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06-04-2014, 07:38 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 142
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Surge Guard to the rescue
Mark up another win for Surge Guard. I pulled into a campground in New York state and as usual, the first thing I did was plugged in the Guard. I have never had any electrical problems in the past so this time it caught me a little off-guard (pun intended) to see it read out "reverse polarity" and "faulty ground". I unplugged and drove back to the office and informed them about the problem. The lady (owner) was very nice and assigned me the space next to the problem one and said she would send her husband up to look into the problem when he got in. I moved to the new space and sure enough, the same read-out as the other space. Instead of driving to the office I phone her and said this space had the same problem and that I had check two other ones around it and they all were the same. She said her husband would be right down. While waiting, I googled "reverse polarity" on my cell phone and got the crap scared out of me when it said possible electrical shock by having the RV chassis electrified.
The guy showed up and said someone else had the same problem with a Surge Guard about 4 years ago, but eventually it started working after a few minutes of being plugged in. He said he would check the other pedestal with his multi-meter while we let the Surge Guard "settle down". I informed him that his park was about the 15 th different park I had been in during the last 7 weeks and I have never had this problem. By then he had his multi-meter out and started checking the 50 amp receptacle by touching the left side and bottom and said "there's 120, good",,,,touched the right side and bottom and said "there's the other 120, good",,,,, he then said see it is good. I wasn't sure how to check it with a multi-meter so I just said that I'll stand by what my Surge Guard is saying and will decide if I'll leave or not.
He then said, "let's check another site on a different circuit and it will show you that I wired everything good". Yep, he said he had done the wiring. I didn't ask if he was a licensed electrician. We went to another site on another circuit and I plugged the Guard in. It showed everything was good. I said I'll take this site. He called the office and I moved to that site. He was still saying that the first one was ok and a lot of people have been using it without any problem. I told him that he had two circuits and each was wired differently, one had to be wrong. He looked puzzled as I started setting up in the new site.
The few hundred dollars for the Surge Guard paid me back today.
__________________
2014 Ford F250 Lariat
2014 Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite 8280 WS
2023 Forest River Rpod model 201
Louisiana before, fulltiming since April 11, 2014
blog--- www.gozatravels.blogspot.com
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06-04-2014, 07:51 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 9,839
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At least he knew what a Surge Guard is, last place we were at the host had never seen one.
__________________
2016 F350 6.7L LB CC Reese 28K 2014 Chaparral Lite 266sab
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." 2014 19 days camping 2015 17 days camping201620 days camping
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06-04-2014, 08:43 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
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your making it easier for me to pull the trigger and order one. Been thinking hard about it. Not hard to justify a few hundred dollars to protect my recent $40k investment.
__________________
David & Lynn 2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS 2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
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06-04-2014, 08:47 PM
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#4
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davel1971
your making it easier for me to pull the trigger and order one. Been thinking hard about it. Not hard to justify a few hundred dollars to protect my recent $40k investment.
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Come on Dave just pull it!
DO IT!
TURBS
"Sabre owners united"
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06-04-2014, 08:52 PM
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#5
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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Ain't that the truth. Too much sensitive electronics in the these newer campers to get smoked by old campground wiring. Worse yet, most older campgrounds have "30 amp" feeders that won't carry that load when all the sites are in use. Voltage sag can be horrible to the point you burn up your air conditioner.
That is why I have a Franks Autotransformer. When the surge guard detects the low voltage it boots you off to save the camper. The Franks unit boosts the voltage back up to normal and you keep on truckin'.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ers-26202.html
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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06-04-2014, 08:53 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 9,839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f1100turbo
Come on Dave just pull it!
DO IT!
TURBS
"Sabre owners united"
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I double dog dare him not to pull that trigger!
__________________
2016 F350 6.7L LB CC Reese 28K 2014 Chaparral Lite 266sab
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." 2014 19 days camping 2015 17 days camping201620 days camping
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06-04-2014, 08:56 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
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I already had 2 tabs open looking at one on Amazon and Camping World while reading this post. Camping World has the 50A hard wired with remote unit for 296.99. Cheapest I've seen it anywhere.
__________________
David & Lynn 2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS 2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
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06-04-2014, 08:58 PM
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#8
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davel1971
I already had 2 tabs open looking at one on Amazon and Camping World while reading this post. Camping World has the 50A hard wired with remote unit for 296.99. Cheapest I've seen it anywhere.
