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doc · 02-16-2009, 06:22 AM

With the other thread running, I had a question but did not want to distract it's intent.
I just bought a Progressive Industries protector.
We took a few days off and ended up in a couple of state parks with thirty amp service. Now I had tried the PT50C (portable) on a fifty amp site earlier and it worked great. However, it would not pass voltage on the 30 amp site. So is this going to happen with people who hard wire them to the electric bay rather than have the portable type? Or, is something wrong with this brand new protector?
If one uses 30 amp plugs where there is no 50 amp available, does he need to have a 30 amp protector as well?

Route 66 · 02-16-2009, 07:19 AM

The 50 amp unit will work with 30 amp service.

I have used my 50 amp hardwired unit on 30 amps with no problems.

It sounds like it was doing it's job and there was something wrong with the 30 amp service or the 30/50 amp adapter.

What was the error code displayed when it would not pass electricity?

Gary RVRoamer · 02-17-2009, 01:49 PM

As Dirk says, it should have worked if all was ok. A faulty 50/30 adapter is one common cause of this problem, but it cold be as simple as a bad ground ground on the power pole.

BounderDan · 02-17-2009, 04:07 PM

Doc, within the last 3 year and maybe 100 RV parks our 50 Amp protector refused to supply power but twice. Both times were on 30 Amp supplies: a reverse polarity and an open ground. Although you didn't note any codes, I belive your protector may just be doing what you paid for. Danny

paz · 02-18-2009, 03:40 AM

The 50 amp surge protector will work fine with 30 amp service IF everything is OK with the service. Next time you have a problem, check for error codes.

We have found the most problems at campgrounds with 30 amp service. 30 amp service tends to be in older campgrounds and therefore sometimes isn't as up to date as it should be. Connections can corroded or loose, and resistance may be high causing low voltage. Also, many campground owners will attempt to do their own repairs on 30 amp service (they tend to shy away from 50 amp service because it is a little more complicated), which results in problems like reversed polarity and missing grounds if they don't know what they are doing.

Low voltage is the most common problem we find with 30 amp service, and, believe it or not, high voltage is the most common (although very infrequent) problem we find with 50 amp service, occurring late at night when electricity usage is down.

doc · 02-18-2009, 02:31 PM

You know, I failed to even look at the error codes. duh!! When I flip the breaker on the post I usually hear the transfer switch click. I did not, I went inside and there was no A/C. Figured that the protector was not passing power because it was 30 amp. Unplugged it and plugged straight in and had power.

I'll look next time.