Surge protector recommendation

[rosede]

I'm looking at getting a surge protector. Any recommendation on what to get? But something that is not super expensive.

Thank you

Daryl

[chuckster57]

Skip the surge protector and get an EMS. Portable or hardwired? 50 or 30Amp? I have a 30A hard wired progressive Industies with remote display.

[wiredgeorge]

You will find that folks tout the Electrical Management System that they have but the important thing is to NOT get a surge protector as they don't offer sufficient protection from many of the issues that plague campground power pedestals. I have a Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X 30 Amp EMS as my trailer is 30A and it plugs into the pedestal and my shore power cord plugs into the EMS. It is on sale at Camping World right now at a great price. There is also a 50A version. There is also a version that mounts inside the camper and lots of folks use that type and another company called Hughes manufacturers very good units as well. Whichever model you choose, make sure it is n EMS and not a surge protector alone.
https://www.campingworld.com/progres...s&gclsrc=3p.ds

[flybouy]

Here's the deal with surge protector vs electrical managment systems.

Surge Protector- may protect against a surge in voltage. This is a very small percentage of the electrical issues that commonly occur in a campground.

EMS - will protect against ALL of the common issues found in campground electrical systems. Yes they are expensive but not nearly as expensive as replacing an A/C unit or refridgerator.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Skip the surge protector and get an EMS. Portable or hardwired? 50 or 30Amp? I have a 30A hard wired progressive Industies with remote display.

X3!
Skip Surge protection and go with EMS, true protection against bad pedestal wiring. I also have a 50 amp Progressive Industry unit.

[dutchmensport]

You've invested good money into your camper. It will cost you good money and a lot of time if electrical problems hit it now. And this is not an exaggeration. Current costs, around $300 or less is pretty cheap compared to thousands and thousands of dollars replacing blown televisions, blown microwave, blown converters, blown air conditioners, blown entertainment center, blown water heater, blown refrigerators ....

It's not just about power surges, it's about protecting all your electronics from dirty electricity. Low and high voltage, power spikes, surges, you name it .... A simple surge protector is about as worthless as putting out a mouse trap to catch an alligator.

No, invest in an EMS. Progressive Industries is probably the best and the most popular as folks praise the manufacturer for their customer support. Plus, they do make a darn good device. 30 amp, 50 amp, portable, or fixed permanent inside your camper, this is what you want.

There are other brands out there. But.... stay away from Surge Guard. Our first one was a Surge Guard. It appeared to work well for 1 year and then got "hit". It never reset and never worked again. And customer support said they do not replace them. You just have to buy a new one. I then switched to a Progressive Industries.

I have a 30 amp Hughes Autofoamer I purchased and used a short while. Then sold that trailer and ended up with a 50 amp. I kept the Hughes (portable), and have used it a couple times on my 50 amp camper when we ended up on a campsite that did not have 50 amp (which happens in some older campgrounds, even today).

There is a difference in the way the Autofoamer and the standard EMS work. Of the 2, I prefer the EMS.

[rosede]

Wow, I appreciate all of the feedback. I guess I'll look at the EMS then. I just know that I need something.

Daryl

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by rosede

Wow, I appreciate all of the feedback. I guess I'll look at the EMS then. I just know that I need something.

Daryl

Yes the EMS may be 2 or even 3 times the money but if you look at it in a risk/benefit formula it makes more sense to spend more money to protect against virtually 100% of the exterior electrical vs spending money to protect against a very minimal (guessing at maybe 5%) of the common issues found in a campground electrical system.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by rosede

Wow, I appreciate all of the feedback. I guess I'll look at the EMS then. I just know that I need something.

Daryl

An EMS, an adjustable water pressure regulator & TPMS (tire pressure monitor system) in my opinion should be mandatory equipment on ALL rvs & used every time every place you use the rv.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

An EMS, an adjustable water pressure regulator & TPMS (tire pressure monitor system) in my opinion should be mandatory equipment on ALL rvs & used every time every place you use the rv.

I would add a quality water filter to that list. With the addition of the items listed above you can greatly reduce the chances of having a major event with catastrophic consequences. Of course for the new owner -don't ignore the owners manual regarding preventive maintenance, it can literally save your trailer from becoming an ornament in a junkyard.

[wiredgeorge]

Ahhhhh heck! Add RV toilet paper to the list of "must haves" even though the OP asked about a surge protector. Come on man! (as a famous man once said)

[sourdough]

As others have said, skip a "surge protector" as they won't help in 95% of the situations that occur. The EMS is the only way to go and there are several kinds and manufacturers; the top ones would be Progressive, Surge Guard (Southwire) and the Huges Autoformer. On any of them be sure and read what they monitor and what they do with failures. There are many iterations and it can get confusing.

You can get portable units that plug into the ped (my preference) and units that hardwire inside the RV. Pros and cons to both. One convenience you may want is the ability to monitor your usage levels which can be quite handy. The hardwired models (some) provide a mounted monitor inside that you can see. The portable Surge Guard units used to only have the readout on the unit plugged into the ped. They now come with a wireless remote monitor for inside the RV. Lots of options....but the one option that isn't available is NOT having an EMS.

[rhagfo]

Here is a link to Amazon;
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=progressi...l_4jx2grtpye_e.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Here is a link to Amazon;
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=progressi...l_4jx2grtpye_e.

That page has THE most confusing gaggle of electronic stuff. I got dizzy trying to differentiate between also those gizmos!

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Here is a link to Amazon;
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=progressi...l_4jx2grtpye_e.

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

That page has THE most confusing gaggle of electronic stuff. I got dizzy trying to differentiate between also those gizmos!

Well right you are so her are the two links for the 30 amp Hard wired or portable units.

https://www.amazon.com/PROGRESSIVE-I...s%2C946&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-RV-S...s%2C265&sr=8-2

[wiredgeorge]

The page with all those units that was first posted had many of the EMS unit labeled surge protectors. Many of the units were different prices but looked the same. The links you provided are much more helpful. Thanks! wg

[jxnbbl]

If your interested in a used EMS send me a private message we can work a deal. We traded in our trailer for a large one after 11 months and it went from 30A -> 50A so I have the following sitting in the garage

[Weldon]

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

If your interested in a used EMS send me a private message we can work a deal. We traded in our trailer for a large one after 11 months and it went from 30A -> 50A so I have the following sitting in the garage

This is the same EMS that we have, and I purchased it from a forum member. I can attest to it's necessity. It saved my bacon wile camping at jekyll island last year. Instead of shopping for a new camper after that trip, I only had to replace the EMS. When I reached ot to Progressive, they even replaced the PT30X, even though I wasn't the original purchaser. Ended up costing me $0 out of pocket. Could have been thousands different if I was using only a surge protector. Buy one. You won't regret it

[wiredgeorge]

Hopefully the OP will get back on the site to see some of the comments made. He logged off about an hour after posting.

[flybouy]

153 posts in 10 years, I'm guessing he comes around when he has a question. If you send him a PM he might get that emailed to him if he's set up the notification for that.