surge protector????

[the_silverback]

I was checking the camping world website for surge protectors. When I checked the reviews I saw a lot of them did not protect. A couple of reviews said they actually damaged equipment in the RV. What is your experience????

[hanko]

4aSong wrote:

2chiefsRus wrote:
Progressive Industries is the way to go.

X2 And it comes with a lifetime replacent guarantee

Plus its hard wired and permanently mounted out of the weather and thieves

[4aSong]

2chiefsRus wrote:
Progressive Industries is the way to go.

X2 And it comes with a lifetime replacent guarantee

[DrewE]

There are two broad types of devices that are generally sold as RV surge protectors, and they have wildly different capabilities.

One class is just basically a larger version of a surge suppressor power strip such as might be used for home computers. These provide rather limited protection against transient voltage spikes, and nothing more. (Some do also have little test lights to indicate miswired outlets, identical to those in the three light outlet testers you can get.)

The other class is perhaps more properly described as a simple EMS (Electrical management system) and has a contactor controlled by a little computer that monitors the power line and cuts power off if various anomalies are observed, such as low or high line voltage, reversed outlet polarity, disconnected or unbonded ground connections, etc. These generally also have MOVs to protect against voltage spikes.

The latter kind is considerably more expensive but IMHO well worth the extra cost. Protection from low line voltage, in particular, is useful and important for the longevity the air conditioner and some other appliances. Low voltage is not uncommon in campgrounds.

[sailor_lou]

Which ones are you considering? Some only provide surge protection and the better one also provide high/low voltage and frequency protection along with a myriad of wiring faults (open neutral/open ground/polarity issues). Whether or not they will protect from all surges is doubtful (in my mind), but a campground wiring problem (esp. low voltages) is a real threat making the device worth every penny. Also, I see no way any surge protector will actually cause damage and I worked as a power plant engineer for 30+ years.

FWIW, I have the Progressive Industries EMS-HW50C (see below) and it has protected my A/C units many times on low voltage at some of the older campgrounds we have here in the northeast.

EMS-HW50C

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

[2oldman]

Surge, Class A, 2011
Surge, 2013

[2chiefsRus]

Progressive Industries is the way to go.

[Doss]

looked at the Surge Guard on amazon
I will spend some money but not sure I am down with a $350 surge protector.
They do have the non lcd version for $96

[Bob___Ann]

We use the Surge Guard 50 AMP portable unit and it works well for us. It has cut the power off several times at different locations due to low voltage. It tripped once for a park that was not wired properly. It also saved us once from a lightning strike. It hit a tree about 50 feet from us. Other units around us had damage while we were saved. As stated, it has served us well.