Progressive Industries Surge Protector

riversedge · 03-21-2014, 10:26 AM

After reading all the threads on surge protectors and researching the prices online I ordered a EMS-HW30C from RVupgrades.com. The price was $239.95 plus $40.52 shipping to Canada. The unit arrived within a week however I was surprised to discover a COD customs and brokerage fee from UPS of $107.35. I have purchased numerous items from the US and never had a charge above the listed shipping and handling applied before.

For anyone planning on ordering items that are shipped via UPS I suggest you determine if brokerage fees apply. It may be better to buy from a different supplier even if the item costs a bit more.

I contacted RVupgrades and they stated it is a UPS charge and has nothing to do with them, however I have seen on other sites where they state that duties and brokerage fees may be charged by the carrier. There is no such notice on their website.

Happy with the unit however disappointed with the extra cost.

TURBS · 03-21-2014, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riversedge

After reading all the threads on surge protectors and researching the prices online I ordered a EMS-HW30C from RVupgrades.com. The price was $239.95 plus $40.52 shipping to Canada. The unit arrived within a week however I was surprised to discover a COD customs and brokerage fee from UPS of $107.35. I have purchased numerous items from the US and never had a charge above the listed shipping and handling applied before.

For anyone planning on ordering items that are shipped via UPS I suggest you determine if brokerage fees apply. It may be better to buy from a different supplier even if the item costs a bit more.

I contacted RVupgrades and they stated it is a UPS charge and has nothing to do with them, however I have seen on other sites where they state that duties and brokerage fees may be charged by the carrier. There is no such notice on their website.

Happy with the unit however disappointed with the extra cost.

Man that's to bad but a good heads up nonetheless!

You'll be pleased either the case when that deal save 1000's in electronic costs.

It only takes one hit....

Happy install!

Fyi I have 30 amp twist locks on mine "qccowboy" and for whatever reason the ems goes bad while camping you can remove ems to be repaired and use the plugs to get going again.
Another member found them on ebay for 18.00 a set.

TURBS
Sabre owners united!

riversedge · 03-21-2014, 10:49 AM

Thanks Turbs, that looks like a great idea. By the way you have more room behind your converter than I do so can you send me a little bit.

TURBS · 03-21-2014, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riversedge

Thanks Turbs, that looks like a great idea. By the way you have more room behind your converter than I do so can you send me a little bit.

How much you need?
Ive got about two square feet at around 50.00 a sf.
Plus ups prolly looking at $150.00
But today only I'm giving free shipping.

Ps they'll go on sale a week later!

TURBS
Sabre owners united!

riversedge · 03-21-2014, 01:43 PM

Lol

MMattox · 03-21-2014, 02:05 PM

I realize that you are way up there in Canada Eh, but there should be some sort of law stating that all costs involved in buying anything on the internet must be shown prior to hitting the make payment button. I would be really mad about the hidden costs tacked on by UPS. Not fair in my opinion.

TURBS · 03-21-2014, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMattox

I realize that you are way up there in Canada Eh, but there should be some sort of law stating that all costs involved in buying anything on the internet must be shown prior to hitting the make payment button. I would be really mad about the hidden costs tacked on by UPS. Not fair in my opinion.

True that.
Any and all costs should have been up front.

TURBS
Sabre owners united!

Witch Doctor · 03-21-2014, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Man that's to bad but a good heads up nonetheless!

You'll be pleased either the case when that deal save 1000's in electronic costs.

It only takes one hit....

Happy install!

Fyi I have 30 amp twist locks on mine "qccowboy" and for whatever reason the ems goes bad while camping you can remove ems to be repaired and use the plugs to get going again.
Another member found them on ebay for 18.00 a set.

TURBS
Sabre owners united!

Turbs, What do the plugs do that you show in the picture. I do not quite understand how that would work. It is my understanding that the convertor, converts 110v to 12v for your unit. I guess that you are just supplying 110v to the unit and let the battery take care of the 12v. Am I correct on that or not?

