Surge protector

[Tabearone]

Have A 2015 32SA Open Road it has a Black Box at the end of the 50 Amp power cord told it is just a neutral protector, not a surge guard.
Is this correct?
Should I add a search protector?
If so hardwired or portable?
Recommendations ?

[Lt Dan]

The SurgeGuard transfer switch that comes from the factory does have some surge protection, but it does not have over/under voltage protection. As much or more damage can be done by low voltage conditions. I added a Progressive Industries HW-50C power system in front of it for the over and under voltage protection as well as a readout of amperage draw on each leg. They are an added level of protection for the appliances and electronics in these complicated beasts.

It's a fairly easy install and below is how mine worked out. The Progressive Industries unit carries a lifetime warranty. I prefer the hardwired since there is nothing extra to set up when hooking up to a pedestal.

[wa8yxm]

Another advantage of the hard wired Surge Protectors is that they do not grow legs and walk off when you go to the show/Store/Attraction/Dinner/whatever like portables can.

There are "Surge guards" (really spike supressors) and SURGE GUARDS

The latter have some kind of information display Alpha/Numeric either Multi-Segment LED or LCD displays (LCD on the Progressive Industries) If your "protector" does not have an ALpha-Numeric display then it is a spike supressor and will not protect against high/low voltage or frequency or anything else.

Another advantage of the Real Deal (Progressive Industries or even the "Surge Guard" (tm) brand from Camping world) is the time in timer.. On the PI unit you can select 15 seconds or about 2.5 minutes

On the TRC "Surge Guard" (tm) it's just shy of 3 mintues

This lets your Air Conditioner compressor recover when power "Blinks" as it has done like 5 times since I parked here. Very handy. Very Very handy. PI HW-50C around 320 + install.. Air Conditioner around 1,000 installed.. You choose.

[Selah]

I don't know which model transfer switch Tiffin uses on the Open Road but the one on my Phaeton does have low voltage protection. It is actually more sensitive to low voltage than my PI. Recently at the Bad Lands the transfer a witch was dumping before the PI at 106 volts.
However, the stock system does not do all of the tests that the PI does to ensure you have clean power. In the long run its cheap insurance if you get a good one like Progressive Industries. The cheaper ones probably don't do any more than what you already have.

[Calliedo02]

I agree with the previous posts. I choose the "portable" 50 amp PI unit for my new 2015 32CA last year. I like being able to check out the quality of the power before hooking up the coach itself and then moving to a new site if needed. Also, it can easily be sent back (for an unlikely warranty issue) or go to a new coach if we trade up at at some time. No re-wiring required.

But I was also concerned about theft. Existing locking devices seemed a bit lame. Here is a file describing how I protected the the 30 am Surge Guard I had for my previous coach using a large "S" hook. Using a bench vice, open up one end of the hook and then carefully squeeze it closed around the wire. The same approach works for my current PI box.

[CLIFFTALL]

I used another device to check the power at the pole and installed the portable PI in the basement. That solved the theft potential and need to connect another item. I didn't have room inside to install the hard wired version.

[Paramedic 1]

Originally Posted by Calliedo02

I agree with the previous posts. I choose the "portable" 50 amp PI unit for my new 2015 32CA last year. I like being able to check out the quality of the power before hooking up the coach itself and then moving to a new site if needed. Also, it can easily be sent back (for an unlikely warranty issue) or go to a new coach if we trade up at at some time. No re-wiring required.

But I was also concerned about theft. Existing locking devices seemed a bit lame. Here is a file describing how I protected the the 30 am Surge Guard I had for my previous coach using a large "S" hook. Using a bench vice, open up one end of the hook and then carefully squeeze it closed around the wire. The same approach works for my current PI box.

I was looking at the wired in model....but what you posted makes total sense to me....thanks.....