Recommended 30 amp Surge Protector

[cospringsrobert]

I am a new travel trailer owner and about to go out on our first camping trip with it. I have learned that a surge protector is a must. I found one on Amazon PROGRESSIVE INDUSTRIES SSP-30XL Surge Protector with Cover (30 Amp). Is this enough or is there a more recommended one? Trying to stay around the $100 price point. Thanks in advance!

[seldent]

I’m guessing your Coachman is a 30 amp TT. The PI surge protectors are an excellent choice.

[DNA Dan]

I bought the PI model that is hardwired inside the trailer. I just didn't want to mess with security or worrying that someone was going to steal it. The plug in varieties are cheaper.

[67L48]

If all you want is surge protection (help in a catastrophe, like lightning strike), I'd go budget Camco or something. Anything with a fast response time is fine.

The more insidious issue is with low voltage. P=IV. With constant power devices and low voltage, it will draw more current. More current will wear things out quicker (esp. motors).

[Theo]

We have the PI portable model and actually prefer it to the hardwired flavor for one reason: when we arrive at a campground site, we plug the PI into the pedestal BEFORE we back in and "deplane".

We've only been camping a handful of times in our new Roo, but already found an assigned site with power that was under voltage. We simply drove back to the office, reported the problem and were given a new, functioning site. No backing-in, unhooking and re-hooking involved.

Also, I have read that, occasionally, a campground is empty enough that they let the campers choose their site and then report their choice back to the office. I imagine a portable unit to be an advantage in that case.

As far as security goes, we use a Python cable locking device to thwart the casual thief. However, a determine thief would be able to dispatch the lock with a bit of effort.

If you have a 30A TT then watch the Buy/Sell area. Sometimes the 30A PI portable units come up for sale because folks trade in their 30A TTs and buy a 50A model. I think I paid $175 for ours and it was in terrific shape.

Good luck!

[fonzie]

This would be a better protection for your RV and yes more costly.

https://www.amazon.com/Progressive-I...gateway&sr=8-2

[Chuck_S]

I'm at a loss why a surge suppressor is a "must." Had campers for darn near 20 years and never experienced any surge damage. Nor seen any first hand. There may be one stuck in a cabinet back when I thought the sky would fall if I didn't have one. But I'd have to search for it.

-- Chuck

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by cospringsrobert

I am a new travel trailer owner and about to go out on our first camping trip with it. I have learned that a surge protector is a must. I found one on Amazon PROGRESSIVE INDUSTRIES SSP-30XL Surge Protector with Cover (30 Amp). Is this enough or is there a more recommended one? Trying to stay around the $100 price point. Thanks in advance!

Certainly not a "MUST". I've camped since 1984 without one and I still don't have one and have never had an issue. If it makes you feel better...then by all means pick one up for your own piece of mind.

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

I'm at a loss why a surge suppressor is a "must." Had campers for darn near 20 years and never experienced any surge damage. Nor seen any first hand. There may be one stuck in a cabinet back when I thought the sky would fall if I didn't have one. But I'd have to search for it.

-- Chuck

In four years with this particular trailer, my P.I. EMS has saved my bacon eight times.



Maybe you go to better campgrounds than I do.....

[5picker]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

In four years with this particular trailer, my P.I. EMS has saved my bacon eight times.



Maybe you go to better campgrounds than I do.....

Can you elaborate?
Do you know something would have gone terribly wrong if you had not had it?

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Can you elaborate?
Do you know something would have gone terribly wrong if you had not had it?

I don't think every time was a potential catastrophe. But some were. I ain't no electrician.


Four were low voltage. Some VERY low voltage. I don't have an autoformer, wish I did. But when that happens, Amps go way up, and damage happens to electrical stuff........


Two were weird situations that were not catastrophic but I'd never have figured it out without the EMS. Seems my unit will somehow sense an ungrounded courtesy light that are on some of those Eaton power pedestals.....the ones with the day/night sensor that turns it on at dusk and off at daylight. My unit shuts power down when that sensor kicks on that ungrounded light. Last campground, I was in two spots and both did the same thing. I called P.I.. and they explained it. Drove me nuts, and was an easy fix (tape up the day/night sensor).


There was one time where storms were making the entire campground power flicker.........on and off. No camper is going to like that, it causes surges and spikes. Unit shut me down and the built in delay saved me from trying to come back on with every flicker.


I know folks say they don't need one, and that's up to them. Fine. It always amazes me the things that campers try to save money on.

[nomad297]

For a portable unit, I would go with the Southwire SurgeGuard 34930 or the 34931 over the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X. The SurgeGuard units don’t need to be protected from rain like the Progressive Industries units do and the SurgeGuard Joule rating is 2,450 where the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X (PI’s match for the SurgeGuard 3490) is 1,790. The SurgeGuard 3491 can be bought with an optional wireless display that can be mounted inside of your RV. Progressive Industries does not offer anything like this.

People will tout that the Progressive Industries EMS units are made in the USA, when, in fact, they are not, and they will say Progressive Industries offers a better warranty than SurgeGuard, when, in fact, they do not.

You will read many posts where people speak of how good Progressive Industries customer service is because when their unit got wet or failed for some other reason, Progressive Industries replaced their unit at no cost. That’s great, but why are there so many posts about this? I would rather have a unit that doesn’t need to be protected from the rain and returned so often. Besides, if a SurgeGuard ever failed, which there aren’t many reports of, their warranty will cover replacement — just like Progressive Industries does.

