Power surge - which one really protects?

Surge Guard Brand............1 yr warranty

Progressive Industries.......Life time warranty

Easy choice.

Hi,

No, plugging in the multimeter won't tell you if other devices are plugged in. You would have to know the line voltage to have a chance of guessing that.

Where I am right now is a 30 amp plug. Voltage varies through the day from 121 to 117 volts with nothing running.

I would have purchased this unit myself: 30 amp voltage regulator

Thanks everybody. So if I decide to use EMSHW30C-Surge-Protector: here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-Industries-EMSHW30C-Surge-Protector/dp/B0050EGS5W/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1409260013&sr=1-1&keywords=EMS-HW30C
how much will it cost me to install it? Or should I would rather not to do it by myself?
I also consider: Technology Research 11615 Surge Guard, 30 Amp (http://www.amazon.com/Technology-Research-11615-Surge-Guard/dp/B002OUVL6G/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1409260319&sr=8-5&keywords=rv+surge+protector).
Does multimeter allows me to recognize if anything else is plugged to the outlet I am going to plug my TT?
Thanks

Bumpyroad wrote:
should get a multi-function surge protector. $250 and up.
bumpy

x2

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Since there is at least one autoformer that incorporates surge protection, why bother with the surge device at all?

I use it because I already had it. Hopefully if something bad happens to the autoformer, the surge protector will protect the RV.

I can't imagine the voltage is going to somehow hang right at 104.5 for hours on end.

Hi,

Almost all RV's have absorption fridge technology. When the power goes off they revert to propane operation. Ergo, no thawed food in the freezer.

The air conditioners do have compressors and there will be cumulative permanent damage at 104 volts. There are small autoformers available in Mexico but acquiring them is not easy nor cheap. They do make the ones that are easily available look pretty sad, as they protect from over voltage as well as under voltage.

JRS & B wrote:
pianotuna - I am inclined to agree with you in regard to the 104 volts.

But what's a person to do? 110/120 volt devices are supposed to function as happy as clams at plus or minus 5%. So anything between 104.5 and 126 volts is supposed to be just dandy. But my gut tells me that my refrigerator motor/compressor would be happier operating at the high end of that range.

Now if I had a device that trips my service at anything less than, for example, 110 volts, and I am only seeing 106 volts, a trip would occur and I might come home to a lot of defrosted food. And since I was the one that set the parameter at 110 volts instead of the normal 104, it's my bad.

So while I might not be thrilled with the situation, there wouldn't seem to be a practical solution.

Hi,

Since there is at least one autoformer that incorporates surge protection, why bother with the surge device at all?

bob213 wrote:
An autoformer before the EMS will usually keep you from ever getting as low as 104 volts. I feel pretty safe using both.

I do the same. Got tired of getting shut down by low voltage, so we added the autoformer. Everything is hardwired in so I can't forget to hook something up.

qbakawnik wrote:
By the way: What happens to the A/C unit while is working and a "real" surge protector shuts off the power?

The entire RV loses 120v power so the air conditioner just stops. The protectors also have a connect delay so that you do not short cycle the compressor.

12v power stays on so the lights etc. still work fine.