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Old 05-15-2020, 01:48 PM   #1
Jnich17
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Surge protector on 50 amp

Do 50 amp surge protectors work and what brands? Thinking of installing one on hook up. I have a 2019 Avalanche 375 RD.
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Old 05-15-2020, 02:07 PM   #2
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Just bypass a "surge protector" and go with a regular EMS (electrical management system). Surge protectors don't do much in an RV environment and the EMS will save your bacon. The 2 most popular seem to be Surge Guard and Progressive. Similar in cost (more expensive than a surge guard) and both come available as a portable or permanent install in the RV.

As far as "thinking about one".....don't!! Just get one before you even start using power peds anywhere. The EMS has saved me multiple times as well as many others.
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Old 05-15-2020, 02:18 PM   #3
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Agree with the EMS. Here's what we have: Click Here The price range varies over $100 different, depending where you purchase it.
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Old 05-15-2020, 03:02 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough View Post
Just bypass a "surge protector" and go with a regular EMS (electrical management system). Surge protectors don't do much in an RV environment and the EMS will save your bacon. The 2 most popular seem to be Surge Guard and Progressive. Similar in cost (more expensive than a surge guard) and both come available as a portable or permanent install in the RV.

As far as "thinking about one".....don't!! Just get one before you even start using power peds anywhere. The EMS has saved me multiple times as well as many others.
Absolutely agree!
There's 2 items that should be mandatory with every rv sold;
#1 the EMS for your RVs amp rating.
#2 an adjustable water pressure regulator, not that worthless little brass doodad your RV dealer may have given you, it's not adjustable & it's not a regulator.
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Old 05-15-2020, 03:02 PM   #5
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Get an EMS, surge guard only is a waste of money. Most common issues in cg are low voltage, missing neutral, missing ground, incorrect wiring, and power going on and off rapidly (lights flickering during a storm). The EMS will protect against that, a surge protector will not.
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Old 05-15-2020, 03:59 PM   #6
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Just to piggyback on those issues;

Came back to FL earlier than usual due to outside issues. Owner had "self" installed a new row of sites using local "cheap" help. She assigned me to the only 50A site in this row. Started hooking up and hmmmm, looking inside the very small, inadequate box I see the side has been melted out by???? Go to plug in the EMS and ?? The plug is upside down! Hmmm, now I'm getting a little leery. But, I'm here, have to be here and have nowhere else to go - I'm not going to be in the heat here without 2 ACs. Plug the EMS in upside down and watch it...hey! everything was OK! So hook up with the EMS cord poking into the sky and get things going.

That evening a fellow behind me that I've met off and on over the years and is in fact an RV repairman appeared to be leaving - he is/was building a new home out on the point and it was dried in and he could put his motorhome under it so he was out. Mentioned the plug issue and he just shook his head. The owner had used what I term "fly by nights" to put the service in. He said the first 3 folks coming in burned up the converters and didn't know what else. He said he was called over on the 3rd....the guy had an EMS, it showed a fault and wouldn't let it work (or harm his trailer) so he disconnected it then fried his trailer!!! This guy then rewired the plug.

So, long story to just illustrate that the EMS is the ONLY way to go if you are hooking up to power because there is absolutely NO way for a person just "dropping in" to have any idea what they are plugging into.
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Old 05-15-2020, 06:18 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
Get an EMS, surge guard only is a waste of money. Most common issues in cg are low voltage, missing neutral, missing ground, incorrect wiring, and power going on and off rapidly (lights flickering during a storm). The EMS will protect against that, a surge protector will not.
Marshall,
Just to be clear, "Surge Guard" (note caps) is also a manufacturer's name of trusted and reliable EMS systems, as opposed to "a surge protector" (no caps). I think what you were saying is that "surge protectors" are a waste of money; and I agree with that statement.

