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Old 03-30-2019, 09:05 AM   #1
BoondockingBakers
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Surge Protectors

We have never camped anywhere that had full hook-ups before but plan to do so this coming July. I think we need a surge protector but everything I read is confusing to us. I believe Progressive is a good option and what we are considering but I have a question. We know we have one blown fuze in our TT and a light that does not work but that we don't care about. Everything else in our TT works fine. Will this prevent the surge protector from working and providing power to our TT?
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Old 03-30-2019, 09:09 AM   #2
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If you have a blown fuse for an interior light, that is 12VDC and has nothing to do with the 110VAC stuff including the converter, shore power or potential surge protector.

ANY surge protection is better than none, that said there are a few choices and features. I have a hardwired 30A with remote display form Progressive Industries. Look on line at the reviews before you decide on brand and features. in this case you really get what you pay for.
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Old 03-30-2019, 09:09 AM   #3
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If you have a blown fuse, it will only impact the attached circuit/devices. This is downstream from the trailer surge protector. The progressive industries EMS's will protect the power coming into the trailer before it even hits your Power Center - at the source.
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Old 03-30-2019, 10:27 AM   #4
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If you are looking at "surge protectors" look a bit further for an "EMS" (electrical management system). A true surge protector won't do much for you but the ems can/will really save your bacon. They aren't cheap but they are a bargain considering what they do for you. Here is a link to the Progressive website that gives you what the various products do. You want the EMS unit for whatever amperage your trailer is:

https://www.progressiveindustries.ne...ed-comparisons

Here is a link to a Surge Guard products:

https://rvpower.southwire.com/produc...ge-protection/

These 2 types of units are about the most popular I believe. Costs are approx. $250-300 or so. The Surge Guard EMS units start with 34xxx.
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Old 03-30-2019, 10:56 AM   #5
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After much research, I just purchased the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X. It should meet all of our needs.
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Old 03-30-2019, 11:35 AM   #6
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Good choice.
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Old 04-02-2019, 09:25 AM   #7
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Agreed it's a good choice.

Just need to remember to turn the switch on the panel off when running the generator.
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Old 04-02-2019, 09:39 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GMcKenzie View Post
Agreed it's a good choice.

Just need to remember to turn the switch on the panel off when running the generator.
The switch you're referring to is the "bypass" switch.

I'm sure the experts will chime in here with greater detail but you do not want to bypass your EMS for any reason other than the EMS being broken. If you bypass the EMS you lose all protection it gives you.

My understanding is many generators will cause an EMS to report a ground or neutral issue, but there is an inexpensive plug-type adapter you can install on your generator to correct this. That would allow you to use your generator with your EMS.

Here's a page on Progressive Industries' site that talks more about this. https://www.progressiveindustries.ne...oating-Neutral
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Old 04-02-2019, 02:41 PM   #9
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Can someone tell me why a surge protector is needed? If properly sized, the loadcenter in your RV should protect everything in the RV. I’m curious what is being damaged and by what means?
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Old 04-02-2019, 03:18 PM   #10
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Campground power systems are notoriously bad (spikes, brownouts, etc.) - all of which can cause a great deal of damage to the electrical components of the trailer. If you search, you'll find lots of comments from folks whose components of one type of another were destroyed due to power issues.

Surge protectors will protect you from surges, but there are other things to worry about as well, so the EMS (Electrical Management System) is favored - but at a higher cost. I just installed the Progressive EMS HW30C wired-in unit which I paid around $229US for.
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Old 04-02-2019, 03:54 PM   #11
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Can someone tell me why a surge protector is needed? If properly sized, the loadcenter in your RV should protect everything in the RV. I’m curious what is being damaged and by what means?
The only thing the main breaker in your rig will do is trip due to excessive load (amperage). It will not protect from over or under voltage, over or under frequency (Hz or cycles), missing ground or neutral, reverse polarity (your neutral and hotleg backwards), and of course the surge or lightning protection.

Prior to installing our 50 Amp hardwired unit, we lost satellite electronics and a couple other things. We had a broken ground prong in our shore cord, and the unit would not allow power to the rig until the plug was replaced. We were at another park that had a new pedestal, and the guy that installed it forgot to connect the neutral wire and the EMS again would not power up the rig until that was repaired.

When dry camping with our Honda generators, we just use a three prong plug with a wire connected to the ground terminal and the neutral terminal, and plugged into one of the 120 volt outlets on the generator, and the generator works with the EMS. A lot of the inverter type generators do not have the ground and neutral tied together, and this simple plug solves that problem.
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Old 04-02-2019, 06:43 PM   #12
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Also, an EMS will protect you against miswired power outlets.
I learned this the hard way.
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Old 04-04-2019, 10:47 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by crk112 View Post
The switch you're referring to is the "bypass" switch.

I'm sure the experts will chime in here with greater detail but you do not want to bypass your EMS for any reason other than the EMS being broken. If you bypass the EMS you lose all protection it gives you.

My understanding is many generators will cause an EMS to report a ground or neutral issue, but there is an inexpensive plug-type adapter you can install on your generator to correct this. That would allow you to use your generator with your EMS.

Here's a page on Progressive Industries' site that talks more about this. https://www.progressiveindustries.ne...oating-Neutral
I get that it bypasses, but I'm a lot less worried about my generator than I am trailer park power. I can't run the AC on mine, so I just run it to top up batteries when I'm dry camping.
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Old 04-04-2019, 10:56 AM   #14
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I run my genny with my EMS all the time. I would not bypass the ems to run the generator. Generators can go bad too.
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Old 04-08-2019, 06:15 AM   #15
BoondockingBakers
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Why would you need to run your generator at all if you are plugged into shore power?
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Old 04-08-2019, 12:06 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BoondockingBakers View Post
Why would you need to run your generator at all if you are plugged into shore power?
Sorry if we took the thread a little off track there with the generator speak... to answer your question, you wouldn't. You might only camp at sites with electric hookups and thus not need a generator.

We were just making the point that if you hard-wire an EMS into your RV shore power cable, there will be additional considerations if and when you ever need to plug your shore power into a generator for electricity.
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Old 04-11-2019, 09:33 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by BoondockingBakers View Post
After much research, I just purchased the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X. It should meet all of our needs.
EMS is best, because it tells you the condition of the power source you are connecting to, as well as giving surge protection. Power sources aren't as common a problem as they used to be, but we have had a couple instances of voltage dropping too low (which can burn up a motor), and one of voltage too high (which can damage electronics). Cheap insurance.
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Old 04-11-2019, 09:51 AM   #18
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Buy an electrical management system (EMS). They are expensive ($300 - $500) but here's why. We were in SC when the neutral opened up on the main feeder to about 8 RV's. That means that 220 volts goes where the 110 volts should be. The other RV's did not have an EMS and lost their TV's, radios, power management systems, and other 110 volt equipment. I had no damage. This have happened again to us in AZ. Same result for us: no damage.

The EMS shuts down your system if the voltage gets too low, or too high. This protects all of your electrical equipment especially your AC. It is also a surge protector. It is cheap insurance.
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Old 04-11-2019, 12:50 PM   #19
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I bought one because I lost a converter and all satellite TV equipment
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Old 04-11-2019, 03:20 PM   #20
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I have used both the EMS-HW30C in my Class B and the EMS-HW50C in my new Cougar
TT. More expensive than the others but you get a full Electrical Management System not
just a surge protector. The Hard wired is a bit more complicated to install but it's the best thing you will do to protect your second home from low voltage, high voltage and other
electrical issues. Look at it as insurance against electrical problem that would cost you more if there is an issue. Lightning is also a very serious problem, so protect yourself.
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