Surge Guard w/ ? Power pedestal - how do you handle this?

[DesertDogs]

We just had a Surge Guard 35550 hard wired into our 2017 Newmar Ventana motorhome.

I've heard that the unit can be quite picky about power supplies and will not allow power into the coach if there seems to be any issues at all with the power supply. Of course, this protection is the reason we had the unit installed.

But I'm wondering... can the unit be TOO picky?

What do you do if you go into a park, get a space, find the Surge Guard won't accept power and the park insists that their pedestal is fine and they can't offer you a different space?

Has this happened to any of you and how did you handle the situation?

I'm beginning to think that we would have been better off with a non-hard wired unit, that way we could easily bypass the surge guard in situations where we decided the risk would be worth removing the unit?

I'm considering having the 35550 re-wired with plugs to allow easy removal, if need be. Does this sound like a good move?

Looking forward to your thoughts and experiences with this kind of thing.

[et2]

After some further research about calibration I came across the following on other web sites. It seems the TRC Surge gaurd had issues in the mentioned years. There were a few different post of people experiencing what I have. My coach was made in 2013, although not a Newell, but same transfer switch.

Hopefully Fleetwood will install a new one. There is a calibration method too. So why don't they calibrate them before sending them out of the factory?

It turns out that the Tech guy at Newell called me today to get me to explain my problem, and what the cure I found was. When I explained it to him, he told me that it may be the answer to a problem they have been bombarded with from 2013, and 2014 coaches. The owners would plug into 50 amp Shoreline power, and the transfer switch would not kick in to supply power to coach. The new Surge Guards are from the same manufacturer, and will do the same thing, even worse because the new ones will monitor, and store the spikes, and if it gets to 130 volts, it won't kick in. I hope this solves their problems too.

[et2]

Well I was playing around today getting ready for the season. I observed the power plugged in and off the generator. What it shows at the front door at the readout shows 3 to 4 volts lower than the readout at the remote surge readout.

The surge protector is reading higher. Power at the post reads the same as the front door readout.

[Mile_High]

et2 wrote:
So, I'm having this exact issue, let me explain. Camping last year plugging into the RV resorts 50 amp. Now we "always" use our portable progressive surge protector at the post. It clicks on after the 2 min cycle sending power to the MH transfer switch and on to the hard wired surge protector. Now the power was coming in high at the surge protector at the post around 128 - 130. The Progressive at the post wouldn't trip but the hard wired one did over and over. It stated line 1 was 131 power removed. For some reason it reads higher voltage than what the post progressive reads.

After a while it stayed on but the meter we had plugged into a outlet was reading high around 129. So needless to say I'm heading to Fleetwood in Indiana in two weeks to verify we don't have eletrical problems. I wish it had a bypass I could have used it. Maybe if there's no problems I'll just have it disconnected and use the portable post only.

I'm not a electrician, but is there any reason voltage would increase after the portable post surge protector that would trip the hard wired surge protector?

I don't know the models you have, but the hardwire and portables do not always have the same protection features. Typically, but not always, the hardwire systems are more advanced. You would have to look at the specs for each.

[DrewE]

The only way for the voltage on one leg to increase (absent a transformer of some sort) would be for there to be a poor connection on the neutral line somewhere between the pedestal and the coach. In that case, the leg that is more heavily loaded will see a lower voltage and the other leg a higher voltage. If this is happening, definitely get it taken care of.

I would tend to suspect instead that the calibration of the two units is slightly different. I think I read that there's a calibration potentiometer on the circuit board for the PI EMS units that a technician could use to correct whatever error there is. (Other brands may or may not be adjustable.) However, I have no reason to suspect that either one is not within spec for calibration; these are not laboratory grade instruments, and they do agree within a percent.

[time2roll]

et2 wrote:
I'm not a electrician, but is there any reason voltage would increase after the portable post surge protector that would trip the hard wired surge protector?

Probably a tolerance of measurement in your case.
However a neutral with a weak connection with unbalanced load will cause increase voltage on one line while the other line sags.

[pianotuna]

Tighten all the connections in the breaker box, with the power *off* of course.

[diveman52]

Always trust your power monitor and learn how to check the power at the pedestal yourself.

A few year ago at an Oregon State park our travel buddies plugged into the park 30 amp power. Surge guard would not connect showed reverse polarity. Park people did not believe it until I showed them.
They rewired it problem solved. This pedestal must have been this way form the start.

As for Campground electricians that's got to be a joke.
Show me one who has any kind of formal training in the electrical field.

[et2]

So, I'm having this exact issue, let me explain. Camping last year plugging into the RV resorts 50 amp. Now we "always" use our portable progressive surge protector at the post. It clicks on after the 2 min cycle sending power to the MH transfer switch and on to the hard wired surge protector. Now the power was coming in high at the surge protector at the post around 128 - 130. The Progressive at the post wouldn't trip but the hard wired one did over and over. It stated line 1 was 131 power removed. For some reason it reads higher voltage than what the post progressive reads.

After a while it stayed on but the meter we had plugged into a outlet was reading high around 129. So needless to say I'm heading to Fleetwood in Indiana in two weeks to verify we don't have eletrical problems. I wish it had a bypass I could have used it. Maybe if there's no problems I'll just have it disconnected and use the portable post only.

I'm not a electrician, but is there any reason voltage would increase after the portable post surge protector that would trip the hard wired surge protector?

[catkins]

I believe the surge protector. Campground" electricians" often have zero clue. I would rather not plug in than take the chance to do real pricey damage.

[wa8yxm]

I got in a "Discussion" with a park manager about the pedestal issue I had in one park.. For one thing I happen to have wall paper stating I'm a certified Electronics Technician.... Among other credentials.. For another thing the problem was failed 50 amp breakers (Blowing at like 20 amnps) and he was saying "It you folks with 50 amp RVs overloading the 30 amp breakers" only the 30 amp was great it was the 50 that did not work.

But I do my own tests and inspections.. I know what the problem is BEFORE the park technician arrives and I'm set up to prove it. So far I've always been right.

[Pogoil]

I have been camping in RVs for 30 years and never have had any damage from the hundreds of parks we have stayed in. But I have only been doing so with a 50 amp rig about 6 years. Yes I have a Surge guard and use it. I have been checking electrical boxes and come across low voltage and you can find it often but not low enough to do damage. I may just be lucky but it is my opinion that campgrounds do a pretty good job for the most part on their electrical. Seems State parks 30 amp receptacles are the worst. Mostly all burnt up and loose.

Pogoil.

[pianotuna]

Motors are the issue, particularly the large wattage ones such as the compressor for the roof air.

I believe the Iota series of converters works right down to 95 volts.

Again, the solution is an autoformer.

[Bumpyroad]

time2roll wrote:
Instead of playing what-if just trust the SurgeGuard.
There are no exceptions to proper connections and safety.

Mine has cut power for low voltage, high voltage, bad ground, reverse polarity.
Would you continue to operate your RV with these conditions?
.

I might operate "some" of the equipment with low voltage.
bumpy

[Lancslad]

Always trust the surge protector. We have a Progressive 50amp installed. Last summer in Utah we plugged into a camp pedestal and the Progressive rejected the power. Turned out that the voltage was less than 105v. We checked 2 other sites and came up empty. The owner called the power company and they replaced a busted transformer that fed the front half of the campground. Thankfully no damage done and a happy campground owner who had a problem solved that he didn't know he had.