I absolutely concur with all the statements that an EMS is a MUST HAVE with an RV. We have a Surge Guard 34951 50A EMS and use the portable 40301 bluetooth portable monitor, available at: https://www.technorv.com/50a-surge-g...tection-34951/

We love this EMS and blue tooth monitor. It tells me exactly how much load is on each half of my 50A system. The supplier - a great place to do business and get support. No, I'm not an employee - I love their how to videos and after purchase support.
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The photos show the load with all 3 AC units running on our Raptor.
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Old 05-24-2020, 02:29 PM   #8
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I have a trailer that is wired for 2 AC’s but only one installed. The trailer plugs are 55 amp but I can live with 30 amp. I have all the plugs to change different amps. Which Amp EMS would I get?
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Old 05-24-2020, 02:40 PM   #9
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I have a trailer that is wired for 2 AC’s but only one installed. The trailer plugs are 55 amp but I can live with 30 amp. I have all the plugs to change different amps. Which Amp EMS would I get?
Buy the EMS for the highest rated capacity. That's the 50 amp EMS, your choice whether to buy a built in or a portable unit. If you buy a 30 amp EMS, you will be limited to not being able to use the full features of your RV. Nothing is more frustrating (at least for me) than spending $250 and then, a week later needing the $300 and having to spend a total of $550 to get what you should have/could have bought much cheaper. Do it right the first time and no "regrets later"..... YMMV
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Old 05-24-2020, 04:14 PM   #10
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Agree with the EMS. Here's what we have: Click Here The price range varies over $100 different, depending where you purchase it.
Here's a warning: there's a jackass in China who pops up plausible-looking e-commerce websites offering merchandise at amazing prices, and the Progressive EMS-HW30C seems to be one of his favorite pieces of bait. The websites have vanilla American owner names attached and US addresses, but they all actually tie back to this Chinese thief.

Here's his current website, where he's offering a $230+ unit for $95. You can order the unit, but you won't get it. I have no idea how he makes any money at this, since all the buyer has to do is to tell his credit card company to flip this guy the bird and pull the funds back. But it wastes your time going through all the motions.

(In two weeks, this link probably won't go anywhere, but you can always find this guy's current website by looking for the sub-$100 price on this EMS model.)
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Old 05-24-2020, 04:37 PM   #11
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Here's a warning: there's a jackass in China who pops up plausible-looking e-commerce websites offering merchandise at amazing prices, and the Progressive EMS-HW30C seems to be one of his favorite pieces of bait. The websites have vanilla American owner names attached and US addresses, but they all actually tie back to this Chinese thief.

Here's his current website, where he's offering a $230+ unit for $95. You can order the unit, but you won't get it. I have no idea how he makes any money at this, since all the buyer has to do is to tell his credit card company to flip this guy the bird and pull the funds back. But it wastes your time going through all the motions.

(In two weeks, this link probably won't go anywhere, but you can always find this guy's current website by looking for the sub-$100 price on this EMS model.)
He’s probably making money by phishing data off of the people who use the site and selling that info. I would not even open that site.

Thanks for the warning and heads up LHaven.
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Old 05-24-2020, 05:08 PM   #12
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Interesting thought. But the guy doesn't accept anything but PayPal, so it seems like a lot of effort to go through to scrape a handful of names and mailing addresses. Ah well, that's what inscrutable means, I suppose.
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Old 05-24-2020, 05:15 PM   #13
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I have a trailer that is wired for 2 AC’s but only one installed. The trailer plugs are 55 amp but I can live with 30 amp. I have all the plugs to change different amps. Which Amp EMS would I get?
If your RV has a 30 amp shore cord get a 30 amp EMS, if 50 amp get the 50.
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Old 05-25-2020, 12:45 AM   #14
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Another option in the EMS market is provided by Hughes Autoformers.

https://hughesautoformers.com/product/pwd50-epo/
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Old 05-25-2020, 07:05 AM   #15
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I have a trailer that is wired for 2 AC’s but only one installed. The trailer plugs are 55 amp but I can live with 30 amp. I have all the plugs to change different amps. Which Amp EMS would I get?
Joe

When you say you have "all the plugs" I assume you are talking about dogbones and not actually changing out the plug at the end of the cord - right?

Our TT is 30A but if a 50A plug is available on the CG pedestal, based on the condition of the 30A outlet I'll use our dogbone to run off the 50A side, and you may wish to use 50A in lieu of 30A - again based on condition of the outlet.

