Power Surges and Class A motorhomes

Freightguy wrote:
I hear a lot about these. Anyone one ever have one? or two? What happens when its happening?

Start by kissing your arse goodbye...haha...along with most go the major electrical appliances in your MH...

Energy management system or multi-function surge guard is what you need...expensive but not as expensive as having to replace the electrical appliances and such in your MH

We got hit once in a storm. Lost a tv and a power converter. We were lucky it could have been a lot worse. We immediately purchased a 50 amp portable surge guard and locking hasp. It was worth the 300+ dollars it cost.

A surge can "fry" all electronics on board (TVs, DVD player, radios, fridge, inverter, converters, electronic gauges, AC, generator board, jack controller, and and and...........anything electronic is at risk. ) I know I have been saved several times with power being cut off due to low power. Equally or even more damaging.

I will never know how many time I have been saved but do know I have an insurance policy, so to speak, doing what I can to protect our home on wheels. if I never need it again, my investment was worth it. I have an expensive, aka high quality, 50AMP model and never plug in without it.

We have installed Energy Management Systems on both of our motorhomes. Each has saved on board electronics by not allowing low or high voltage and reversed polarity to enter the RV.

when thunderstorms are in the area, and you expect lightning, simply unplug the coach from the electrical out let.

Tom/Barb wrote:
when thunderstorms are in the area, and you expect lightning, simply unplug the coach from the electrical out let.

Fine unless the lighting comes in thru the window screen. Had that happen at the stick house I grew up in. Came in the kitchen window screen and straight out thru the kitchen screen door. Went right past everybody sitting at the kitchen table. Didn't damage a thing except the metal screens. Talk about being blessed. That certainly wasn't any luck of the Irish, even with everybody sitting at the table being Irish. Lighting is going to do what it wants to do and nothing we do will stop it.

Usually the problem is low volts but spikes can and do happen. Before I plug in i check the polarity of the power supply.

workhardplayharder wrote:
Usually the problem is low volts but spikes can and do happen. Before I plug in i check the polarity of the power supply.

recently at a camp ground in new york at least three times a day mine was tripping out and a couple times when i was looking at it the voltage was up to 129 volts so that is what was tripping it out.

Tom/Barb wrote:
when thunderstorms are in the area, and you expect lightning, simply unplug the coach from the electrical out let.

Fine if you stow the cord. If you leave it laying on the ground, it is possible to have high voltage induced into the cord by induction from a close lightening strike.

5.5 years full-timing, no surge guard, no problems. I do have a polarity checker which I plug into an outlet when we first hook up, and a voltage/frequency monitor which stays plugged in while we're in place to check for voltage drops/rises. We've found some issues at campgrounds with these simple products.

I'm not sure I understand the need for a fancy surge guard. The power at the pedestal is usually coming from the same source as that to someone's house. Once you've ascertained it's wired correctly (by using one or both of the cheap items I've got), the chance of a surge is as likely as you'd get at your house.

Thunderstorm? Switch off pedestal and turn on generator.