a tree very close to our RV. It's amazing the damage it can do by just hitting a nearby tree.

I got the progressive industry one. Yea, maybe its not needed, but i really dont want to have a problem on the road. Especially if you are on a longer trip. My understanding is that while surges are rare, low power is more of a concern. Running the ac underpowered is never a good thing. I know a few people that had the ems protecter save there camper stuff. So for the $$$, i would get it.

my kid had our rv out, lighting storm ,fried our electric system. she forgot to plug in the protector. all,s well now but I,d bet thats the first thing she does now.

Do you need one YES More later
Which THe PT-30Z or PT-30C or HW-30C I perfer the HW types
Do I have one. Competitor's HW type (HW is hard wired)

Why HW: You never forget it. Even if it's just an overnight

WHy do you need one and why the more expensive one

There are many issues one is Spikes which is what the surge protectors protect against (all of them) by use of a device that if the voltage goes to high they become a near short till it drops back down,. This can happen do to big motors (Air Conditioner confessors for example) starting and stopping.

They also give you error indications if the outlet you plug into has issues like an open ground or reversed hot/neutral.

But the more expensive ones also protect you should you accidently plug into a 240 volt outlet. No matter how many people tell you "It can't happen the outlets are different" there are many threads if you search these forums that prove it can. and I've met an electroician who was contracted to install a TT-30 for his customer.. and was about to wire it for 240 volts till I pointed to the marking on the outlet that said not to.

Second there are parks with bad power (low/high voltage) they protect you

Next is the famous BLINK where power goes off and comes right back on if you have the SSP but if you have the PT or HW it goes off and comes back on 2.5 to 3 minutes later WHY is this important

The Blink is very damaging to Compressors. but the near 3 minute delay lets them re-start normally no damage

A good EMS (not just a surge protector) usually cost less than the deductible for the insurance claim you could have without one. I buy insurance for most of my big ticket purchases, so why not consider it insurance on your trailer that will keep you from the hassles of a claim and fixing electrical problems?
Many will say "no need" but they must have better luck than I do.
Mine has protected us from both low power and a surge more than once.

jolooote wrote:
Also...Many times I have found it necessary to use my 50 amp Adapter to use a parks 50 Amp plug because of poor power. Can I still do this with a 30 amp Surge protector?

Yes I do it all the time,I find that most times the 50 amp is in much better shape.

I went with the hard wire PD EMS HW 30C it has the remote display I can see anytime I want and just one more thing I don't have to hookup or take down.

jolooote wrote:
SOooo...after RV'ing since 1971 and now on our 7th Motorhome, my WIFE has been advised by a friend that we MUST have a Surge Protector even tho we've NEVER had a problem. She's looking at either, the Progressive Industries SSP-30X or the more expensive EMS-PT30X. Can anyone help with the decision. :h

It only takes once replacing almost all of your 120v stuff because bad power has burned out the electronics that is in everything nowadays. Think of it like comprehensive insurance. You don't need it, until you need it.

jolooote wrote:
BTW; My new 2020 Jayco GrayHawk Prestige 29MVP has 30 amp service but also has 2 Air Conditioners. It has a 'Management Systen to allow 30 amps to run 2 AC's. Therefore, do I Already have a built in Surge Prootector/Supressor? :S

Maybe. You need to read the product information that came with the camper.

jolooote wrote:
Also...Many times I have found it necessary to use my 50 amp Adapter to use a parks 50 Amp plug because of poor power. Can I still do this with a 30 amp Surge protector?

Yes. You match the EMS to the camper, not the power pole.

Absolutely YES for an EMS. CG are getting more crowded and more campers are running their AC due to global warming. With aging CG wiring it is more likely that you'll get low voltage brown-outs now than just a few years ago. My EMS cut the power to my TT many times when the power dropped below 109v and thereby saved my AC and electronics from potential damage. I've never experienced a high voltage surge at a CG so for me a surge protector is just cheap insurance.