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Old 07-24-2017, 07:40 AM   #1
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Using 50 amp surge protector on 30 amp connection

I just purchased a 50 amp surge protector from a friend and don't have an owner's manual. My question is can I use this surge protector on a 30 amp connection using pigtails from 30 to 50 amp? Or will it work only on a 50 amp hookup?

Thanks in advance for your help.
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Old 07-24-2017, 07:46 AM   #2
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It will work but won't offer much protection. Here is the answer to that same question on etrailer.

You can use a 50 amp surge protector on your 30 amp service but I would offer a bit of caution. If any of your appliances or items are rated at 30 amps and something happened that caused them to draw more power, the 50 amp surge protector would not trigger and you could suffer damage to those items.

If you decide to use the 50 amp surge protector I recommend making sure everything is in good working order, but as I stated, if there were a problem it may cause damage because the circuit was not broken.
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Old 07-24-2017, 11:03 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundancer330 View Post
It will work but won't offer much protection. Here is the answer to that same question on etrailer.

You can use a 50 amp surge protector on your 30 amp service but I would offer a bit of caution. If any of your appliances or items are rated at 30 amps and something happened that caused them to draw more power, the 50 amp surge protector would not trigger and you could suffer damage to those items.

If you decide to use the 50 amp surge protector I recommend making sure everything is in good working order, but as I stated, if there were a problem it may cause damage because the circuit was not broken.
I saw another post asking the same type of question, but theirs was in regards to Progressive Industries EMS unit and whether they could use a 50 amp unit with a 30 amp RV because they were planning on upgrading in the near future and didn't want to buy two separate units. I would have thought the same as you in that you should use the unit matching your RV.

So being curious, I emailed PI directly about this. Here is what I sent:

"I have now purchased two separate portable EMS units from your company (one 30 amp and one 50 amp) and have very pleased with their performance. So much so, that I recommend them to anyone and everyone. When purchasing them, I was always under the impression that when it comes to electrical components, that they are designed the way they are for a reason and that mixing and matching wasn't a good idea. So when I had a 30 amp RV, I bought the 30 amp EMS. Then when we upgraded last year to a 50 amp RV, I purchased a 50 amp unit. And I may end up buying yet another 50 amp because of the new design benefits over the older model I currently have. However, a friend of mine is quite adamant in that he was told by someone that using the 50 amp EMS on his 30 amp RV was just fine (with the appropriate dog bone) and that it would provide the exact same protection with the only difference being the plug? If this is the case, then why produce the separate units at all and not just one global 50 amp unit and sell it with a 30 amp adapter? Is it solely because the 30 amp unit can be sold slightly cheaper? Just curious but could have saved me a little cash as well had I known earlier in that I could have just bought the 50 amp in the first place."

So I tried to pose the question so there would be no misunderstanding on what I was asking and completely expected them to tell me that under no circumstances, should I use a 50 amp EMS with a 30 amp RV for the same reasons you stated. That is NOT what I got back. Here was their response:

"The RV community is very sensitive to pricing. People will pay many dollars for a vehicle and then balk at paying $326 dollars for a PT30 to protect their RV. We as a rule, we tell potential customers to buy a device that matches the coach’s electrical system. If they mention something like “ Next year, we are upgrading to a fifty amp coach “ , I will suggest getting a 50A device and use adapters. So the answer is that market factors drive us to manufacture various models. "
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Old 07-24-2017, 02:24 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundancer330 View Post
It will work but won't offer much protection. Here is the answer to that same question on etrailer.

You can use a 50 amp surge protector on your 30 amp service but I would offer a bit of caution. If any of your appliances or items are rated at 30 amps and something happened that caused them to draw more power, the 50 amp surge protector would not trigger and you could suffer damage to those items.

If you decide to use the 50 amp surge protector I recommend making sure everything is in good working order, but as I stated, if there were a problem it may cause damage because the circuit was not broken.
We are talking about a surge arrestor, not a circuit breaker. A 50A surge arrestor or even an EMS will work just fine using a pigtail (aka dog bone) adapter. The 30A breaker on the pedestal and in the RVs breaker/fuse panel provide all the current protection necessary.
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