Thoughts on the 'need' factor of a main line surge protector

[Matt1221]

What are your thoughts on a surge protector I have a 50amp hookup & the parts department highly recommended one. Not sure if because the just wanted to sell me something or if there are alot of issues with sensitive electronics or what?

[drsteve]

Whenever I see a post that starts out, " My A/C compressor died and it's only four years old..." I wonder how many were crappy QC at the factory, and how many were run on low voltage all weekend last 4th of July?

[GrandpaKip]

Bobbo wrote:

bid_time wrote:

OleManOleCan wrote:

Matt1221 wrote:
What are your thoughts on a surge protector I have a 50amp hookup & the parts department highly recommended one. Not sure if because the just wanted to sell me something or if there are alot of issues with sensitive electronics or what?

It's about... Is your trailer worth protecting.
One of my buddies didn't think he needed one...
Lightening struck the campground he was staying in and...
Lightening ran in on his camper, and fried just about everything.
Cost him right at $2000 to fix his camper back like it was.
NOW HE USES A SURGE PROTECTOR.

It would have cost him only his deductible if he would have had insurance on it, which is a more useful investment in my opinion.

A deductible which is more expensive than the EMS unit.

And, more than likely, raise your insurance rate, which you still pay every year.
I like the once and done.

[Bobbo]

bid_time wrote:

OleManOleCan wrote:

Matt1221 wrote:
What are your thoughts on a surge protector I have a 50amp hookup & the parts department highly recommended one. Not sure if because the just wanted to sell me something or if there are alot of issues with sensitive electronics or what?

It's about... Is your trailer worth protecting.
One of my buddies didn't think he needed one...
Lightening struck the campground he was staying in and...
Lightening ran in on his camper, and fried just about everything.
Cost him right at $2000 to fix his camper back like it was.
NOW HE USES A SURGE PROTECTOR.

It would have cost him only his deductible if he would have had insurance on it, which is a more useful investment in my opinion.

A deductible which is more expensive than the EMS unit.

[Bobbo]

Gdetrailer wrote:

Bobbo wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

Bobbo wrote:

bpounds wrote:
Seems a lot of people assume that their rigs would have been badly damaged if not for the fact that their EMS shut down. When actually, how many people camped at that exact site without any harm, and no nuisance disconnects?

Like I said, those who have them were already convinced it was deadly out there and they just had to have that insurance policy. So these RV forum threads are heavily slanted so that it looks like the majority of the RV world has EMS. While I'm betting that is not the case at all, in fact just the opposite.

Some things get cumulative damage. You won't see the damage for a while after multiple exposures to low voltage. However, if you feel that you won't benefit, feel free to not buy one. Those who want to protect their investment are free to use one. I won't plug in without mine. (Actually, I can't since mine is hard wired behind the breaker box.) But I won't be insulted if you choose not to.

This breaks down into two camps. One camp points out what MAY happen and how. The other camp points out that it is a fairly rare phenomenon. Both camps are correct. Each user must decide for himself which camp he wants to join.

Care to explain why billions of homes and businesses in the US, Canada, Mexico, the world don't have their electrical equipment burned down to the ground on a daily basis?

Very few homes or businesses have any real surge protection or EMS and yet it is a very rare event.

Once again, an overblown RV ONLY subject with a piece of expensive equipment DESIGNED for RV USE ONLY at a price only a die hard RV enthusiast is willing to shell out for and claim because they have such equipment they have never had any troubles..

Yes, accidents do happen with electric items but not as much as it is over hyped, sort of like the latest virus issue..

Gladly. Very few homes or businesses are traveling all over the country plugging in to electrical systems that they have no knowledge or control over. They also don't have lots and lots of RV's turning on their air conditioners all at the same time pulling voltage down. Most homes or businesses have a single solid electrical supply. If it wasn't solid, they would have had the electric company come out, or a private electrician, and MAKE it solid. Any other questions?

Care to explain as to why the plant I worked at experienced not only a "brownout" on one phase for 30 minutes, then total power outage on all phases for several hrs with quite a few on/off cycles before the other phases failed, but yet ZERO loss of ANY equipment including HVAC, lighting, computer systems including several hundred servers, network switches, phone systems, industrial motors, industrial robots and anything else that was either plugged in or hard wired..

I have had servers that HAVE weathered these types of power outages and lived to serv again without a complaint and have done this for 14 yrs.. Yep, I said 14 yrs.. I just retired that server recently when it finally died of old age from not a power surge but a system board with lots of expired caps.

Your operating on "FUD" (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt)..

