Dry Bag to cover pedestal?

travelingjw · 08-24-2020, 10:28 PM

Arrived in a driving rainstorm. Would it be okay to cover the pedestal and my progressive EMS with a dry bag, or should I be concerned about the heat?

**norty1** · 08-25-2020, 05:46 AM

I have put a bucket or trash bag over it sometimes. Extra coverage for “water resistant” claims.

rmartinjr4 · 08-25-2020, 07:27 AM

Great question! I'd like to know as well as I am fairly new to this. This past weekend we were in a pretty heavy rain storm. Luckily, we were all set up, but I had some concerns about this very thing. With a 30amp rig dog boned into 50amp pedestal plus the surge guard, I had most of it exposed. I looped the cord over the pedestal to get things off the ground and used a plastic tote to cover most of the pedestal with tote lids to block the sides. Even though, it was able to "breathe", there has to be a better way. Wind knocked one of the lids off and heavier winds would've taken the whole thing down exposing my connections to the elements.

Tunce the traveler · 08-25-2020, 08:46 AM

If I use my 50 to 30 and it’s going to rain I put a 13 gal. trash bag over it.

**JFlightRisk** · 08-25-2020, 09:43 AM

I've never thought about a rain cover. We had a bad thunder storm come through at 3:30 this morning, and it took out the power to the whole area. The power did come back about 7:00, and all is good again. Our P.D. EMS is happily doing it's thing out there.

The pedestal is a shared post, so to cover ours, means our neighbors gets covered also.

CAG · 08-25-2020, 11:20 AM

I have been through some pretty heavy rains as well as snow and never had a problem. I suppose there is the outside chance but it has not happened to me yet.

GABob · 08-25-2020, 11:28 AM

EMS...don't leave home without it...

CAG · 08-25-2020, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GABob

EMS...don't leave home without it...

I think that goes without saying. The objective of the "cover" I believe is to protect what is plugged in to avoid shorting everything out.

Vista · 08-25-2020, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GABob

EMS...don't leave home without it...

Hi. I'm not sure what you are trying to add, relative to the OPs question?

To the OP, my concern is not trapping heat with a very loose covering (example, 5 gallon bucket), although I would want to make sure my cover solution does not make things worse introducing some sort of direct drip.

Tunce the traveler · 08-25-2020, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

The pedestal is a shared post, so to cover ours, means our neighbors gets covered also.

If I were your neighbor I would say “Thank You “

Jagiven · 08-25-2020, 02:27 PM

I have a good buddy that has a seasonal site. His has been sitting outside for probably a decade, not covered (not even secured). Never has had any issues.

travelingjw · 08-25-2020, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GABob

EMS...don't leave home without it...

Note in my post, it is the Progressive EMS I am concerned about. I carry 2 of them.

travelingjw · 08-25-2020, 11:36 PM

Thanks, that was why I was wondering if a dry bag would be better. I always have a pail covering my tongue jack but is falls 4" below the bottom of the control box.

**norty1** · 08-26-2020, 04:23 AM

I had a PI unit before the current unit and we did not have it covered, usually do, and we had a long hard rain overnight. Next day we disconnected and when arriving at the next cg, I noticed moisture inside the little window. It would give me an alarm when plugged in and never worked properly again.

My new Hughes Watchdog says water resistant and tested for moisture, etc. etc.

I cover it if it's raining .

jbrnigan · 08-26-2020, 05:42 AM

These things are designed to be used out doors and are marketed as "weather resistant". I have a seasonal site, and have never covered mine. It has survived torrential rains.
Probably won't hurt to cover it, your call. Anything can fail, if mine ever does, I'll just get another one.

Freeman · 09-09-2020, 05:25 PM

Progressive is sending me a new EMS-PT30X RV Surge Protector because the one I have sitting downstairs filled up with water during a significant rain storm. The power pedestal was new and tall. I plugged the surge protector in the pedestal and closed the cover. I plugged the shore line into the surge protector and closed the cover. Apparently the rain infiltrated the surge protector around the cord. The unit filled with water up to the top where the digital dial was covered. The water caused the GFI to trip in the Greyhawk.

As I noted above, Progressive is replacing the surge protector. We have a trip planned in two weeks. I will be taking something (haven’t figured what) to cover the pedestal and the new surge protector in the future.

SUP · 09-09-2020, 08:19 PM

I use a 55 gal trash bag

**JFlightRisk** · 09-09-2020, 08:45 PM

[QUOTE=Freeman;895710

As I noted above, Progressive is replacing the surge protector. We have a trip planned in two weeks. I will be taking something (haven’t figured what) to cover the pedestal and the new surge protector in the future.[/QUOTE]

That's really good to hear, since the wording in their warranty was changed to exclude "acts of God", which I would think a heavy rainstorm would fall under. Perhaps the introduction of the Hughes products has added some competition, so their being more flexible.

mlumia · 09-10-2020, 05:58 PM

I started storing my EMS under the RV on top of a 4x4 for the ultimate protection. I run a 30A extension cord from the pedestal to under the RV, plug in the EMS and the RV cord from the EMS to the RV input male.

Sure it costs some for the extension cord but, I have had the EMS fall out of the pedestal connection a few times and grew tired of dealing with that. The RV provides excellent cover and if there is a storm that generates more than 4-inches of standing/running water, there is a larger issue one has to deal with imho.

CAG · 09-10-2020, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlumia

I started storing my EMS under the RV on top of a 4x4 for the ultimate protection. I run a 30A extension cord from the pedestal to under the RV, plug in the EMS and the RV cord from the EMS to the RV input male.

Sure it costs some for the extension cord but, I have had the EMS fall out of the pedestal connection a few times and grew tired of dealing with that. The RV provides excellent cover and if there is a storm that generates more than 4-inches of standing/running water, there is a larger issue one has to deal with imho.

So if something shorts out and it catches on fire it is under your RV? I think I would rather have the pedestal short and burn than my RV, while I am asleep in it.

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