Surge protector

I have a small unit that plugs into the box and the power cord plugs into it. The electric box will not close completely.

I am curious what others with your type of unit do also.

I have a portable 50V Progressive Industries surge protector that for past 10 yrs + has hung from a power pedestal receptacle in most every weather condition.....heavy rains, snow, sleet/ice, hail, hot humid temps, hot dry temps etc.

Never had an issue.
They are made to be used outside----hard to do otherwise.

I had been using the same PI EMS-PT50C for almost 7 years until September 2016 when a lightning strike in the park I was in apparently sent a surge to me and one leg of the PT50C died (no damage to my rig or any electronics). It was the original design with the open socket and never an issue. It was sent to PI for warranty and they replaced it with the new design with the lexan cover that flips down over the socket. I also had a spare PT50C also with the open socket which was put in service in September 2016 when the above lightning strike occurred and this past March I was in a major thunderstorm with 50-60 mph winds and horizontal rain. The PT50C would not work after this storm passed. My spare was put in service while the dead unit was sent back for warranty. It too was replaced with the new lexan covered design. This was the first issue I had with the open socket design in almost 7 years full time service, but then this was a major thunderstorm.

My hat is always off to PI and their EMS products. I will never plug in anywhere without my PT50 in line.

Mine has been outside in pouring rain storms and it has never tripped

Jack L

Mine sits out in the weather 24/7 except when on the road. No problems in 5 years.

GrandpaKip wrote:
Mine sits out in the weather 24/7 except when on the road. No problems in 5 years.

X2

Old-Biscuit wrote:
I have a portable 50V Progressive Industries surge protector that for past 10 yrs + has hung from a power pedestal receptacle in most every weather condition.....heavy rains, snow, sleet/ice, hail, hot humid temps, hot dry temps etc.

Never had an issue.
They are made to be used outside----hard to do otherwise.

Our 30 amp PT portable (old style) has only had 2 trips so far, but the last one was a week long and it rained every day, with a couple of major gullywashers, and no problems. The rain didn't seem to have any adverse effect on it.

Hunterjeff,

Please provide pictures and/or further explain your comment of "uncovered connection". Based on ESA (Electrical Safety Authority) rules, ALL wire connections must be within a proper electrical certified box. Especially on a Trailer - that endures lots of road vibrations and/or folks putting their hands into storage compartments - where the open connection exists. Hoping your can provide a picture - to give us a visual.

If you are talking about a "portable" Surge Protector unit that push together type connectors, then yes. They don't need to be inside a box. If outside in the rain, I wrap a plastic bag around my connections - then wrap duct tape around the plastic bag outer wrapping. Probably isn't needed but IMO, all electrical connections should be kept dry. Especially if my feet on our damp ground and the connectors are in my hands - when connecting or disconnecting them from Service Post.

spike99 wrote:
If you are talking about a "portable" Surge Protector unit that push together type connectors, then yes. They don't need to be inside a box. If outside in the rain, I wrap a plastic bag around my connections - then wrap duct tape around the plastic bag outer wrapping. Probably isn't needed but IMO, all electrical connections should be kept dry.

Actually inside a "box" of some sort is the best protection for any electrical connectors and certainly wrapping those connections in plastic is the worst thing you can do as that will only trap moisture which over time will condensate into water inside that wrapping, just where you don't want it. 25 years in mobile remote television production and we always enclosed any connections that might be exposed to rain in plastic videotape boxes that we'd then suspend off the ground. Cables entered and exited these boxes via a notches which also allowed air to easily vent in/out and keep the connections totally dry.

To the OP ...

These portable surge protectors are designed to work outdoors but if you're so concerned about it just locate it at the trailer, tuck it under a slide or under the body of the trailer, and run an extension out to the power post. Another solution - install your portable unit inside the trailer, just as you would a hard wire model and just as I did with a TRC unit I used to own.

I just purchased a EMS-PT30X 30A Digital Surge Protector with Weather Shield from Amazon. Was cheaper than the previous model.