Thank you surge guard

[RichnSue]

Last weekend a squirrel (RIP) got into main power supply to the campground at around 10am, shorting out one leg sending 600V through the park as reported by the park manager and power company

My Southwire instantly protected us

All around me those without protection was carnage, microwaves, tvs, inverters all blew up. Just by me we totaled up over $5000 in damage

We had zero damage , this is a reminder protect yourself, it can happen at anytime by anything

[Lt Dan]

The SurgeGuard is definitely cheap insurance. I wouldn't hook up to a park pedestal without protection. My PI has saved me three times on miswired or under voltage pedestals.

[MSHappyCampers]

Glad you Surge Guard did the job for you! I have installed the PI HWC50C in every RV we've owned and definitely wouldn't leave home without it!

[TonyDi]

When people inquire as to whether or not surge guards are necessary, they should read this post.

[Bigdogboogie]

I ordered a Progressive Industries SSP50 a few days ago and this thread really makes me glad I did.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by Bigdogboogie

I ordered a Progressive Industries SSP50 a few days ago and this thread really makes me glad I did.

Be very very very careful with the SSP50. Here is a copy from their web site describing what that unit can do. Pay attention to the words "Indication" and "detect". Note they do not indicate protection.

https://www.progressiveindustries.net/ssp-50x

Product Features:

Open Ground, Open Neutral & Reverse Polarity Detection

Miswired Pedestal Indication

Surge Failure Indicator

Thermally Protected
Weather Resistant
Rugged Pull Handle
Brighter 3-Color LED Indicator
Designed for Outdoor Use
Lifetime Warranty

The underlining and bold are mine. This is the same unit I use. It does not protect against some of the most important problems like a Open Neutral. It only detects one and shows a problem with small LED lights. Several years ago I hooked up to a campground power that had a 'Open Neutral' and immediately cooked about $1000 in circuit boards and capacitors. It even blew out a "surge protector" (actually a large capacitor) in the washing machine which wasn't even on at the time!

It was then I found out you are supposed to hook it up first and look at the small lights, and if they indicate all is good then proceed with hooking up the RV. If something like a broken neutral happens while you are hooked up then you are SOL.

Their other more expensive models do 'Protect'.

[egwilly]

For that reason I opted to buy and use a EMS-PT50X. It will not allow voltage past it when those conditions are present. Then you have the choice to move to another site or risk plugging in without it.

Not sure about the odds of a squirrel eating a main cable, it could happen. Never happened to us in 40 years of rv'ing. Time to buy some lotto tickets!

Your choice.

[gmc70]

I do not mean to Hi Jack thread nor start world war three here, but in all the threads I have read on electrical protection the Progressive units have always seemed to be the "go to" product with the highest ratings. From what I read above the Southwinds protects after the MH is plugged in and the PI only alerts to problems that are present when you plug into the pedestal and does not protect should an event happen after. Am I reading above correctly? I am about to pull plug on a unit and want the total protection if I am going to purchase one and not just tell me something may be wrong. Please educate me.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by gmc70

I do not mean to Hi Jack thread nor start world war three here, but in all the threads I have read on electrical protection the Progressive units have always seemed to be the "go to" product with the highest ratings. From what I read above the Southwinds protects after the MH is plugged in and the PI only alerts to problems that are present when you plug into the pedestal and does not protect should an event happen after. Am I reading above correctly? I am about to pull plug on a unit and want the total protection if I am going to purchase one and not just tell me something may be wrong. Please educate me.

No, not correct as you wrote it. Both manufacturers sell those useless “indicator only” units and both sell full protection units. And you can throw Hughes in there with making both types as well.

Unfortunately people not familiar with electricity or the nuances of the wording may think both types of devices provide equal protection.

You won’t go wrong with any of those three vendors as long as you choose the correct model. I use a Progressive Industries hard-wired unit and it’s kicked the power off a few times.

