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Old 03-03-2015, 01:22 PM   #1
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30 amp or 50 amp surge protector?

I am about to get delivery on a 2015 FR3 30DS. (Yeh!) Is the electrical service 30 amps?

I read a number of posts recommending the use of a surge protector (Progressive). Some posts say 30 amp, others 50 amp. The posts I read seemed to imply the RV service was 30 amp.

If your RV amp service is 30 amp, should't your surge protector also be 30 amps?
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Old 03-03-2015, 01:27 PM   #2
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You can use a 50 amp progressive ems on a 30 amp trailer.

That way if upgrade units down the road that has 50 amp service you can pull it out of your current unit and put it in the new one.
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Old 03-03-2015, 01:33 PM   #3
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According to the FR website it's 30 amp.
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Old 03-03-2015, 02:05 PM   #4
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You can use a 50 amp progressive ems on a 30 amp trailer.

That way if upgrade units down the road that has 50 amp service you can pull it out of your current unit and put it in the new one.
Your Welcome Turbs! and Yes I answer some of my own Questions! With Help from PI! Youroo!!
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Old 03-04-2015, 01:27 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Phunter3 View Post
I am about to get delivery on a 2015 FR3 30DS. (Yeh!) Is the electrical service 30 amps?

I read a number of posts recommending the use of a surge protector (Progressive). Some posts say 30 amp, others 50 amp. The posts I read seemed to imply the RV service was 30 amp.

If your RV amp service is 30 amp, should't your surge protector also be 30 amps?
We downsized from an older 5th wheel with 50 amp service to an FR with 30 amp connection and distribution panel. We use our 50A PI and it works just fine. The only slight inconvenience is that you also need one or two dog bones to make the connections. You only need one dog bone if connecting your 30A trailer to a 50A pedestal, as the PI is a direct plugin to the 50A pedestal. Then you need a 50A male to 30A female dogbone to support use of the 30A trailer cable. When operating with a 50A pedestal to a 30A trailer, only one leg of the 50A pedestal is working. [The second leg is vestigial like a human appendix.] The one leg is providing 50A through the PI to the trailer, and your trailer AC distribution panel is circuit breaker controlled to 30A to protect from overload.
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Old 03-04-2015, 05:53 PM   #6
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Very important to use a surge protector! We had a 148 volt spike at a campground last Spring, which would have fried our AC and frig if it wasn't for the 50 Amp protector we just installed.
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Old 03-04-2015, 06:12 PM   #7
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I checked the info on the hybrid I ordered, and I see no reference to 30 or 50 amp. Would a small Roo require a 30 amp serge protector? Do you leave it hooked up outside be the pole? Would it get stolen?


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Old 03-04-2015, 06:22 PM   #8
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30 amp or 50 amp surge protector?

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Originally Posted by gsanderson View Post
I checked the info on the hybrid I ordered, and I see no reference to 30 or 50 amp. Would a small Roo require a 30 amp serge protector? Do you leave it hooked up outside be the pole? Would it get stolen?


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Yes... If it's a Roo, it's going to be a 30-amp. I believe you typically don't get into 50-amp until the unit is big enough to have 2 A/C units.

There are two types... One that connects to the pedestal then to your camper cord, and one that you hard wire inside your camper. I have the one (Progressive Industries) that connects to the pedestal. I use a bike lock for mine, wrap it around the pedestal and lock it. Never had an issue. I like being able to peak out the window and see how many amps I'm drawing.


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Old 03-04-2015, 06:22 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by gsanderson View Post
I checked the info on the hybrid I ordered, and I see no reference to 30 or 50 amp. Would a small Roo require a 30 amp serge protector? Do you leave it hooked up outside be the pole? Would it get stolen?


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Old 03-04-2015, 06:25 PM   #10
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If I had it to do again, I would have bought a 50 amp the first time. Had to upgrade when we did, and yeah, you'll probably upgrade. As Turbs says, 50s work for 30A; just don't go without!
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Old 03-04-2015, 11:12 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by gsanderson View Post
I checked the info on the hybrid I ordered, and I see no reference to 30 or 50 amp. Would a small Roo require a 30 amp serge protector? Do you leave it hooked up outside be the pole? Would it get stolen?


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Yes, the portable surge protectors are subject to theft. However, the two manufacturers I am aware of provide devices that allow you to padlock them to the pedestal. The hard wire models, primarily for Class-A campers and most 5th wheels, installed in the RV basement and are not visible from the outside.
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Old 03-07-2015, 06:31 PM   #12
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Do you know the brand name? I looked at a picture on the CW site and I didn't see any loop or way to bike lock it to the pedestal.


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Old 03-07-2015, 06:48 PM   #13
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Do you know the brand name? I looked at a picture on the CW site and I didn't see any loop or way to bike lock it to the pedestal.


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I just use two keyed alike locks and a 4 foot hunk of chain.
use one lock between a plug and the main body around the cord and then use the other lock thru the chain links around the power pole.




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Old 03-08-2015, 08:07 AM   #14
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Try this URL for a pic showing the locking tab.

http://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems_pt50c.htm
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Old 05-22-2020, 11:49 AM   #15
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I just received a new camper, forest river 2506S. It came with a 30 amp service, I know sometimes your only choice is a 50 amp service, I also want to use a surge protector, is the only way to go from 50 to 30 a dog bone, or is there a 50 to 30 amp plug. My concern is going from 50 to a 30 dog bone then having my surge protector hanging down so low.
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Old 05-22-2020, 01:48 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Bill View Post
I just received a new camper, forest river 2506S. It came with a 30 amp service, I know sometimes your only choice is a 50 amp service, I also want to use a surge protector, is the only way to go from 50 to 30 a dog bone, or is there a 50 to 30 amp plug. My concern is going from 50 to a 30 dog bone then having my surge protector hanging down so low.
They make plugs as well but I would caution you on them.

I just got back from a trip where my friend has a 50A EMS and a 30A trailer. He previously had a 50A trailer. He used these
https://www.homedepot.com/p/AC-WORKS...50TT/305439317

The issue is they stick out fairly far.
1. You cannot close the electrical box
2. They stick out and weigh down the plug causing poor contact.

He plugged in and all was fine until he turned on an electric heater. You could hear the arcing on the plug and it shorted out. It could have melted pins but the EMS tripped due to voltage instead. He was lucky the voltage dropped or he would have fried a plug.

I would stick with the dog bone and put the EMS in a tub or under a bucket if you are worried about it.
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Old 05-22-2020, 02:43 PM   #17
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Thanks, looking at the plugs, I did decide on the dogbone just for that reason, with the length of the plug and the weight. This way everything will be aligned.
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