Surge Guards, to buy or not to buy

[Dennis_Smith]

Ok how many folks out there have surge guards, and how many wish they had bought one. I got some fathers day money for camping world and I am looking at Surge Guards . In walking around the camp ground I have seen very very few being used. If I get one, I am going to hard wire it in where I don't have to worry about someone walking away with my $200. I have been RV's for 12 years and never felt the need for one, but I don't want to fry anything. Comments??

[Aluminum_Siding]

I love my sure guard. It saved my tt a few times. Low voltage mostly. I like that the ac won't burn up while we're out on the lake if the pedestal drops voltage.

[fatboy66]

http://voltagebooster.com/

[kmbernstein]

We have a Surge Guard. It was a compromise for us. My hubby thought it was overkill to get any protection at all. He is now a convert. Once it showed us that the pole was bad, with shorts due to bad wiring. Once it kicked due to wildly fluctuating power surges and once due to a lightning strike near our site. We will never do without, and we are looking at getting a Progressive for next year. Just too much in the trailer to protect.

[spike99]

Is optional Surge Protection needed? NO.

Is optional Surge Protection a good idea? IMO - YES.

We had our TT at seasonal CG for 7 years and during year 5, electrical storm nailed our area. Main Gate needed new electronics board. And, 3 campers on the same pony panel (as our TT) needed new furnace board and/or new fridge electronics as well. Our TT (that had Surge protection) survived - without even a limp. For that one time, Surge Protection on our TT was worth it. $250 to saved $1,000+ of electronic replacement costs worked for us...

Surge Protection on your TT? Your Call...

[bigcitypopo]

Bestconverter.com rocks... Outstandinservice, good prices. They shoot straight from the hip.

[Burwoods]

need it or not need it, we are getting one, I am all for being prepared. Rather not have to think about anything but having a good time.

[herbhofmann]

We bought a Progressive Industries 30 amp unit last year. We upgraded trailers and wanted to protect the inverter and other expensive electrical devices. This May we were camping at a fairly new and very nice County Park and had the power shut off momentarily one morning while we were thinking about getting out of bed. I don't know if the PI saved anything, but it was nice knowing I didn't have to worry about it.

[bigcitypopo]

Progressive industries

[HuckFinn410]

2Shays3712 wrote:
Have had both Progressive and SurgeGuard. A couple years ago, RV park got hit by lightning about 150ft from our trailer and tripped our 30A SurgeGuard plugged into the pole. Ruined 3-4 campers weekend near us and the park model next to us. Heard later several microwaves and one fridge had to be replaced. Anything is better than being plugged direct to the pole. Would spend the money for the Progressive because of low and high voltage monitoring. Ours has tripped for both reasons recently. We now unplug from the pole when we are going to be gone during inclement weather as a precaution . Lots of lightning storms that come up quickly in the summer in the mountains!

I also place jacks and landing gear on 4" X 6" wooden blocks with plastic pads on top of the blocks as a precaution. Not sure it will protect us from a direct hit, but just another precaution. Have had the hair raised on my head as a kid when a lightning strike was near while on a tractor. Not afraid, but have a healthy respect for lightning!

Agree with the use of Progressive....we had the same thing happen in our seasonal site. Many units around us had major problems.....we were protected by the Progressive unit and had zero issues. More than paid for itself (about 5 times above cost) on one occasion. No brainer!

[2littletime]

My only problem with the Surge Guards, is the short cord that plugs into the pedestal. Could have been longer.

[4x4Bob]

OP Asked how many have Surge Guards? So, I will add to what others have posted.

Two major times and some minor post problems were caught by my Surge Guard.

In a park Oregon half the park had Browned out and the other half sustained a spike. We were in the half with the spike. Our traveling friends and our unit shut down when the spike hit. No damage. Several rigs around us lost AC units, TV, and refrigerators. Interesting note. It had taken me two years to talk my friend into purchasing a surge guard.

2nd time in Montana a lighting strike took out a transformer on a pole and the surge traveled down the lines to the park. A few more damaged units around. Only way we knew it had happened was a blink in our lights as we switched to battery and the hollering around us.

Bob

[Bumpyroad]

see new thread, WFCO converter
bumpy

[C_B_]

korbe wrote:
We, as weekend campers within mainly public campgrounds and parks, don't feel the need.

Neither did I until I plugged into a brand new Power pedestal at a campground I've stayed at on mothers day weekend for the past 3 years.

I also look around in my rig and see what I am protecting.

Here's what I wish had protected so far: Refrigerator, microwave, fireplace, converter, stereo, vacuum cleaner.

This will not happen to me again!

Progressive Industries
Model #EMS-HW50C

is being installed next week.


C.B.

[Robin1953]

Bumpyroad wrote:
well first of all it will probably be more than $200. and I wouldn't be without one, but make it a multi function one that protects against over/under voltage, mis wiring, delayed AC restart, etc. don't cheap out because "I've camped for 150 years and never needed one". you only need it once. remember one night in Austin a bolt of lightning hit the campground and after the smoke cleared I was about the only RV in the park that had any lights on. all those others probably hadn't had a problem for years either. :s
bumpy

There was a lightening hit in the campground in Dickinson, TX a couple of years ago. I did not have the PI EMS at the time but only the PI surge protector. It pretty well got smoked but the RV suffered no loss. When I went to a 50AMP trailer I bought the PI EMS portable unit and it has cut off power a few times for either low or high voltage. Cheap insurance IMO but if you feel lucky...

[gmw_photos]

Yes, I have one of the TRC portable units. It has tripped a couple of times due to low voltage at an older park on a really hot day when a lot of folks were running air con.
It also tripped one night during a local thunderstorm, so it must have seen a spike on the line ?
I consider it insurance that may save me some fried electronics.