surge protectors

[mammothsteve]

Hello all. Recently bought a DP and am curious to know about surge protectors. I have RV'D for the past 40 years with everything from a cab over, a class C to several 5th wheels. In all those years, I never had a surge protector. I'm reading posts from several people that have had issues with these devices.
My question(s) are thus:
Are surge issues commonplace? Is it REALLY necessary to have one? Are RV park spikes that frequent or is this just a sales pitch to spend $300+?
If it is an issue, is a portable or hardwired unit better that the other?
Thank you for any response. All the best!

[ArchHoagland]

I've repaired computer hardware for 40 years and I don't use a surge protector, now will I ever.

Low voltage is the real culprit and it will take out your air conditioner fairly quick. I monitor our 120 volts and if we drop to 105 off goes the air conditioner.

[msturtz]

Not only do we have a surge suppressor we also use an Autoformer which will protect the coach. It will boost the voltage in if it is low as is common in summer when everyone is running their AC. It the voltage is less than 117VAC it will boost the voltage back up to 115 VAC. Low voltage will damage RV systems.

[kuzined]

Been rvin 13yrs. Never had a problem. So....4days ago at 3 in the morning, guess what!Yup. Took out the fridge, convection micro, water cooler, beer fridge and a couple of small items.Only thing that saved the laptop is the little surge protector in the multi-plug cord I was using.Smell of burnt wire woke me up.Inside of plug-in was black and burnt.Rig is staying in Arizona....Im going home to Canada in a couple of days.Will be coming back in the fall with a surge protector for sure.

[hershey]

I've used one for over 11 years fulltiming. I have no idea if its necessary or not. If it did its job, I never knew it. Perhaps I need new underwear?

[et2]

We have one and more than twice has shown bad wiring before even hooking up. Now the new mh has a hard wired one. But I still use the post as well. So I wear two pairs of underwear. Never a had a problem, at least the post will trip first

[ForestRiverTeac]

It's not all about a surge. It's also about low voltage -- low enough that, over time, it could ruin your AC unit.

I wouldn't have an RV without an EMS system. It's saved us from unknowingly running our AC on low power -- actually shut us down.

Weighing the cost of an EMS system against the cost of repairing/replacing the everything electrical in my rig is a no-brainer. And for what most of us pay for our motorhomes, another $300 shouldn't be an issue.

[3oaks]

Surge protectors are like insurance policies. Don't really need them, but should accident or in this case, an electrical abnormally, occur, you wish you had had the protection.

[sailor_lou]

The better surge protection devices also provide protection from HI/LO voltage conditions as well as issues with the neutral and ground (ie: reverse polarity and open neutral). These are the most common problems that you will encounter with a campground power source and are conditions that will destroy electrical components pretty rapidly. I have experienced power issues several times in the 11 years we have been RVing (the campgrounds in the northeast are pretty dated) so I believe they are worth every penny.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

[Shadow_Catcher]

Living in Ohio and having a certain number of thunderstorms and our home has three layers of protection for surges. We have had neighbors who have lost expensive electronics.
Camping trips where there have been thunderstorms I pull the plug from the pedestal, but what happens when we are out and about and a storm comes up.
This is apart from faulty pedestal wiring, open neutral... I have observed burned plugs in pedestals.
Our progressive Industries will not connect if the wiring in the pedestal is not functioning correctly, lets me monitor voltage amps and frequency.

[CA_Traveler]

"Surge" means virtually anything including as you suggested "spikes". In 2004 I looked at about $3,000 of electronics and for the first time bought a "power protector" also know as a EMS unit. It protects against "spikes", high/low voltage, reverse polarity etc.

So I installed a PI HW50C and have been protected against numerous CG faults. In my current rig the HW50C was free as in $0 - Yup I moved it from the last rig.

Unlike your house CG power especially at the pedestal is often worn and abused. And the entire distribution system may be suspect - Yup I had one occurrence of 160V on a 30A pedestal.

It's like insurance - your choice.

[rk911]

mammothsteve wrote:
Hello all. Recently bought a DP and am curious to know about surge protectors. I have RV'D for the past 40 years with everything from a cab over, a class C to several 5th wheels. In all those years, I never had a surge protector. I'm reading posts from several people that have had issues with these devices.
My question(s) are thus:
Are surge issues commonplace? Is it REALLY necessary to have one? Are RV park spikes that frequent or is this just a sales pitch to spend $300+?
If it is an issue, is a portable or hardwired unit better that the other?
Thank you for any response. All the best!

the park we're currently in strongly recommends the use of a surge protector. and on the same posted notice offers to sell one to those who might want one. in 30-years we've had only one electrical issue that I can recall and that was solved by moving to another site. yet when it came time to trade-in our 2000 model yr MH for a 2016 model one of the upgrades I wanted was a progressive surge protector. I doubt we'll ever need it but then I doubt our home will ever burn down and I would not be without my homeowner's insurance.

we went with the hardwired unit and mounted the remote monitor panel inside the coach. I wanted the hardwired unit so I didn't have to mess around padlocking it to the electrical post. as my grandpa would say...if you don't want it to walk away put a lock on it.

[TucsonJim]

DutchmenSport wrote:
A RV surge protector is kind of like wearing underwear. Do you REALLY NEED underwear? Actually ... no. No one can see what's "under" your top layer of clothing anyway. BUT.... It sure does feel more comfortable.

Same with a Surge Protector. Do you REALLY need it? well, probably not. But to have that "comfort feeling" you have a little better protection than nothing at all ... well... that's your choice.

Boxers or shorts?

Clearest explanation in the history of the internet! You win.

Jim

[DutchmenSport]

A RV surge protector is kind of like wearing underwear. Do you REALLY NEED underwear? Actually ... no. No one can see what's "under" your top layer of clothing anyway. BUT.... It sure does feel more comfortable.

Same with a Surge Protector. Do you REALLY need it? well, probably not. But to have that "comfort feeling" you have a little better protection than nothing at all ... well... that's your choice.

Boxers or shorts?