Here’s a link to the SurgeGuard line of surge protectors and EMS units. Take a look and then compare these to what Progressive Industries has to offer:

https://rvpower.southwire.com/wp-con...ure-Update.pdf

Bruce

[azfansinnc]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Can you elaborate?
Do you know something would have gone terribly wrong if you had not had it?

Curious as well. While I bought a PI unit, I have never had issues in the past 15 years owning a popup although I was ignorant of the power I was actually receiving. I bought it because I did not want to risk issues with a newer, more complex trailer.

I have the PI built in unit myself. Only used it once so far. The built in are slightly cheaper than their portable counterparts and are field serviceable. This was a boon on the last trip as I had to adjust the voltage pot to match the incoming voltage. It wasn't calibrated properly from the mfr. Tech support answered quickly and was very helpful. Easy fix.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

I know folks say they don't need one, and that's up to them. Fine. It always amazes me the things that campers try to save money on.

I’m with you. Some people will spend more on an RV than they would on a house, but they will gripe about something costing $20.00 when they think it should really cost $18.00, so they just don’t buy it or they spend $20.00 on fuel driving to a place where they can buy it for $18.00.

As far as EMS are concerned, so many people say they’ve never had a problem in X number of years, but they don’t take into consideration that during those years they have no idea of how many times or for how long they have been running their appliances/electronics with low voltage and other detrimental electrical issues and just chalk-up their previous appliance/electronics failures to old age, Chinese junk, cheap RV manufacturers, etc.

Bruce

[BandJCarm]

It is indeed a rampant philosophy. Folks buy a camper, then say "I don't have the $$ it takes to buy the right truck, so help me figure out how to pull this thing". They want a $100 max price surge protector, and hope they will be covered for everything. They want cheap tires. On and on.


Then they get upset if you suggest that maybe, just maybe, some of their decisions are not the best. Or they say "I've never had an electrical problem, so I'm not going to spend that much". That's fine, everyone do whatever they want. I have never, ever, used my Life Insurance either, but I am paying for it every month.


I no longer tell folks they need to buy a new truck or an EMS or better tires or whatever. I might tell them what I do, and why. But if they can get by with cheaper, that's great. Camp on.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by nomad297

I’m with you. Some people will spend more on an RV than they would on a house, but they will gripe about something costing $20.00 when they think it should really cost $18.00, so they just don’t buy it or they spend $20.00 on fuel driving to a place where they can buy it for $18.00.

As far as EMS are concerned, so many people say they’ve never had a problem in X number of years, but they don’t take into consideration that during those years they have no idea of how many times or for how long they have been running their appliances/electronics with low voltage and other detrimental electrical issues and just chalk-up their previous appliance/electronics failures to old age, Chinese junk, cheap RV manufacturers, etc.

Bruce

That just it....Since 1984 I've never replaced a single electrical appliance or a single piece of electronics in any of the trailers we've owned and never have I owned a Surge protector or any other electrical protector, but some will call me a dumb ass cause I haven't. Wonder how 35 years of NOT a single problem factors into this.

[Chuck_S]

Like many things I suspect these are only made because we'll buy them. Reminds me of Nitrogen in tires...

I've never run "surge protection" on my houses and they get many more power outages than I get when camping where I also pull power off the electrical grid just like at home. Nothing particularly electrically sensitive in (my) campers.

I do have an Autoformer(tm) but only use it when low voltage is detected-- such as a couple of Indiana State Parks on holiday weekends. Not sure if my vintage 30a Autoformer(tm) provides surge protection and it only comes out when the power voltage is low.

-- Chuck

[itat]

Originally Posted by Theo

We have the PI portable model and actually prefer it to the hardwired flavor for one reason: when we arrive at a campground site, we plug the PI into the pedestal BEFORE we back in and "deplane".

We've only been camping a handful of times in our new Roo, but already found an assigned site with power that was under voltage. We simply drove back to the office, reported the problem and were given a new, functioning site. No backing-in, unhooking and re-hooking involved.

Also, I have read that, occasionally, a campground is empty enough that they let the campers choose their site and then report their choice back to the office. I imagine a portable unit to be an advantage in that case.

As far as security goes, we use a Python cable locking device to thwart the casual thief. However, a determine thief would be able to dispatch the lock with a bit of effort.

If you have a 30A TT then watch the Buy/Sell area. Sometimes the 30A PI portable units come up for sale because folks trade in their 30A TTs and buy a 50A model. I think I paid $175 for ours and it was in terrific shape.

Good luck!

For a 30A TT, you can buy this and use a 30A to 15A adapter to check the pedestal, and have the expensive EMS hard wired. That's what I did.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Unfortunately I can't find a similar tester for the pedestal's 50A service that we use with our new fifth wheel.

[itat]

Everybody's different, but where we camp, low voltage is a common thing. If I didn't have an EMS I never would have known. It may not ever result in a problem with my electrical system or an appliance, but at least having it I'm confident that it won't.

Basically, it insurance.

[Wildwood Danny]

Some of our camping club are having good luck with Southwire Surge Guards, both 30 & 50 amp.