EMS or Hughes Autoformer

Rdynbama · 04-09-2022, 06:05 AM

Good morning All
I currently have a SurgeGuard surge protector. I am considering the portable Hughes Watchdog with EPO or the Hughes Autoformer which will boost low voltage situations and surge protection but I don’t think it has an emergency power off option
Also I have read that it may actually be banned in 2023 because of its ability to draw in more amps and possibly overload the CG electricity pedestal. Any thoughts
Thanks in advance

dutchmensport · 04-09-2022, 06:36 AM

My first surge protector was a SurgeGuard. It was plugged in 24x7, unless we were actually on the road. It lasted exactly 1 year, took and hit and fried. It protected the trailer, but the unit was dead. SurgeGuard had no repair or replacement policy. I was just out of luck getting it fixed or repaird by SurgeGuard, the only choice was to buy a new one. (nope, I wasn't going to do that!) Fool me once, that on you. Fool me the second time, that's on me!

I ended up getting a Progressive Industries portable. However, it got stolen. I do not know how. It did not happen when at a campground. So, I purchased a second one and found a way to connect it inside the camper, and when we sold the camper, I could simply unplug it and remove it. We used it for several years.

It finally bit the dust and that's when I switched to a Hughes Autofoamer.

The 30 amp Hughes Autoformer worked well with my previous 30 amp travel trailer. It also works very will with our current 50 amp fifth wheel. Of course, it plugs into a 30 amp RV outlet. But it works very well. However, shortly after I purchased it (like the next month), I got a forced update on my phone and the WatchDog app changed. When that happened, the Bluetooth feature quit working with this app. I was very disappointed when that happened. I've never got it to work since (the Phone App) for my unit, which was part of the attraction for getting the Hughes in the first place. Little did I know at the time but, one month after that, we traded the 30 amp travel trailer for a 50 amp fifth wheel. So now I'm 50 amp, so I use it only when in sites that have 30 amp only (which is rare). Still, the Autofoamer itself works very well.

I have had 2 different Progressive Industries models. The 30 amp portable, which finally died after several years and I replaced it with the Hughes. And then when we got the 50 amp fifth wheel, I picked up the P50 portable 50 amp EMS. I've been using it ever since.

Granted the Progressive Industries model is costly, but it has been worth it's weight in gold many, many times. It has shut power down to the fifth wheel several times, for incorrect ground, for low voltage, for high voltage, spikes, and all sorts of things. Almost every time, it was the campground power at the shore power outlet breaker that was the problem, or miss wired in the outlet. It's saved us many times now.

It's been plugged in, 24x7 for over 3 years now, except when actually traveling. It does not work with my 2 Cummings Onan P4500i inverter generators run in parallel, as I have not tweeked the generators to fake out a ground. But that's really OK, because the generator has it's own checks and safety features to protect whatever is plugged in.

So, if you are asking for opinions, the Hughes works nice. The Blue Tooth App is great (if it works). But, I've also never experienced any actual "hits" with the Hughes so I really do not know how it recovers after a hit.

The Progressive 50 amp EMS resets itself, is a no brainer, and in my opinion is the best of all of them. I don't mind standing in front of the EMS outside at the power pole to check the electric pulling on leg 1 and leg 2. I usually check this when first plugging in, and then forget it unless the power to the trailer shuts down. And the last couple times that happened, it was the entire campground that went dark.

Hope this helps.

Rdynbama · 04-09-2022, 06:42 AM

Thank you. I have a friend who happens to be an electrician and he uses the Hughes watchdog 50 with EPO and really likes it but the Bluetooth doesn’t always work on his

Laredo Tugger · 04-09-2022, 06:47 AM

I had this same decision a few years ago.
I ended up getting the Autoformer. It serves the dual purposes of surge protection and voltage stability.
As for drawing more amps, the CG pedestal is 50 amps. You're not going to get more than that without tripping the breaker. I have never trpped one yet.The "ban for use" you mention is a misrepresentation by competitors of the Autoformer manufacturers, Hughes. With the price of this unit I would not lock it to the pedestal. A hardwire install would be preferable.
Good luck
RMc

Rdynbama · 04-09-2022, 07:15 AM

Thank you, they are pretty expensive compared to the watchdog . I haven’t seen the Hughes Autoformer offered in a hard wired version, just the portable grey box that plugs into the shore power pedestal
I have seen the Watchdog in both portable and hardwired versions

**JRTJH** · 04-09-2022, 07:56 AM

The "Hughes autoformer ban" has been a urban legend for years. It's always "starting next year they will be banned...." but so far, it's never got to "this year"....

There are some campgrounds that will "enforce no autoformers" but only if they can see them. The external model that sits under the trailer is hard to hide, so that style may draw some criticism in some places, but the built in or the "external installed inside" is, at least in my opinion, impossible for anyone to detect without a search warrant... So......

That said, I've got a 30 amp trailer and a PI hardwired EMS. I wouldn't be without it or some other brand EMS. It's saved our bacon more than once...

wiredgeorge · 04-09-2022, 08:11 AM

I had my Progressive EMS fail about 3 years ago. I had purchased in via eBay and no dealer sales receipt. They replaced the failed unit and told me to destroy the old one. No questions asked. I still have the Progressive EMS (30A hand from pedestal type) still connected to pedestal here at the property plugged in and protecting my camper's electrical stuff right at this moment. I bought the kind that hangs on the pedestal because we have used this and previous campers and I like just unplugging and holding on to it. Others like the type installed in the camper and the bluetooth stuff.

