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Old 08-18-2017, 05:34 PM   #1
tunatundra
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Best 50 amp Surge Protector (Not Hardwired)

We have been camping two years in our new trailer but have only been in 30 amp campgrounds. I use my adapter from my trailer's 50 amp cord and have a 30 amp surge protector that has worked well. Just booked a campground in South Dakota which only has a 50 amp set up. I have looked online at many and they all seem to have a lot of bad reviews. Some that are listed "full protection" have the worse reviews. Got to get one so what do you guys use? Not doing a hardwired one. Appreciate your help...
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Old 08-18-2017, 05:46 PM   #2
chuckster57
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Best 50 amp Surge Protector (Not Hardwired)

Surge guard is good IMO. I would go hardwired with remote panel, but that's just me. I have a 30a hardwired with remote. Saved me today in Shasta. A/C running and everything shut off. Got P4 ( low voltage) 104VAC that could have taken out my NEW 15K BTU AC.
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Old 08-18-2017, 06:02 PM   #3
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Glad you asked that question Tunatundra. Been wondering the same thing. For the price of those things, I really don't want to choose poorly. I've been thinking of getting one that's hardwired and Chuckster57 makes a good point. Either for hardwired or plugin.
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Old 08-18-2017, 06:03 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
Surge guard is good IMO. I would go hardwired with remote panel, but that's just me. I have a 30a hardwired with remote. Saved me today in Shasta. A/C running and everything shut off. Got P4 ( low voltage) 104VAC that could have taken out my NEW 15K BTU AC.
Nice. I was just looking into one but the literature on hand didn't say enough to know if it shut down the power or not. Now I know, Thanks.
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Old 08-18-2017, 08:20 PM   #5
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Surge Guard is Chinese import that won't last in my experience. I've had two of the 50 amp $350+ units until I bought one from http://www.progressiveindustries.net . I have a hard wired unit I self installed, but they have external ones as well.

https://goo.gl/gzkN69

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Old 08-18-2017, 08:35 PM   #6
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I have Progressive Industries and have never had a problem with it. I know of people who have had problems or who had a unit destroyed when it was stuck by lightening or a voltage surge and PI has honored the "lifetime warranty" without question. On the other hand, there are posts on this forum from owners of Surge Guard (TRC) that have had problems and have been told the unit is out of warranty and not covered.

The Progressive Industries warranty is "lifetime" the TRC Surge Guard is 1 year. The cost of the protector is comparable. I have no personal knowledge of TRC's products or warranty other than what is posted on this forum and it's good within the first year and there's disappointment after that date. The way I see it, since they are similar in price, it's about having the support of a warranty that would make the difference for me.
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Old 08-18-2017, 09:05 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tunatundra View Post
We have been camping two years in our new trailer but have only been in 30 amp campgrounds. I use my adapter from my trailer's 50 amp cord and have a 30 amp surge protector that has worked well. Just booked a campground in South Dakota which only has a 50 amp set up. I have looked online at many and they all seem to have a lot of bad reviews. Some that are listed "full protection" have the worse reviews. Got to get one so what do you guys use? Not doing a hardwired one. Appreciate your help...
The nice thing about a portable is that you can easily move it when/if you get another trailer or check another pedestal without moving the trailer. Getting a 50A will work with a 30A trailer, and yet work in the event your next rig is 50A.

This is a pretty good price on one that is highly rated with a lifetime guarantee:

http://www.dyersonline.com/progressi...RoCPJgQAvD_BwE
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Old 08-19-2017, 04:17 AM   #8
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I've had a hard wired Progressive Industries Surge Guard unit on this as well as the last 5er. So far they have worked just fine, especially with the remote. If the current one fails, I'll probably go with the EMS unit if for no other reason then the better warranty. I carry some large wire nuts for emergency use and can bypass the Surge Guard in the field if it fails for whatever reason.I left the pigtail to the breaker long enough to make that connection. As far as made in China - most consumer electronics are these days, even the EMS - maybe though the box for mine said USA with a flag but sometimes there are weasel words like 'assembled in the USA' in fine print
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Old 08-19-2017, 04:56 AM   #9
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We purchased a progressive. We had a hard wired and went to a portable one in out new RV. Progressive Industries EMS-PT50C Portable 50 Amp Electrical Management System.