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point click n ship baby
TURBS
"Sabre owners united"
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06-04-2014, 08:58 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,472
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I actually had my Prog.Ind.EMS shut down twice last weekend for OVER voltage. It was the middle of the night, only knew because the microwave lost it's time. Checked error code and it showed E3...high voltage. I figure it's paid for itself already.
Dave, suggest you look at the Prog. Ind. units with a lifetime warranty as compared to the SurgeGuard limited 1 year warranty.
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06-04-2014, 09:01 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 9,839
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This is the one I am using right now, I even use it at home when plugged into 110v.
__________________
2016 F350 6.7L LB CC Reese 28K 2014 Chaparral Lite 266sab
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." 2014 19 days camping 2015 17 days camping201620 days camping
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06-04-2014, 09:01 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
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UGH, really hard to resist. Especially since I understand how important it can be to have it. I'm sure I will have one installed before our trip to Tennessee in 24 days.
__________________
David & Lynn 2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS 2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
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06-04-2014, 09:05 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 142
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Does anyone know if the guys Multi-tester could detect the Reverse Polarity or not? He said it was showing it good, but obviously not. Perhaps he was not using it correctly?
__________________
2014 Ford F250 Lariat
2014 Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite 8280 WS
2023 Forest River Rpod model 201
Louisiana before, fulltiming since April 11, 2014
blog--- www.gozatravels.blogspot.com
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06-04-2014, 09:12 PM
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#13
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Darrell
Does anyone know if the guys Multi-tester could detect the Reverse Polarity or not? He said it was showing it good, but obviously not. Perhaps he was not using it correctly?
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Reverse polarity on meter would read negative if meter probes are in the correct position.
TURBS
"Sabre owners united"
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06-04-2014, 09:18 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,832
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How are you guys securing your Progressive and Surge Guard portables??
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06-04-2014, 09:25 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 9,839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by camaraderie
How are you guys securing your Progressive and Surge Guard portables??
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Two keyed alike pad locks and a chain.
The chains first three links around the cord between the plug and body with the lock as a fourth link.
Chain and second lock go around a water pipe or the power pole.
__________________
2016 F350 6.7L LB CC Reese 28K 2014 Chaparral Lite 266sab
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." 2014 19 days camping 2015 17 days camping201620 days camping
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06-04-2014, 09:28 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
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that's why I'm liking the hardwired one more, security. Out of site, out of mind. Not like it will be that hard to remove in the future to put in another unit. With a lifetime warranty, I'm using it for that long
__________________
David & Lynn 2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS 2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
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06-04-2014, 09:31 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 9,839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davel1971
that's why I'm liking the hardwired one more, security. Out of site, out of mind. Not like it will be that hard to remove in the future to put in another unit. With a lifetime warranty, I'm using it for that long
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On a portables side it would take less than 10 seconds for me to walk it from one trailer to another.
Will the trailer you have now be your last one?
__________________
2016 F350 6.7L LB CC Reese 28K 2014 Chaparral Lite 266sab
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." 2014 19 days camping 2015 17 days camping201620 days camping
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06-04-2014, 09:34 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
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no, just got this one, but at 42 years old, I'm sure I will have a couple more. No big deal spending an hour or so to remove it when the time comes. I also like the idea of having the remote display inside the camper to monitor everything.
__________________
David & Lynn 2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS 2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
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06-04-2014, 09:42 PM
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#19
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f1100turbo
Reverse polarity on meter would read negative if meter probes are in the correct position.
TURBS
"Sabre owners united"
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Turbs, he would be reading AC; not DC.
Reverse polarity would not show unless you compare the neutral to ground.
Reverse polarity in the AC sense is the black hot wire connected to the "silver" screw and not the "brass" screw and the white wire on the other. It would still "read" 110 VAC, but the polarity would be reversed.
I remember the correct orientation mnemonic as "Black on Brass"
What won't work properly is the GFCI outlets in the camper with polarity reversed.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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06-04-2014, 09:50 PM
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#20
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NELA
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,221
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ford Idaho
This is the one I am using right now, I even use it at home when plugged into 110v.
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Same thing we're using. OC's awning poles would be the #1 BEST purchase for our 5er, except for this one thing.
Our 5er is NEVER plugged in without it...not even here at home on shore power.
__________________
If age is a state of mind, and I've lost my mind, I'm AGELESS, right?
Give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around:
Flagstaff 5er 2014 8528 IKWS, Platinum Package, Regency Interior "Buffy"
F250 Super Duty 2013 Tuxedo Black "Biff"
Days camped 2014: 30
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