50 Amp Surge Protectors

[CedarCreekWoody]

I have an opinion here. I think I will keep it to myself. Lol

[ACE110]

Anyone have any experience with Crimsin.online. They have the Progressive Industries EMS-HW50C for $95.81. I put in “my cart” to check on shipping, but doesn’t show anything till you fill out additional info. This is one of those “to good to be true” I’m afraid.

[Jack350]

For security on these items, I use a 15 foot 50 amp extension cord and keep the surge protector under the slide out on a tire. Keeps it out of sight and dry.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by ACE110

Anyone have any experience with Crimsin.online. They have the Progressive Industries EMS-HW50C for $95.81. I put in “my cart” to check on shipping, but doesn’t show anything till you fill out additional info. This is one of those “to good to be true” I’m afraid.

That sounds way good--too good as you said. Let us know how it works out.

[Bob2019]

In an early discussion a year ago, I said I have never felt the need with TT for an EMS. Then looking at how much electronics is in a Forester with touch screens and so much more, I changed my mind. Bought a Southwire and appreciate the checks and shutdown if voltage gets out of hand. I use a bicyclist's cable lock on the pedestal wrapped around twice. If someone wants something bad enough, they will get it. Can't worry about everything. Being a motorhome, if I'm gone from the campsite, my EMS is also with me. An EMS is good insurance against the electronics, and if stolen, I'll buy another. In 45 years, only had a box of wood stolen out of the back of my truck. I did locate it at another campsite and took it back. Campers seem very honest and watch out for others.

[billnelson]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

The sky is NOT falling! These are manufactured and sold merely because folks will buy them, not that there is any need for them.

I've yet to read/learn about any camper damaged by so-called surge. If it occurred it would wipe out every camper in your typical state park. Likewise at home where the power company is always trying to sell these like them trying to sell insurance to protect the wiring between the power pole and the house.

-- Chuck

April 2017. Brand new 5th wheel and 1st time shakedown weekend camping trip a couple hours from home. Setup camper at site then went to get campfire wood. Wife calls my cell phone 10 min after setup to tell me smoke coming out of the wall where pwr panel located. Told her to unplug trailer at pwr ped, headed back to site. Power surge took out the 12VDC power converter, microwave, electric fireplace, both the 50" and 32" TV's. Warranty covered everything but ruined the trip. Had to pack up and go back home.

Do not leave home now without my Hughes Watchdog 50A EMS/Surge Protector.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

The sky is NOT falling! These are manufactured and sold merely because folks will buy them, not that there is any need for them.

I've yet to read/learn about any camper damaged by so-called surge. If it occurred it would wipe out every camper in your typical state park. Likewise at home where the power company is always trying to sell these like them trying to sell insurance to protect the wiring between the power pole and the house.

-- Chuck

July, 2013 — one of the hottest months on record for the Lake George, NY area.

We arrived, along with our friends in their brand new Kodiak travel trailer, at the Lake George RV Resort. I connected with my SurgeGuard EMS. My friend didn’t have an EMS, nor did he feel the need to ever own one. About 10:00 the first night, my RV’s A/C shut down, as did all of the rest of the 110 volt side of my RV. I didn’t know what was going on since it seemed to be only my RV on that street that wasn’t working — I could hear all of the others cranking. I then remembered I had an EMS and went to check it. I can’t remember what the exact voltage was being pumped into the EMS, but is was over 400 volts, but it would fluctuate up and down, and my EMS wasn’t having it. I called management and they sent people down right away, but nobody there was really familiar with electricity as it was late and the people there that late were not capable of troubleshooting. I went from pedestal to pedestal with my EMS since I didn’t have a multi tester with me and almost all of the pedestals on my street were showing the high and fluctuating voltage, including my friend’s. I finally found a vacant site on the other side of the street where the voltage was good and ran 150 feet of extension cords from it to my RV. The next day, just about everybody on my side of the street, including my friend, woke up to no A/C and other electrical problems in their RVs — all of their A/C units were fried. Mine was fine.

At about 7:00 the next morning, the RV park had a team of electricians working on the problem for about four hours. I don’t know what the problem was, but they fixed it.

Everybody was scrambling to get mobile RV techs out to take care of their problems, but most had no luck. My friend ended up having to get a portable A/C unit overnighted from Amazon since there were none available anywhere within 100 miles due to the record high temperatures. He had to live with that until he got lucky and found a mobile RV tech who was able to replace his A/C unit under warranty. I was amazed. It only cost him $100.00 total and the mobile RV tech took care of all of the warranty back-and-forth with the A/C manufacturer (even though I don’t think it should have been covered under warranty).

My friend’s next purchase was an EMS, overnighted from Amazon. He has never plugged-in an RV without one since then.

Bruce

[Flatlander49]

We’ve been using a Surge Guard 34750 for years and it’s saved us at least twice from low voltage and once from an open neutral. Two events were in RV parks in the southern U.S. and one was in a provincial park near home. Money well spent IMHO.

To the OP I suggest you read Mike Sokol’s thoughts in rvelectricty.com. He has several articles specifically about surge protection vs. EMS systems and the benefits and limitations of each.

Do you absolutely need one? Probably not. Will I continue to use one every time? Absolutely! Should you spend the money? That’s up to you as it’s your money.

Cheers and good luck.

[GPs37FLH]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

The sky is NOT falling! These are manufactured and sold merely because folks will buy them, not that there is any need for them.

I've yet to read/learn about any camper damaged by so-called surge. If it occurred it would wipe out every camper in your typical state park. Likewise at home where the power company is always trying to sell these like them trying to sell insurance to protect the wiring between the power pole and the house.

-- Chuck

The week before July 4th last year, we were staying for a week long getaway at a campground at the OBX. This stay made a believer out of me when the campground experienced several issues with fluctuating power and brief outages for several days, then strong thunderstorms in the area.