TURBS · 03-21-2014, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

Turbs, What do the plugs do that you show in the picture. I do not quite understand how that would work. It is my understanding that the convertor, converts 110v to 12v for your unit. I guess that you are just supplying 110v to the unit and let the battery take care of the 12v. Am I correct on that or not?

When you install the ems you cut your incoming 110v line "for 30 amp" before the converter And install the ems "hardwired".
Mine via the plug in's is not necessarily hardwired as I have it "plugged in".

So if the ems should god forbid stop working while camping I can unplug the ems and remove it and plug the two ends back together with minimal time down.

Same way if I sell the trailer.
Just unplug two ends, pull it out and plug the line back into itself.

Clear as mud?

TURBS
Sabre owners united!

rowdydog77 · 03-21-2014, 02:40 PM

"Another member found them on ebay for 18.00 a set."

I'm the other member

. Yea I found them out of Cali. for $18 a set on eBay. Pretty good price, I thought. My local hardware store wanted $17 for just a male or a female.

They were also free shipping.

I just did a search for "30 amp twist lock".

MMattox · 03-21-2014, 02:50 PM

I installed the 50 amp version a couple of weeks ago and if was to do it again I would have spent the money on the plugs. It would have been easier to make the connections to the unit with the plug pig tails on the table then simple place the unit into the final location and plug in the plugs. I was in a hurry and I bet it took me two to three times longer to install the unit with out the plugs. Live and learn I guess. My thoughts now are if I need to remove it for any reason I will redo the wiring and add the plugs at that time. The plugs are really a great idea.
Thanks Turbs!

HONDAMAN174 · 03-21-2014, 03:42 PM

Don't know if this will help for your install- my power cord in was located in a storage area so I just put it there. Gave me lots of space to work around.

hihocarp · 03-21-2014, 03:58 PM

UPS is a bugger for adding brokerage fees to the shipping costs when ever I order something out of the US. My Airlift air bags cost me an additional $91.00 before MR UPS guy would give me my package. One way to get around the extra charges is to ask to have your package shipped USPS. I've never had to pay any extra whenever I use the mail system although it may take longer.

Kf4mnc · 03-21-2014, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HONDAMAN174

Don't know if this will help for your install- my power cord in was located in a storage area so I just put it there. Gave me lots of space to work around.

The connectors are a great idea, but I did what you did and mounted the protector in a storage box next to my power cord. I actually opened up the junction box that housed the end of my power cord and the orange coach main and joined them using the surge protector. If for any reason the device fails or I sell the coach I will just re connect everything via the factory junction box.

HONDAMAN174 · 03-21-2014, 04:41 PM

Exactly!

SaskCampers · 03-23-2014, 07:35 AM

I always ask any place I buy stuff from in the US if the will ship USPS. If they don't I look elsewhere for just that reason as UPS are just a bunch of legalized thieves IMO. I have had things as large as exhaust pipes for my old Hyundai sent usps no issue. I have my EMS mounted directly behind the converter and have run the monitor cable up through the space under the false bottom of the upper kitchen cabinets and the monitor is at the top of our FR control panel. I used 3M removable sticky stuff to hold the monitor and the wire just comes out from the control panel hole so it can be removed with no sigh it was ever there.

Pacostaco · 05-08-2014, 09:32 PM

Does anyone owning a sunseeker know where I would start to hardware a surge in?
Where does the outside wire run to?

hihocarp · 05-09-2014, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacostaco

Does anyone owning a sunseeker know where I would start to hardware a surge in?
Where does the outside wire run to?

The main power would run to the breaker panel. I just wired in my surge protector today on our Columbus and that's where I hooked into. I bought 3 feet of 6/3 cable, disconnected the 3 wires and ground from the panel which I ran into the protector then used the 3' new cable to come out of the protector and back into the breaker panel. Was pretty easy other than wrestling with the heavy gauge wire. Mine is 50 amp by the way.

You may also like: