Surge Protection

[DelawareSteve]

Continuing my newbie question series-surge protection. Dealer recommended the Hughes PWD30-EPO unit for our 2016 Jay Flight 287 SLX BHSW rig. Seeing lots of options on the internet, wondering which product(s) you folks think highly of.
Thanks,
Steve

[TaftCoach]

Both major companies have their fans. Customers have had great, and horrible, customer experiences. This is a topic that comes up often. For a quick answer check a couple threads here. For a slightly slower answer, I'm certain a few people will chime in.

You will also want to consider if you want to hard wire in a unit or stay portable and attach to the campground utilities.

[KCSA75]

The Progressive Industries and Hughes Autoformers products seem to be the two most popular products. Both offer pretty much the same protection. If you're a gadget guy, you might like the Hughes because it has an app for your cell phone that lets you monitor the power protection and reset the device in the event of a surge or power drop.
The Hughes also has a user-replaceable surge filter.

Ultimately, I purchased the the Hughes Watchdog because when all was said and done it was about $85 less than the Progressive. In our case, I bought the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X and used it once, then Amazon put the Hughes on sale so I sent the first one back.

Whichever you choose, be sure to spend the extra money to get a unit with power management vs a surge protection only.

[ARoamer]

X2 on hughes power watchdog plug in unit. Bluetooth monitoring, if it did fail, unplug it and you'd still be able to have power, a hardwired unit may be harder to work around or replace if it fails.
My first year with my Power Watchdog it detected a loose wire in a campground
power pedistal, and low voltage in another.
Downside, plug in units could be a target for theft. Mine is cable locked to the pedistal.

[Topperace]

Originally Posted by KCSA75

Whichever you choose, be sure to spend the extra money to get a unit with power management vs a surge protection only.

X2 on this - I can't tell you how many times the Power Management feature of
ours help us with bad campground power systems that couldn't handle all the RVs in the park at the time...voltage drops to 102V, erratic frequency, etc...will save. your RV components, or help prevent damages.

[DelawareSteve]

Thanks, we purchased the watchdog unit with power protection. Anxious to take our first trip!

[jetlag]

Originally Posted by DelawareSteve

Thanks, we purchased the watchdog unit with power protection. Anxious to take our first trip!

You will like it. We have the PWD50-EPO unit and very pleased with it. Had an issue early on with the "replaceable protection". I don't think it was a surge that killed it, but the company was great and sent me a new module within a few days.

[FrankieSaysRelax]

Originally Posted by DelawareSteve

Thanks, we purchased the watchdog unit with power protection. Anxious to take our first trip!

I have the Watchdog unit also and have had good success with it all thru last season. We were in a few sketchy electric powered sites and the box kept my HVAC safe and sound by shutting down before any damage occurred. Certainly worth the price of admission if you ask me.

[TomC_AZ]

Ditto on the Watchdog EPO, have not had any issues and it is also much quicker to start up than the PI models. I went with the portable model but now Im looking at the hardwired just for simplicity sake and storage room, that thing is HUGE!

Also purchased a spare surge unit just in case and due to the supply issues that we currently have around the world I didnt want a brick.