This was our first time out with a new fiver and no EMS or power protector. Prior to this trip, I never gave much thought nor worry to power issues and the many systems and components in the RV that depend on it.

A neighbor across the street from me rolled in with his older travel trailer later that week, but not first without side-swiping my truck. His vacation wasn't getting off to a good start with his wife and kids, and with an insurance claim for my damages to boot. Later that afternoon, with all the power issues that were occurring, a lightning strike hit a nearby pole in the park making matters worse for my neighbor. He told me his AC unit was fried, along with his inverter and several appliances. The only thing that worked were his lights in the RV. With no AC during the hottest part of summer and blown appliances, plus with a grumbling wife and kids, he packed up and headed home.

I later found out from campground maintenance staff many other RV's without an EMS that were on that same circuit also lost their AC units, inverters and varying amounts of appliances as a result. Many of them were also on their way back home.

It can and does happen. I picked up my Hughes Watchdog the next week and won't camp without it again.

[Dennis King]

If you have a lot of electronics or just things you don't want to fry! While traveling to many many different rv parks in the last 28,000 miles! I see some parks are well managed and maintained and others just barely making it! You know how some things get put off when money gets tight? Things people don't see sometimes don't get the attention they should because they don't see or want to see it. If it isn't broken don't mess with it some say!
Just like Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry said:
Do You Feel Lucky????? Lus not only electronics could get fried! People could be at risk also and why would you risk that?
One should last you many years and give you peace of mind!
That's my two cents. Good Luck!

[IDguy]

Haven’t used one in 50 years RVing and no issues. But then I rarely camp where there is shore power.

Doing so more now so I’ll probably get one. A question and a dilemma.

Question: what differs between the $100 ones and $300 ones?

Should I get 50 amp or 30? I rarely use 50 amp directly to avoid wrestling the snake. I only meed it if we meed to run both ACs. Plus the places with shore power I have camped often only have 30 amp. I can put it at the end of the 50 amp cable in compartment upstream of 50/30 adapter. Recommendations?

[USMC0369]

This one has given me years of good and faithful service. I put it in a hidden cubby myself simply spliced it between my power cord and the rest of the camper. Works great.

Did this after I burned a camper to the ground because I did not have one. putting it inside permanent eases my mind about people stealing it off my power pole.

Bought it used on line from a guy who's father took it off his pusher when he sold it. $80 well spent.

[Mountaineer1954]

Check out Hughes Automotive.

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by IDguy

Question: what differs between the $100 ones and $300 ones?

Should I get 50 amp or 30? I rarely use 50 amp directly to avoid wrestling the snake. I only meed it if we meed to run both ACs. Plus the places with shore power I have camped often only have 30 amp. I can put it at the end of the 50 amp cable in compartment upstream of 50/30 adapter. Recommendations?

The $300 units are Energy Management Systems. Protect from lots more than a surge, including the too often experienced low voltage which can cook motors. Since you have a 50 amp trailer, I'd get a 50 amp EMS. To me, the bigger decision is internal or external. I got an internal to guarantee I wouldn't have a brain fart and leave it at a campground or at home....

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by SailorSam20500

The $300 units are Energy Management Systems. Protect from lots more than a surge, including the too often experienced low voltage which can cook motors. Since you have a 50 amp trailer, I'd get a 50 amp EMS. To me, the bigger decision is internal or external. I got an internal to guarantee I wouldn't have a brain fart and leave it at a campground or at home....

I have decided to get an “external” one. It will go in my sort of locked rear compartment (751 key). I mostly use adapter (also in compartment) and 30 amp cord.

If I find myself using 50 amp more often I’ll get a 15 ft 50 amp extension.

[jackhartjr]

After my friend lost a $600.00 converter due to electrical issues, he wouldn't be without one!
Prior to that he was like me, I'm not wasting my money on that! Lol

[jaudet71]

I use a hardwired unit as you install it once and you are done. It was easy to self install and I never have to worry about anybody walking off with it while I am away.

I got the Progressive Industries EMS-LCHW50 Hardwired RV Surge and Electrical Protector - 50 Amp from Amazon.
It protects from all the usual problems such as Open Ground, Open Neutral & Reverse Polarity Detection, Over/Under voltage Protection, Accidental 240V Protection and A/C Frequency Protection and surge. And the display shows the amp draw.

I love it.

[IDguy]

Originally Posted by IDguy

I have decided to get an “external” one. It will go in my sort of locked rear compartment (751 key). I mostly use adapter (also in compartment) and 30 amp cord.

If I find myself using 50 amp more often I’ll get a 15 ft 50 amp extension.

Ordered the Hughes 50 amp. $139. It will mostly reside in my rear compartment as I mostly use 30 amp adapter and extension so I needn’t wrestle the 50 amp snake. The adapter resides in the compartment too with the 30 amp extension coming out through the bottom port.

If I need to haul out the 50 amp I can lock the surge protector using the finger holes and a cable. So good to go in a week or so.

But will be longer as we’re not heading out till covid vaccinated...which is looking like next month.

[jvg]

I bought one of the Progressive Industries SSP-50XL Portable RV Smart Surge Protector several years ago. It doesn't give you EMS but it gives me most common issues. A few times I found only one side of the double 50amp service working and switched sites. One time a surge fried the protector. I contacted Progressive and they replaced it after three years under warranty. For $135 on Amazon I am happy. BTW there is an attachment on protector that allows you to lock it on pedestal. Never used it.

[CaptainJustice]

Originally Posted by cboss

I installed the EMS-HW50C. It is an "on board" EMS. The portable ones can be a target for thieves.

https://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems-hw50c

+1 here. It's better protection and won't get stolen. Don't skimp on electrical protection.