We have the PI hardwired unit and it saved our bacon once when the CG pedestal was wired backwards (neutral and hot flipped). At other times it has saved our AC compressor by cutting out when voltage sags too much. Yes, it was temporarily uncomfortable - but better than then replacing the AC unit.

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Old 05-25-2020, 07:41 AM   #16
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Another option in the EMS market is provided by Hughes Autoformers.

https://hughesautoformers.com/product/pwd50-epo/
That's the option I went with. A little more money on the front end but the unit offers surge protection, power post analysis and voltage stabilization. Was the best investment for me. And there is no truth to any comment that some parks will not let you hook up with one of these units because they require "extra power". When is the last time you actually had someone from a CG monitor your (mounted) electrical equipment when you first hook up? The unit requires no more power than any other EMS. The analyzer did save me from hooking to a site that had "No Ground" connection. Paid for itself right there.
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Old 05-25-2020, 01:41 PM   #17
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Joe

When you say you have "all the plugs" I assume you are talking about dogbones and not actually changing out the plug at the end of the cord - right?

Our TT is 30A but if a 50A plug is available on the CG pedestal, based on the condition of the 30A outlet I'll use our dogbone to run off the 50A side, and you may wish to use 50A in lieu of 30A - again based on condition of the outlet.

We have the PI hardwired unit and it saved our bacon once when the CG pedestal was wired backwards (neutral and hot flipped). At other times it has saved our AC compressor by cutting out when voltage sags too much. Yes, it was temporarily uncomfortable - but better than then replacing the AC unit.

Ken
The cord for our TT is 50 Amp. Some CG we go to only have 30 Amp. If I have a 50 Amp protector and I am hooking up at a 30 Amp outlet/pedestal. If I adapt 30 Amp to 50 Amp dogbone at the pedestal, then 50 amp protector, then cord to TT which may be a 30 or 50 Amp cord. I will get protection with this set up.
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Old 05-25-2020, 03:35 PM   #18
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If your RV is 50 amp with only 30 amp available use the dogbone 30 to 50 connected to your surge protector then connect your 50 amp cord to the rv. If your RV is 50 amp why carry a 30 amp cord that you have to use another doggone adapter to use the surge protector?
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Old 05-25-2020, 04:20 PM   #19
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Joe

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve's 70-5 View Post
The cord for our TT is 50 Amp. Some CG we go to only have 30 Amp.
I assume you have a dogbone that plugs into a 30A outlet and converts to a 50A outlet for your cord to plug into - correct? This basically ties the two hot legs of the 50A circuit together so they share the single 30A feed. This means you can only draw 30A total between the two legs of your 50A circuit, and the load in your TT is distributed between these two 50A legs.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve's 70-5 View Post
If I have a 50 Amp protector and I am hooking up at a 30 Amp outlet/pedestal. If I adapt 30 Amp to 50 Amp dogbone at the pedestal, then 50 amp protector, then cord to TT which may be a 30 or 50 Amp cord. I will get protection with this set up.
If you use the non-hardwired version of the EMS and you are plugging into a 30A outlet, you plug the EMS into the dogbone which hooks up to the shore power pedestal and your 50A cord connects to the 50A plug on the EMS.

If you use a hardwired EMS then it's just the dogbone and you plug your shore power cord into it.

The short answer is - yes - you will get EMS protection for over/under voltage, reversed polarity and off-frequency.

I'm confused about the 30A cord issue - do you have a spare 30A cord you use sometimes as an extension?

Ken
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Old 05-25-2020, 05:01 PM   #20
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The cord for our TT is 50 Amp. Some CG we go to only have 30 Amp. If I have a 50 Amp protector and I am hooking up at a 30 Amp outlet/pedestal. If I adapt 30 Amp to 50 Amp dogbone at the pedestal, then 50 amp protector, then cord to TT which may be a 30 or 50 Amp cord. I will get protection with this set up.
Assuming you meant to say "will I" instead of "I will," yes, you will. If you're going to use a cord-mounted EMS, then always buy the one that fits your trailer's native cord.
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