Homemade surge protector
It is possible to build you own surge protector, but it will be more than fuses. The guy, if he knew what he was doing would have included some 'metal oxide varistor(s)', plus a few capacitors and diodes. In real simple terms, the Varistor is a important item, and performs the critical function. When voltage goes over a varistor's defined limit, it takes the overage and directs to ground. For example, the incoming voltage is normally 115 to 130 volts, and the varistor does nothing. When that voltage exceeds 130 volts, the varistor (generally a bank of multiple varistors is used) conducts that voltage to ground. The other components prevent the current you directed down the ground, from flowing back up through the ground to your RV.
An issue with many surge protectors, is if they protect you against lighting strike, those varistors did their job, and are now probably fried, and no longer functioning. Without knowing what your looking for, you wouldn't know what to check to see if your still protected.
There are some plans to build a Surge protector, but really isn't that expensive to buy one, plus some have warranties to 'protect your belongings - your's won't. If you really worried, you should look at a Power conditioner, not just a Surge protector. It would protect against high voltage surges and low voltage conditions. Also, Surge protectors won't really protect you much from a lightning strike, but really nothing will from a direct strike. Most Surge protectors are good for 500 to 1000 joules; Lightning is usually over a million joules. Working as an electrician, seen examples of lightning which traveled hundreds of feet through buildings, and still fried a motor of a commercial washing machine in a basement of a 4 story building. The aluminum lightning arrestors were melted in to shiny little puddles.
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Ed & Mary
2017 Cougar 333MKS
2015 RAM 3500 HD with 6.4L
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