Looks like this:
http://tweetys.com/portable-50-amp-e...nt-system.aspx
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Old 08-19-2017, 05:30 AM   #10
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Put me down for the hard wired Progressive EMS.
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Old 08-19-2017, 05:33 AM   #11
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Here's a good price on a good unit:
http://www.adventurerv.net/progressi...source=Froogle

(This is a complete EMS not just a surge protector.)
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Old 08-19-2017, 06:56 AM   #12
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We have a Progressive Industries 50 amp portable which as saved us twice once on a incorrectly wired post and once from a lightning strike. Warranty was not a problem. The one good thing about a portable is that if it gets damaged from a power surge you can still use the trailer while its been repaired, not sure if that's the case wit a hard wired version
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Old 08-19-2017, 07:25 AM   #13
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Best 50 amp Surge Protector (Not Hardwired)

I purchased a Progressive 50A portable surge protector last May. So far no problems. What swayed me to Progressive was the warranty and the posts about Surge Guard units dying after the warranty period for no apparent reason.
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Old 08-19-2017, 08:09 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NorskeBob View Post
We purchased a progressive. We had a hard wired and went to a portable one in out new RV. Progressive Industries EMS-PT50C Portable 50 Amp Electrical Management System.

Looks like this:
http://tweetys.com/portable-50-amp-e...nt-system.aspx
I'm with you on this one. The EMS-PT50C is what I now use. Best one I ever owned and Liftime warranty. A friend of mine had the hard wired version and it saved the trailer electronics in a lightning strike , but his power cord was fried. I got mine from Tweetys, best price and fast service.
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Old 08-19-2017, 08:21 AM   #15
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I bought the brand currently not recommended in 2014 when I purchased my trailer. So far it has worked well, but the Boy Scout in me has lingering misgivings of impending issues.

The conundrum is...do I buy a Progressive Industries EMS to replace the one I have or press on with the one I have until/when/if it fails? Just over $300 for the good one is somewhat justified for the reliability and peace of mind it would offer.

Whadaya think?
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Old 08-19-2017, 08:30 AM   #16
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In thinking about it, I suppose its cheaper than having a 1/2 ton and realizing you need a one ton.

Cheap insurance.
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Old 08-19-2017, 08:37 AM   #17
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I use a hard-wired PI EMS 50 amp. I also have a portable PI EMS 50 that I purchased before I decided to go hard-wired. The hard-wired is great, however I put plug and receptacle ends on it (and my power cord) so I can physically remove it (and/or bypass it) easily . I kept the portable as a backup.

Although the warranty is nice, I went with the PI unit because I think it is a superior product.

Hard-wired or portable, I recommend the PI unit over any other product.

I also use an Autoformer but that is for another thread! [emoji846]


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Old 08-19-2017, 09:11 AM   #18
Javi
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IMHO....

The only valid reason not to use a hard wired EMS is if you change trailers frequently...

FWIW The Progressive EMS-HW50C has a built in

ByPass |
This switch is located on the remote display and allows
the user to bypass the EMS in the event of failure, thus allowing
AC power into the RV. This
does not disable the surge protection
portion of the EMS; however, all other features are disabled.
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Old 08-19-2017, 12:57 PM   #19
Outback 325BH
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Javi View Post
IMHO....

The only valid reason not to use a hard wired EMS is if you change trailers frequently...

FWIW The Progressive EMS-HW50C has a built in

ByPass |
This switch is located on the remote display and allows
the user to bypass the EMS in the event of failure, thus allowing
AC power into the RV. This
does not disable the surge protection
portion of the EMS; however, all other features are disabled.


The bypass is meant more for the user to enable if you want to ignore the error that is preventing the EMS to allow power to the rig.

If there is a problem with the EMS the bypass may not function. That is why I installed plugs and receptacles on my hard-wired unit. I can remove it easily and be up and running instantly.


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Old 08-19-2017, 01:01 PM   #20
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Portable progressive industries here. I lock it to the pedestal so it doesn't walk.
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