I don't doubt that SOME campgrounds may have old infrastructure that is not up to everyone with their 50A beauty queens but in reality the ONLY way that you can honestly say that "device X" really works is if EVERYONE in the campground has a complete and massive failure of their electrical equipment at the same time AND YOURS and YOURS alone with this "device X" installed was the ONLY survivor.

Basically nothing more than the "placebo" effect until you can come up with rock hard evidence to prove otherwise.

If paying a price for "device X" makes you sleep better, then continue on, but in reality, a waste of money for 99.9% of the time.

Carry on..

No. I did that already. See my post re: plugging into campgrounds where you have no knowledge of or control over the system.

If you don't think you need one, don't buy one.

However, other people have different opinions. It is irresponsible to try to convince OTHER people to NOT buy one when you are not going to pay for any damage they may incur. Tell them your view, but let them decide. It is not your job to police how they spend their money.

[drsteve]

If you plan on spending holiday weekends in packed campgrounds where everyone and their uncle is running the A/C full bore all day and half the night, you better have one. Even places that have functioning systems can fall short under high demand because they were built when not everyone had A/C.

[Bumpyroad]

bid_time wrote:
It would have cost him only his deductible if he would have had insurance on it, which is a more useful investment in my opinion.

plus the inconvenience of the hassle of replacing "stuff". Lets see, TV, orig worth $300, depreciated to $50, etc. etc.
bumpy

[Desert_Captain]

I have a commercial grade surge protection system on my home here in Tucson. It came with a $10,000 guaranty against damages incurred. A friend of mine is a residential electrician that I was happy to pay $325 to install it about ten years ago. We get a lot of lightning here, especially during the Monsoon. Most of my neighbors also have this system.

If the lightning does not get you the power surges that follow likely will leaving the unprotected at risk and cumulative damage is still damage. Some of the comments in this thread arguing that surge protection /EMS are snake oil really make me laugh. My EMS {PI} has saved us from damage many times not just from improperly wired pedestals which are very common especially in older parks but from damaging low voltage as well as high voltage spikes. That is simply a fact and has NOTHING whatsoever to do with the so called "placebo effect".

If you don't think running AC systems on low voltage or subjecting them to unprotected voltage spikes can do serious damage cumulatively shortening the systems working life you clearly have no idea how these things actually operate.

:S

[bid_time]

OleManOleCan wrote:

Matt1221 wrote:
What are your thoughts on a surge protector I have a 50amp hookup & the parts department highly recommended one. Not sure if because the just wanted to sell me something or if there are alot of issues with sensitive electronics or what?

It's about... Is your trailer worth protecting.
One of my buddies didn't think he needed one...
Lightening struck the campground he was staying in and...
Lightening ran in on his camper, and fried just about everything.
Cost him right at $2000 to fix his camper back like it was.
NOW HE USES A SURGE PROTECTOR.

It would have cost him only his deductible if he would have had insurance on it, which is a more useful investment in my opinion.

[GrandpaKip]

I pay about $2500/year to insure the house, vehicles and toys. Each year, not just once.
I paid a little over $200 for the EMS. Just once. Pretty cheap insurance.
Never had a claim for house or vehicles. But I keep insurance (not minimum either) on all of them because of those 2 guys. Y’know, Mr. Murphy and Justin Case.
I don’t give a rat’s behind if anyone else has any electrical protection or not.

[Bumpyroad]

Bobbo wrote:

Gladly. Very few homes or businesses are traveling all over the country plugging in to electrical systems that they have no knowledge or control over. They also don't have lots and lots of RV's turning on their air conditioners all at the same time pulling voltage down. Most homes or businesses have a single solid electrical supply. If it wasn't solid, they would have had the electric company come out, or a private electrician, and MAKE it solid. Any other questions?

thanks for the post. saved me the time to express the same feelings. comparing apples to oranges, etc.
My electric company does offer a surge protector for I believe $8.00 a month.
bumpy

[OleManOleCan]

Matt1221 wrote:
What are your thoughts on a surge protector I have a 50amp hookup & the parts department highly recommended one. Not sure if because the just wanted to sell me something or if there are alot of issues with sensitive electronics or what?

It's about... Is your trailer worth protecting.
One of my buddies didn't think he needed one...
Lightening struck the campground he was staying in and...
Lightening ran in on his camper, and fried just about everything.
Cost him right at $2000 to fix his camper back like it was.
NOW HE USES A SURGE PROTECTOR.

[Gdetrailer]

Bobbo wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

Bobbo wrote:

bpounds wrote:
Seems a lot of people assume that their rigs would have been badly damaged if not for the fact that their EMS shut down. When actually, how many people camped at that exact site without any harm, and no nuisance disconnects?