If I knew what I know today would I buy it again? I’m now staying at places during the winter that charge for electricity and got into a tussle at one place because of an obvious overcharge. Today I would buy a unit that recorded the running KWH usage so I would have my own numbers. The PI unit doesn’t do that but otherwise it meets all of our needs.

And if you don’t know which on to buy from a manufacturer that provides protection, it will not be the cheaper ones.

Ray

[firedoc]

Originally Posted by NXR

No, not correct as you wrote it. Both manufacturers sell those useless “indicator only” units and both sell full protection units. And you can throw Hughes in there with making both types as well.

Unfortunately people not familiar with electricity or the nuances of the wording may think both types of devices provide equal protection.

You won’t go wrong with any of those three vendors as long as you choose the correct model. I use a Progressive Industries hard-wired unit and it’s kicked the power off a few times.

If I knew what I know today would I buy it again? I’m now staying at places during the winter that charge for electricity and got into a tussle at one place because of an obvious overcharge. Today I would buy a unit that recorded the running KWH usage so I would have my own numbers. The PI unit doesn’t do that but otherwise it meets all of our needs.

And if you don’t know which on to buy from a manufacturer that provides protection, it will not be the cheaper ones.

Ray

Ray, why didn’t you tell us the name of the one you have?

[NXR]

Originally Posted by firedoc

Ray, why didn’t you tell us the name of the one you have?

Last sentence of the third paragraph, a Progressive Industries hard-wired unit. From memory, the EMS-50HWC or something like that. I usually mix up a few of the letters, though.

Ray

[chunker]

Sadly most people will "cheap out" when it comes to extras and will base a purchase solely based on price, not quality. There is a distinct difference between a surge guard and an EMS. Big price difference too. I much prefer to have quality so for the new Raptor toy hauler, I bought the PI 50 amp hardwired EMS and installed it myself AFTER the transfer switch so I have protection from errant shore and generator power. In our travels the built in PI EMS in the Itasca motorhome saved the coaches "bacon" several times. We never had to to any electrical repairs partly due to the EMS doing it's job.

Your RV, your choice.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by chunker

There is a distinct difference between a surge guard and an EMS.

i believe you meant to write “surge protector” because “surge guard” is a brand.

I bought the PI 50 amp hardwired EMS and installed it myself AFTER the transfer switch so I have protection from errant shore and generator power.

I thought long and hard about doing the same thing for the same reason. It actually would have been an easier install for me but ultimately decided against doing that. My reasoning came down to the likelihood of each type of failure, the generator or the EMS.

I’ve never heard or read of the type of failure that an EMS could protect against occurring on an Onan generator. But I know electrical contactors do fail occasionally because they do. If the EMS contactor failed mechanically, which could not be bypassed with the little slide switch, that single failure mode would knock out both shore power and generator power.

Ray

[Bigdogboogie]

Originally Posted by Bigd9

Be very very very careful with the SSP50. Here is a copy from their web site describing what that unit can do. Pay attention to the words "Indication" and "detect". Note they do not indicate protection.

https://www.progressiveindustries.net/ssp-50x

Product Features:

Open Ground, Open Neutral & Reverse Polarity Detection

Miswired Pedestal Indication

Surge Failure Indicator

Thermally Protected
Weather Resistant
Rugged Pull Handle
Brighter 3-Color LED Indicator
Designed for Outdoor Use
Lifetime Warranty

The underlining and bold are mine. This is the same unit I use. It does not protect against some of the most important problems like a Open Neutral. It only detects one and shows a problem with small LED lights. Several years ago I hooked up to a campground power that had a 'Open Neutral' and immediately cooked about $1000 in circuit boards and capacitors. It even blew out a "surge protector" (actually a large capacitor) in the washing machine which wasn't even on at the time!

It was then I found out you are supposed to hook it up first and look at the small lights, and if they indicate all is good then proceed with hooking up the RV. If something like a broken neutral happens while you are hooked up then you are SOL.

Their other more expensive models do 'Protect'.

If that's the case I'll be returning it and going with a different company. It seems a little odd that Progressive named the SSP50 the "Smart Surge" if it does not in fact protect against surges.