How do you protect your surge suppressor

[Showme_5vr]

I read recently in Trailer Life magazine about someone that had a surge suppressor go bad because it got wet. So what do you do if anything to protect your surge suppressor from the weather?
Thanks in advance!!

[Nolan]

We have an outdoor one. The first one lasted a little over ten years. Never had it covered. If it had to lay on the ground would put a block of wood under it. Anything to keep it from laying in the water. Connection from the two cords some thing.

Doing the same with the second one.

[Airstreamer67]

I used to hang my SurgeGuard from the power recepticle box in the rain and shine. One day it struck me that it looked awful attractive out there to a thief. So, I now hide it in a storage unit that has access to the incoming power wires. I cut the trailer's power cord just long enough to reach the SurgeGuard, and I plug it in there in the compartment. It's been working for the past 10 years there without fail.

[dcmac214]

Bread bag works for us.
Bread bags are among the most useful "gadgets" ever invented, we never throw them out without a 2d use.

[SoundGuy]

et2 wrote:
Had our progressive for over 6 years. Rained on over & over. Still works fine.

Bigdog wrote:
It's amazing how much money folks spend to protect something from the weather that is supposed to be used outside.

Perhaps "amazing" to you but common sense to many others. :R Anytime I can protect something I own from the elements I do, be it our trailer (popup stored indoors, travel trailer wearing a breathable cover for the winter), the trailer tongue which I always cover during periods on non-use, trailer tires exposed to the sun which are always covered when the trailer is parked here at the house, motorcycles which I always stored indoors in my heated workshop, or an EMS which I installed inside the camper, etc ... regardless of what it is it will always survive in better shape over the long term if protected from the elements. Nothing amazing about it. :W

[Bigdog]

et2 wrote:
Had our progressive for over 6 years. Rained on over & over. Still works fine.

X2

It's amazing how much money folks spend to protect something from the weather that is supposed to be used outside. My neighbor built a carport for his BOAT and covered it when it was in there and now that has morphed into a full scale shop/garage for both his boat and his Class C and he covers both of them when he's not using them. Funny thing is that he even takes the Class C when he goes skiing in the winter.

[et2]

Had our progressive for over 6 years. Rained on over & over. Still works fine.

[GoPackGo]

Been full timing with my 50 amp portable unit now for over 3 years. No weather protection on it except for the lockbox. It has been monsooned on many times. Never a problem.

[eheading]

We have a Progressive Industries Energy Management system. It has a lifetime warranty in case it does get wet and need repair. I and they have determined that as long as it is not submerged in water and the front face with the indicator display and plug is not facing up, it will work just fine. I had let mine lay on the ground twice with the front facing up and it got wet and failed (and Prog. Ind.) repaired it free. Since I have made sure the front face is not up in a heavy rain I have not had any problem.

Ed Headington

[SoundGuy]

tvman44 wrote:
I purchased the hard wired EMS unit from Progressive for 3 reasons.
1. Keep me from forgetting it at the pedestal
2. Keep it from growing legs.
3. Keep it out of the weather.

The hard wire version is also field serviceable so if it ever fails it need not be returned to Progressive for repair. Simply call them, provide any error codes so they can determine what has failed, and they'll mail you the parts required so you can repair it yourself. Delay for the portable version is fixed at 136", delay for the hard wire model can be set to either 15" or 136". Since the case for the hard wire model can be opened it can also be re-calibrated if the need ever arises whereas the portable unit is sealed and is therefore not field serviceable.

[SoundGuy]

MrWizard wrote:
cut your cord, put new male and female ends
get a plastic AMMO BOX
make your self a weather proof box you can lock, for your surge protector

several members have made this box for shore cord extensions to keep cord ends out of water

I'd be one ...







My first EMS was a TRC portable unit I hard wired into the trailer, locating it under the sofa so weather and the potential for theft were never an issue. I've since replaced it with a Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C hard wire that is similarly located under the sofa. Those that prefer a portable unit can easily mitigate the weather / theft issue by plugging an extension cable into the campsite power post, running it back to the camper where the portable EMS can be located under a slide or body of the trailer where it's out-of-sight, out-of-mind and also protected from the elements.

[tvman44]

I purchased the hard wired EMS unit from Progressive for 3 reasons.
1. Keep me from forgetting it at the pedestal
2. Keep it from growing legs.
3. Keep it out of the weather.

[tpi]

Same here, have just hung it on the post with no protection. According to MFG, it is supposedly weatherproof, but not to be immersed in water. It has been through some extended downpours. For me the biggest risk is the senility quotient-forgetting it at a campsite.

[fj12ryder]

I don't do anything special, just plug it in. Usually it hangs from the post, a few times it lies on the ground. If it fails due to water I won't buy another of the same brand.

[EV2]

I use my extension cord at the ped and connect the suppressor inside of the compartment. It re mains clean, dry, and secure behind the locked door.