Like I said, those who have them were already convinced it was deadly out there and they just had to have that insurance policy. So these RV forum threads are heavily slanted so that it looks like the majority of the RV world has EMS. While I'm betting that is not the case at all, in fact just the opposite.

Some things get cumulative damage. You won't see the damage for a while after multiple exposures to low voltage. However, if you feel that you won't benefit, feel free to not buy one. Those who want to protect their investment are free to use one. I won't plug in without mine. (Actually, I can't since mine is hard wired behind the breaker box.) But I won't be insulted if you choose not to.

This breaks down into two camps. One camp points out what MAY happen and how. The other camp points out that it is a fairly rare phenomenon. Both camps are correct. Each user must decide for himself which camp he wants to join.

Care to explain why billions of homes and businesses in the US, Canada, Mexico, the world don't have their electrical equipment burned down to the ground on a daily basis?

Very few homes or businesses have any real surge protection or EMS and yet it is a very rare event.

Once again, an overblown RV ONLY subject with a piece of expensive equipment DESIGNED for RV USE ONLY at a price only a die hard RV enthusiast is willing to shell out for and claim because they have such equipment they have never had any troubles..

Yes, accidents do happen with electric items but not as much as it is over hyped, sort of like the latest virus issue..

Gladly. Very few homes or businesses are traveling all over the country plugging in to electrical systems that they have no knowledge or control over. They also don't have lots and lots of RV's turning on their air conditioners all at the same time pulling voltage down. Most homes or businesses have a single solid electrical supply. If it wasn't solid, they would have had the electric company come out, or a private electrician, and MAKE it solid. Any other questions?

Care to explain as to why the plant I worked at experienced not only a "brownout" on one phase for 30 minutes, then total power outage on all phases for several hrs with quite a few on/off cycles before the other phases failed, but yet ZERO loss of ANY equipment including HVAC, lighting, computer systems including several hundred servers, network switches, phone systems, industrial motors, industrial robots and anything else that was either plugged in or hard wired..

I have had servers that HAVE weathered these types of power outages and lived to serv again without a complaint and have done this for 14 yrs.. Yep, I said 14 yrs.. I just retired that server recently when it finally died of old age from not a power surge but a system board with lots of expired caps.

Your operating on "FUD" (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt)..

I don't doubt that SOME campgrounds may have old infrastructure that is not up to everyone with their 50A beauty queens but in reality the ONLY way that you can honestly say that "device X" really works is if EVERYONE in the campground has a complete and massive failure of their electrical equipment at the same time AND YOURS and YOURS alone with this "device X" installed was the ONLY survivor.

Basically nothing more than the "placebo" effect until you can come up with rock hard evidence to prove otherwise.

If paying a price for "device X" makes you sleep better, then continue on, but in reality, a waste of money for 99.9% of the time.

Carry on..

[Bobbo]

Double post

[Bobbo]

Gdetrailer wrote:

Bobbo wrote:

bpounds wrote:
Seems a lot of people assume that their rigs would have been badly damaged if not for the fact that their EMS shut down. When actually, how many people camped at that exact site without any harm, and no nuisance disconnects?

Like I said, those who have them were already convinced it was deadly out there and they just had to have that insurance policy. So these RV forum threads are heavily slanted so that it looks like the majority of the RV world has EMS. While I'm betting that is not the case at all, in fact just the opposite.

Some things get cumulative damage. You won't see the damage for a while after multiple exposures to low voltage. However, if you feel that you won't benefit, feel free to not buy one. Those who want to protect their investment are free to use one. I won't plug in without mine. (Actually, I can't since mine is hard wired behind the breaker box.) But I won't be insulted if you choose not to.

This breaks down into two camps. One camp points out what MAY happen and how. The other camp points out that it is a fairly rare phenomenon. Both camps are correct. Each user must decide for himself which camp he wants to join.

Care to explain why billions of homes and businesses in the US, Canada, Mexico, the world don't have their electrical equipment burned down to the ground on a daily basis?

Very few homes or businesses have any real surge protection or EMS and yet it is a very rare event.

Once again, an overblown RV ONLY subject with a piece of expensive equipment DESIGNED for RV USE ONLY at a price only a die hard RV enthusiast is willing to shell out for and claim because they have such equipment they have never had any troubles..

Yes, accidents do happen with electric items but not as much as it is over hyped, sort of like the latest virus issue..

Gladly. Very few homes or businesses are traveling all over the country plugging in to electrical systems that they have no knowledge or control over. They also don't have lots and lots of RV's turning on their air conditioners all at the same time pulling voltage down. Most homes or businesses have a single solid electrical supply. If it wasn't solid, they would have had the electric company come out, or a private electrician, and MAKE it solid. Any other questions?