New Aire Electrical/Power cord recommendations

[Huevolas]

Saw this in a 2018 thread but it was too old to reply...

[QUOTE=abncsm;4075044]

Originally Posted by abncsm

Here are the specs for the surge guard switch in the New Aire. It appears to provide full coach protection...

Surge Guard* 50A – Model 40350-RVC
Automatic Transfer Switch
RVC Compatible with Full RV Power Protection
120/240V, 50A, 60 Hz

Sorry to quote from such an old post, but in reading through that most informative thread, I came across the (partial) quote above. A friend told me that I absolutely had to get a portable EMS before we left on our next trip, so I ordered a new Surge Guard* 50A - Model 34951 last night. If this is not needed, I would appreciate knowing while I can still cancel the order. I understand the need for testing at the pedestal, so if there is something more appropriate, I would appreciate other, more seasoned RV'ers input.

We will be staying a few days at a relative's house in CA (mild weather) over Christmas and they are installing 30A power (specific for RV) so we'll be using our 30A - 50A dog bone for use there. Given that, what ancillary electrical protection accessories would you recommend.

(Should I just get decent 50A & 30A portable surge suppressors for testing the power at the pedestal? Is that is where I should be spending my money rather that over-doing it? DW is already complaining that "The Motorhome is getting more presents than the grandkids!" LOL)

Also:

• Does anyone know the length(s) of the built-in 50A power cord,
• What extension products are most favored?

I have yet to find an extension cord which had a weather-resistant box.

• Do others just leave it bare or do they fabricate their own enclosure?

TIA for your considered advice. We hope to be able to help others out in the future as we gain practical experience.

[DrPhil]

I believe that the onboard 50A cord reel is 50 ft. I use a pedestal surge protector just like you, but I've also mounted on board a Hughs autoformer (another nice coach Christmas present!) which also has a built in surge protector too. The Hughs guards primarily against low voltage, which I think most folks would say is a bigger problem than surge events. I still use the external pedestal surge protector which has many functions, and minimally this offers protection against arc induced melting of the 50 amp coach cord - sort of a sacrificial connector. I do carry a 30ft 50A extension cord (Camco on Amazon), but I have only used a couple of times, and these have been in LOW POWER DRAW situations. I have avoided pulling full power through all 80 ft of cord despite the rating, but I have used it in mild weather (again - LOW POWER) with my Oasis handling the hot water/furnace in diesel mode only. I would also keep close eye on the warmth of the cord - especially at the dog bone and connectors. Others may disagree with my cautious approach to an extension cord, and I encourage those folks to chime in with their experiences. That said, I have faced a similar situation. With the above caveats, I would approach in this manner:

Coach -> 50 ft coach cord -> 30 ft 50A extension cord -> surge guard -> 50A to 30A dog bone -> 30A outlet

[pasdad1]

You have made a good choice. The onboard transfer switch I believe just provides some surge suppression, which is not your greatest threat. The greater threat is low or high voltage, or open neutral. The model 34951 will cut off power to the RV if these conditions occur, and automatically reset if the conditions improve. Low voltage is more common than people think, and you wouldn’t know it unless you were constantly monitoring voltage when under load. The low voltage will eventually cause damage to the motors in your air conditioning, and residential refrigerator. Sometimes I have had to turn off extra power draws when the voltage dips so low my progressive dynamics EMS cuts power, in order to keep the voltage high enough to keep one AC running.....but I was glad I knew it, and didn’t burn up compressors.

[flyboy013]

The portable surge protector that you selected is overkill given that you have the 40350 ATC. You already have protection from low voltage, high voltage, open neutral, etc. I have the same ATS, and went with the Surge Guard 44270 Portable Surge Protector. Much cheaper and you have the same overall protection. What you want is a device to be the sacrificial lamb in case of a surge.

Take a look at the feature comparison tables that Southwire has on their website and you can easily see where the overlap / unique features are.

As for extension cords, I purchased a 50’ 50A extension cord that I use at my home.

https://www.amazon.com/NU-CORD-94561.../dp/B005GXQDHU

[Huevolas]

Thank you all for your advice. I ended up getting a SG 44380 and a 44390 to allow for both 30A and 50A pedestal (and RV Storage Facility) scenarios. I will look into a different "under the hood" solution after we return from our ~2 week trip.

I have also ordered an appropriate 50A extension cord and a 30A extension cord, just in case... ;-)

Thank you all again for your timely and considered input. I aim to help others as you have done for me today!

[flyboy013]

Originally Posted by Huevolas

I ended up getting a SG 44380 and a 44390 to allow for both 30A and 50A pedestal (and RV Storage Facility) scenarios.

I have also ordered an appropriate 50A extension cord and a 30A extension cord, just in case... ;-)

While there's nothing wrong with having both 30A and 50A surge protectors and extension cords, having both is not necessary given that you have a 30A - 50A dog bone. When plugging into 30A, you would merely go from the 30A outlet to the dog bone, and then the 50A surge protector and then the 50A extension cord to the coach's 50A power cord.

I find that while it's smart to have the necessary tools for the job, having duplicate capability just takes up valuable space with no added value. Just my two cents worth. Enjoy the travel!

[dutchstr3884]

X2 what flyboy013 said

[Huevolas]

Thanks, folks! You are correct and in my haste to be completely ready for an upcoming trip, I have probably overthought this and thus purchased an item I didn't need. I'll keep any unused items from the trip unopened and will return it when we get back. I suspect that Amazon will be seeing a lot of returns around the first of the year, so mine will just be lost in the shuffle, LOL.

BTW, I forgot to mention that I purchased the slightly more expensive version of the surge protectors due to them having the enclosure around the female receptacle. Does anyone know of a power cord with this feature or a "stand-alone" enclosure for a 50A or 30A cord-to-cord junction? The closest thing I've found so far is this:

• https://www.amazon.com/Extension-Plu...7423989&sr=8-1

That will work for now, but I was hoping for something in "safety yellow or orange" with better seals around the ingress/egress ports.

Thank you again for your recommendations!

[flyboy013]

For what it’s worth, I’ve been using my extension cord at home for three years now. The coach is parked here for seven months out of the year (were on the road the other 5 months). I have no protective covering where the cords are plugged into each other and have never had an issue.

[KanzKran]

Originally Posted by Huevolas

Does anyone know of a power cord with this feature or a "stand-alone" enclosure for a 50A or 30A cord-to-cord junction? The closest thing I've found so far is this:

• https://www.amazon.com/Extension-Plu...7423989&sr=8-1

That will work for now, but I was hoping for something in "safety yellow or orange" with better seals around the ingress/egress ports.

I have a "safety red" plastic Folgers coffee can that my light-gauge power cord connects in. The lid is held down with a short 2x10, which also provides additional weather protection.

It's used for the trickle charger and battery heating blanket. I don't bother using anything with the 30A extension cord I sometimes use on the road, but if the connection was going to lay in a puddle out of necessity, I'd raise it up on the plastic blocks I carry for leveling the van.

A little dielectric grease on the prongs goes a long way toward keeping them, and the female contacts, from corroding and making a poor connection.