use a surge protecter with a genny

I have a line voltage conditioner, surge combo from APC for all sensitive electronics. works great.

A surge protector on a cheap generator is pointless. Yes, it might clamp, but sags can fry stuff just as badly as surges can, and if the generator is so unreliable that one has to worry about that dirty power, then unless it is a finance issue (this economy is still in the dumps), might as well get a low end 4000 watt Champion that produces reasonably clean power.

For shore power, I'd do something different. Given the best of all worlds, I'd have a surge protector, an autoformer, and then an EMS (which cuts off electricity should the voltage go below a certain threshold, keeping things from burning out.)

If the generator does produce dirty power to the point of worry, one can get smooth power from it by buying an online (not standby) UPS. Of course, a good online UPS can be as expensive if not more than two Honda 2000s and a parallel kit.

To the original poster; I have a 7000 watt Onan in the trailer. I also have a Progressive Industries 50 amp, hardwired protector, installed just before the breaker panel so that it is in operation whether we are on shore power or generator. Everything works fine.

I have a basic portable surge guard 30amp that is supposed to go on the pedestal and you plug into that. It cost a bit, so where we have a shore power cord compartment that locks, I did a mod which puts the surge protector inside the lockable compartment at the bitter end of the shore power cord instead of out there highly visible at the pedestal.

OK, so I plug into my Honda 3000 with the shore power cord and now I am going through the surge protector. No problem. I also plug the shore power cord into an inverter for "whole house" and that goes through the surge protector too, no problem.

As to the value of the surge protector, I won't argue, but I have found at times it was tripped. One time was when I was having "issues" with the AC dist panel (circuit breakers) and on shore power. The surge protector was tripping even before the circuit breaker was. Whatever, I am glad it is there and I think it saved the day when I was having all that trouble with the AC circuit breaker panel.

camping24 wrote:
Hi, has anyone used a surge protecter on a genny? I use one when I'm plugged into a campsite. we purchased a gennny (not Honda or any very expensive type) and want to make sure all will "flow" continuous. We have one that will start what we need so no question there, just about having the surge plugged into genny then the power cord.

thanks

Someone convinced you that you need a surge protector.
So. yes you need one, no matter where you getting power from.
Me, I never needed one, and never will.

Most portable generators will test out as open ground. Not sure how a surge protector will react to that.

Moved from Forum Technical Support

I have heard of failure mode where the regulation circuit in a genny going bad and sending too high of voltage out. It would take more than a "surge protector" to help in that instance though.

popeyemth wrote:
Seems like belt and suspenders.
Park surges are way over hyped-tens of zillions of camp nights are spent every year in this country yet surge damages are beyond minuscule and generator damages-too small to report!
You would be hard put to find anyone that's even had park damages .
Sure there will be folks here jump in and say " but it happened to ME" but this is a Internet forum and folks sometimes spin the facts to make a point or to create drama or just to be posting.
Go camping-quit worrying :)

but it happened to me!!


oh wait....

that was something else...


carry on

;)

no