Quote:
Originally Posted by outofhere
Thanks for all of your answers, but I have a second question concerning what type of protection. Most of you commented on the brand from Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C But I am curious about the one that is featured at camping world the "SURGE GUARD"
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'Surge protector' defines devices that address completely different anomalies. For example, the Progressive is a voltage monitor. A minor but too large voltage shift means power must disconnect. To protect motorized appliances.
A Belkin adjacent to appliances must somehow stop or absorb a sharp transient. How much energy will it absorb? Joules defines that.
A third and completely different device, also called a protector, must be located as close to earth ground as possible. IOW a distance to a pedestal must be significantly shorter than the distance to RV appliances. Essential for protecting from surges that typically do damage is what does actual protection - earth ground.
Campgrounds often suffer from minor voltage variations that are mostly problematic to motorized appliances (ie refrigerator or air conditioner). An earthed protector (a completely different device) is for transients that may create thousands of volts. A minimally sized protector is at least 50,000 amps. Then hundreds of thousands of joules in a typically destructive surges are absorbed harmlessly outside in earth. Energy that does not approach or enter an RV means nobody even knew that type of surge existed.
A Belkin, with near zero (thousand) joules, only claims to protect from transients that typically cause no damage.
Each is called a surge protector. Each for completely different anomalies. Surge protector is a generic name that confuses consumers who ignore important spec numbers. 50,000 amps means it does something completely different from the other device rated at 104 and 132 volts. A protector that absorbs thousands of joules does near zero protection.