Rdynbama · 04-09-2022, 08:12 AM

Thank you
I’m leaning towards the portable watch dog 50 with EPO since it is supposed to shut everything off if it senses a problem with anything in the incoming shore power and restart after the problem is gone or stabilized for 90 seconds and if it does take a surge that module can be replaced with a screwdriver and a little know how . The grey box has to be shipped back to the manufacturer to get repaired.
Thanks for your reply

**flybouy** · 04-09-2022, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdynbama

Thank you, they are pretty expensive compared to the watchdog . I haven’t seen the Hughes Autoformer offered in a hard wired version, just the portable grey box that plugs into the shore power pedestal
I have seen the Watchdog in both portable and hardwired versions

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdynbama

Good morning All
I currently have a SurgeGuard surge protector. I am considering the portable Hughes Watchdog with EPO or the Hughes Autoformer which will boost low voltage situations and surge protection but I don’t think it has an emergency power off option
Also I have read that it may actually be banned in 2023 because of its ability to draw in more amps and possibly overload the CG electricity pedestal. Any thoughts
Thanks in advance

First you are talking 2 different devices. Any EMS is better than a "surge protector". As to the autoformer I bought on from the clearence rack at CW years ago at about 75% off the price. They (Hughes) sell a hardwire "kit" but I installed mine by removing the plugs and wiring it in direct. When I changed over from internal stored mouse hole (30 amp) to a twist lock I simply wired it in between the romex and the twistlock.

As for "outlawing" them that's hype. Ohm's law demontrates the for a given power output there's a direct relationship between amps and volts. If the voltage drops the amperage increases to produce the same power (watts). The autoformer is simply a box with a transformer with a couple of different windings. When the voltage drops it connects a set of windings that increase the voltage to prevent damage to the air conditioner. The power pedestal is protected by a breaker as is the camper inside. If the trailer draws more than the rated amps for more then a second the braker will trip. There is no "wizardry" that will allow a device to pull higher amperage for any length of time greter than the breaker rating.

Rdynbama · 04-09-2022, 08:36 AM

I should have known that! 50 amp breaker is only going to allow 50 amps! I do know that it just didn’t register this morning with all the information overload on the web. I’m aware that they are two different devices. I’m just trying to figure out which one to drop the cash on. Sounds like I might could actually use both? Hardwire the grey box inside and use the EMS at the pedestal
Thank you for your reply

locomech · 04-09-2022, 08:53 AM

Last year I purchased the Hughes 30 amp Watchdog EPO Autoformer after my surge guard stopped working. I've only used it a couple of times but had no problems with it or any of the campgrounds that I've been to. The phone app worked as expected and is a nice feature. What I didn't like about it is the bright dog face warning light that is bright white when all is ok, and red when there is a problem. I have the portable model so the DW made a cover for it to block the brightly lit screen. I use a bike cable lock to secure it to the pedestal as a deterrent to theft.
As far as the Hughes Autoformers being banned here's a link from Hughes explaining why it is not being banned. https://hughesautoformers.com/run-yo...arding-nfpa70/

Rdynbama · 04-09-2022, 09:01 AM

Thank you for link and your reply locomech

wiredgeorge · 04-09-2022, 09:41 AM

Listen to Marshall! He has been around since Georg Simon Ohm came up with this electrical gibberish.

Rdynbama · 04-09-2022, 09:45 AM

Lol who is Marshall ?

RollaMo · 04-09-2022, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdynbama

Lol who is Marshall ?

Look back at post #9

Lots of experience and knowledge from quite a few members.

**flybouy** · 04-09-2022, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdynbama

I should have known that! 50 amp breaker is only going to allow 50 amps! I do know that it just didn’t register this morning with all the information overload on the web. I’m aware that they are two different devices. I’m just trying to figure out which one to drop the cash on. Sounds like I might could actually use both? Hardwire the grey box inside and use the EMS at the pedestal
Thank you for your reply

Definitely the EMS! The autoformer will help keep the voltage up but the EMS will protect against so much more. Both is great but EMS first and foremost IMO.

Rdynbama · 04-09-2022, 12:01 PM

Thanks to all . I think I’m going to go with the portable Watch Dog 50 EMS and maybe add the Autoformer at a later date . I appreciate you all sharing your knowledge and opinions Thanks again

rhagfo · 04-09-2022, 03:23 PM

Well may be late to the party, but we have a hardwired PI 50 amp EMS. Besides theft the portables can put your power connection between the EMS and power line on the ground and exposed toe the weather.

Laredo Tugger · 04-09-2022, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdynbama

Thank you, they are pretty expensive compared to the watchdog . I haven’t seen the Hughes Autoformer offered in a hard wired version, just the portable grey box that plugs into the shore power pedestal
I have seen the Watchdog in both portable and hardwired versions

Yes the price is a factor for the purchase of the Autoformer. I just figured that with the dual service capabilities (an excellent surge protector and something to insure all appliances in the trailer are receiving sufficient voltage all the time) it would be the best value.
As mentioned there is a hard wire kit available. I mounted mine to the frame near the 50 amp plug into trailer(in the rear, drivers side) and reconfigured my power cords to get power in and out of the Autoformer.
Unless campground managers are standing by with search warrants upon check-in looking for the dreaded Autoformer you will not have any problem with any "ban".
RMc

Rdynbama · 04-10-2022, 05:51 AM

I ordered the Watchdog 50 EMS and it’s supposed to be delivered Thursday. I don’t worry to much about bad power here at home. I have had 3 different RV’s plugged in here over the past 20 years and never had a problem just using a surge protector but since retiring in January we hope to get out more often and thought I should upgrade my protection in different CGs. I still might look into hardwiring the Autoformer at a later date. Thank you all

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