Surge protectors

[boogerman]

How important R surge protectors?

[RickO]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Surge Protectors/EMS units provide insurance against improper voltage being passed into your coach and possibly damaging your electrical appliances, etc.

Like any insurance, one has to decide if they want to pay up front or risk a larger cost down the line if somethings happens.

If you use our search feature, you'll find a ton of reading material on this topic and I believe you'll find the vast majority of members feel they are necessary.

Rick

[Razzman]

x2! Do a search and read some of the horror stories of those who didn't! I got one immediately and it's great peace of mind for sure.

[njs42]

If you travel to unknown RV sites it basically is just a matter of time until you hit one with improper wiring or get caught in a storm or have something out of your control cause your electricity to spike.

Also as I have learned in the past five months you can be victim of low voltage and not know it until it does harm to your appliances. I am plugged into a very reliable city electrical system feeding my sons home and about four times in the past two months my EMS has shut down one of the legs into my coach and displayed low voltage as the reason. It powers up when the voltage returns to normal.

[BFlinn181]

Remember that when you plug in at a campground, there are dozens of others plugged in to a likely under-designed, inadequately maintained camp electric system. I want my electronics protected. I use a Progressive Industries 50 amp EMS. It not only protects against voltage spikes, but low and high voltage, incorrect wiring at the pedestal, cycle variations, and more. Twice last year I went to plug in at campgrounds and my EMS wouldn't allow connection because the pedestal was incorrectly wired.

When you add up all the electronics that could be harmed by electrical issues, an EMS is cheap. Progressive is great because of the lifetime warrantee and support too.

http://www.progressiveindustries.net/

[Dr4Film]

As the old adage goes, "Pay Me Now" and get full protection from errant power problems with a Progressive Industries EMS unit - OR - "Pay Me Later" when you have to replace hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of electronic equipment due to errant power.

Disclaimer, no device will protect you from a direct lightning strike.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[Pepper2]

Mines in the home office (junk room), for install in the spring.

[RVRon]

My progressive EMS saved me at least once that I know of. Wouldn't dream of going it without it. Had my share of issues in marinas when I used to boat. Pretty much the same worries...lost a fridge compressor once due to a poorly wired marina. Well worth the time and money IMHO.

[wa8yxm]

How important.. First surge protectors come in two types. One is the low cost plug in things you may well plug your computer in (Mine is plugged into one) these are no good in a genuine surge but do clip the points off spikes rather well. (I got surged once with about a half dozen of 'em around me and it kind of sounded like July 4 just after dark when the fireworks start popping,,, When opened a few cases up kind of looked like it too)

RV-Surge Protectors like the Progressive Dynamics or the one CW sells.

These monitor voltage (And other things) and if the pramaters are exceeded they shut you down.. Thus protecting your rig..

So you plug in to a 30 amp outlet thinking it's wired for RV's cause your friend said it it is: Only to find it's a 240 volt outlet.. Surge guard says NO, NO WAY, DANGER WILL ROBINSON, EXCESS VOLTAGE, I REFUSE TO CONNECT YOU. and thus saves you many hundreds of dollars in televisions, Microwaves, Converters and other stuff that really does not care for 240 volts (Strangely that would not bother this comptuer, it's auto-switching dual voltage switching power supply really does not care).

Likewise one park I stay at the lines are old and small and not really up to the job.. I've seen 90 or less on the pedistal volt meter many times.

The Surge protector will shut you down rather than ruin the compressor on your A/C. At about a kilobuck for a new A/C.. i can live with that.

[PyrateSilly]

We've had ours shut our stuff down more than once in the last year due to electric problems. Normally it's low voltage. Pay a little now and have (mostly) protection for way more expensive stuff.

You never know when something will go down, which is also the reason why we even keep 15 to 25 gallons of water in the tank. More than once we've woken to no water in the campground or mobile home park where we are now. Turn the pump on and we have water for coffee and brushing teeth.

[mgscott4]

IMO- Surge protectors should be standard equipment on all MH's.

[RV735]

We have traveled from Georgia to Alaska and had two occasions when the Surgeguard went through its check after plugging into the electrical pedestal and did not allow the electricity to flow into the MH. In both occasions there was an open ground condition in the pedestal that required the Campground to repair before I could us it. You definitely should have this protection for your large investment.

Safe travels and THE JOY IS IN THE RIDE

[ImagineIF]

Don't easte your money on a unit that is only a surge protector. Do invest in a power management device. Progressive Industries (my choice) and TRC are the 2 dominant suppliers of power or energy management devices.

Search the archieves, this topic has been beat to death several times.

[brobox]

As others have said, go over and above a surge protector. A surge protector only protects against surges, not against bad power. After doing my research, I found these were the best units on the market with lifetime warranties. Progressive Industries