using 50 amp surge guard with 30 amp camper

Here's a comparison of power protectors from rvupgrades.com. The full function power protectors offer better protection than the simpler surge only devices. The Progressive Industries units have better specifications, lower cost, field replaceable parts, lifetime warranty and they are made in the USA.

I have the EMS-HW50C and the inside remote is a significant usability advantage. It has been installed without cutting any wires so moving it to a newer rig and restoring the wiring was easy. The EMS-HW30C is similar.

Thank you very much. I hope I have one of the good ones. It is a "surge guard" brand name and cost $350. The reason I asked about a power conditioner is the response in trailer life to the question of using an older generator and the reply suggested a "power conditioner". Thank you all.

teddyu wrote:
I don't believe it will "condition" the power, but it will typically work for low & high voltages, open neutrals and grounds, and surges. JM2¢...

There are two types of Surge Guards... And your statement is correct for the good ones. (More after I answer the Original Poster's question)

To the Original poster: The answer is YES, not only will it work, but one if it's functions will work BETTER on a smaller power feed..

Now to both: Low cost "Surge guards" are simply spike supressors. they are little more than MOV (metal Oxide Varisistors) and do a very good job of clipping spikes that come along when say an air compressor cuts out.... I do not recommend these though because they do NOT perform the 2nd function... THIS is, however, the function that a 50 amp unit does better.

A true Power Guardian type Surge Guard. Monitors voltage (HIGH/LOW) and possibly Frequency and sometimes waveform.... These are the ones I recommend.. They also perform the first function (Spike Suppression) as well. They monitor for things like open neutral/ground/reversed polarity and such along the way.

They are also more expensive.

But even this fucntion is done better by the bigger unit (Bigger contacts on the relays)

The surge protector doesn't do anything to change (condition) the power going through it. What it will do is shut the power off if it gets outside of some preset limits (a good thing). A 50A surge protector will protect a 30A setup with appropriate plug adaptors. Don't use a 30A unit in a 50A setup as the internal components may break down.

I bought a 50A unit from CW but only found out later our rig uses a 30A service. It also turns out that the connectors are incompatible, so I exchanged it.

50 surge with 30

bplantcjf wrote:
Also will this act as a power conditioner if plugged into an old Coleman generator (20 yrs old)? .

no

I don't believe it will "condition" the power, but it will typically work for low & high voltages, open neutrals and grounds, and surges. JM2¢...