Surge Protection

ruswms · 02-22-2015, 06:33 PM

Just bought a new 30 amp LCD surge protector (the fancy one) with the lockable box to prevent theft. With tax and all, it was 167.00. I have used my RV about 6 times since I bought it last year and once in a pretty good thunderstorm without having a surge protector. I'm just curious how many of my Jayco friends use them. What's your experience with or without them. Thanks

brianca2 · 02-22-2015, 06:35 PM

I use the 30 amp surge guard one without the lcd.

redenbacher · 02-22-2015, 08:12 PM

Some folks will tell you they are unnecessary but I have one and use it all the time my electric is hooked up. I also use a water filter. Probably not necessary but good insurance. Why do I mention this analogy? The one time cost of the filter or surge suppressor far outweighs the problems you can encounter if you don't have one. Enjoy!

Jrmay25 · 02-22-2015, 08:18 PM

I use a 50 amp surge protector even though I know my power source is very clean. Our seasonal site had all brand new water, sewer and power installed 3 years ago. Then again, I also us a surge protector on just about everything at home as well. Cheap insurance..

SouthCo · 02-22-2015, 08:32 PM

I use a progressive industries one and it was around $300 or so. In the one year we have been camping it cut power off in a low voltage situation when my ac was on which is a god thing. Do I really need it... I don't know but it's cheap insurance to me.....

ruswms · 02-22-2015, 08:56 PM

You wouldn't plug a big flat-screen TV into a house outlet without a surge protector. It seems only smart to use one for a trailer. With the number of strange RV campsites you visit in a year, your probability of finding one wired by Hanyaks is pretty good.

wags999 · 02-22-2015, 09:29 PM

I too use the expensive one. Two years ago, during a thunderstorm, a bolt hit close, it fried the plug on my surge protector but did no damage to my rig. I had the insurance on it, so it was replaced for free by CW. No matter how good your source of power is, surges can happen. Same as voltage drops happen. Not unusual to have power range from 122 volts to 110 volts..higher or lower and you could have issues.

I also always use a filter on my water line. But I have insurance on my TT and TV and I never plan on needing them either

NDJollyMon · 02-22-2015, 10:02 PM

I've been RVing for years and never had an issue. I purchased a brand new Jayco last summer and plugged into an outlet wired by a friend (driveway camping) and POOF!
Fried my converter and microwave oven in an instant.

Now...I use a surge suppressor (with LCD) on the end of the trailer cord.
In this case...you can't even trust your friends! (why would you trust anywhere USA?)

edatlanta · 02-23-2015, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jrmay25

I use a 50 amp surge protector even though I know my power source is very clean. Our seasonal site had all brand new water, sewer and power installed 3 years ago. Then again, I also us a surge protector on just about everything at home as well. Cheap insurance..

My home base is in a residential area where I'm the only RV surrounded by s&b's. My power too was very clean until the transformer that fed my site and 8 homes around me started to fail. My EMS system shut off my power on two separate mornings at 3:00am'ish. I ignored the first one and went back to sleep thinking it was just a brief outage after the EMS turned me back on after the 2.5 minute delay. The next morning the same thing so I got up and went out to look at my EMS to see what had happened. It showed high voltage as the reason for the shut down. It showed 132 volts on one leg and 133 on the other.

The power company changed the transformer a few hours later. I was the only one in the neighborhood that knew we had high voltage. The lineman that replaced the transformer was an RV'er also and said he was getting an EMS system for his rig before his next camping trip. When the lineman arrived he also measured 265 volts leg to leg.

It can happen at home also and as has been said in a previous post, the cost of the EMS is a one time cost and a lot cheaper than replacing all of your electrical stuff. Remember also, what I experienced was not a spike or surge and a surge protector only would not have done a thing.

TNCraig · 02-23-2015, 07:29 AM

We use a progressive industries 50 amp system permanently wired into the electrical distribution system with a remote readout in the cabinet with my water heater control panel and other switches.

RedHorse1 · 02-23-2015, 10:14 AM

I had a 30A Progressive Ind pole-mount on the first TT. When we upgraded to the 5th I bought a permanent install 50A from them. I did the installation in an afternoon. I can't say that it's ever saved us from a disaster but I camp a little happier knowing it's there. The 50A did catch a low voltage event while we were away.
A side note on Progressive Industries. I had a question during install and I called their 800 hotline on a Sunday afternoon and left a message with my question and tele number. A fellow returned my call within 2 hr and answered my question. I guess you could say that I'm one of their fans.

Explorer03 · 02-23-2015, 02:56 PM

I have the Progressive Industries 30 amp hard wired into my TT. I installed it in a few hours one afternoon. It caught a few low voltages issues at a campground in Nashville, TN and a surge in another campground WV.

NC Roamer · 02-23-2015, 05:41 PM

Lightning hit a pine tree in the backyard of our previous house. It traveled down the trunk to the roots. One root crossed over the wire for the invisible dog fence and the spike followed that to the base unit which was plugged into the garage. It literally blasted it across the garage. The spike got into the house wiring there and fried the Panamax surge protector protecting the flat screen TV and the surround system receiver.

So, when we bought the Greyhawk last August, a good surge protector was one of the first items I acquired. Even if the campground has clean power, a lightning strike can hit anywhere.

slabat · 02-23-2015, 06:50 PM

I use one, I had high voltage take out my converter on a pop up I had a few years back. Its alot cheaper than replacing everything.

**norty1** · 02-23-2015, 07:04 PM

I use a Progressive Dynamics 50a surge guard. Never hook without it.

sask934 · 02-23-2015, 10:23 PM

I have a surge protester.....it was the first thing that I bought....small price to pay for the protection and the peace of mind...

pawpaw · 02-24-2015, 06:34 AM

I have the Surge Protector 50 amp hard wired unit. It has saved my bacon twice due to thunderstorms and poor available power at a campsite we visited. I wouldn't leave home without it!

Paintinfool3 · 02-24-2015, 07:00 AM

What do you do when you go to a park that only has 30 amp available ?

**norty1** · 02-24-2015, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paintinfool3

What do you do when you go to a park that only has 30 amp available ?

Plug the 30 to 50 dogbone in the cg 30a and the other end into the surge guard. It works perfectly. Just remember the portable surge guard must be upright to protect it from water intrusion..

R&TB · 02-24-2015, 11:13 AM

We have ordered a new 36fbts that is supposed to be in next month. I ordered it with the hard wired 50 amp surge protection and voltage monitor. After reading some.other posts on this site I think I am also going to add a 50 amp surge protection only at the post. This will help stop any damage to the shore cord if there would be a.problem. Is this too much, probably. But I will know that all of the electrical is covered and I will still be able to monitor the voltage from inside the trailer.

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