Surge Protector

[JHC]

Proud new owner of a 22MLE. I have been reading up and it appears a good surge protector is warranted. They seem very expensive but so is the TT. Any recommendations on a good one, either plug in or hard-wired. Thank you.

[howson]

Proud new owner of a 22MLE. I have been reading up and it appears a good surge protector is warranted. They seem very expensive but so is the TT. Any recommendations on a good one, either plug in or hard-wired. Thank you.

Welcome to the Technical Forum.

I think what you're looking to get is an Electrical Management System, or EMS. An EMS is much more than a surge protector.

Chad and Tara (GD LIfestyle Ambassadors) from Changing Lanes have an excellent video on the topic.

[Country Campers]

JHC

We have camped many years with out any type of surge protector before our Grand Design unit and before joining such a Forum as this (these folks like to spend others money). With all of that said I do have a hard wired EMS from Progressive Dynamics. These are not too hard to install if you have easy access to do so. The plug in type on the post are another option but i have found 2 in campsites that folks have gone off and left behind. They are a little pricey and there are lots of members that have encountered situations where they actually saved there electronics inside there RV. The plug in one can get forgotten or "borrowed" by someone else. The hard wired takes a little to install. If you really want one decide on which style an go for it. I have not had an places that we have stayed that have caused us any issues with one and with out one. Just my 2 cents worth.

Brian

[JHC]

Thank you Brian. I am thinking going the hard-wired route.

[boyscout]

Thank you Brian. I am thinking going the hard-wired route.

Another vote for the Progressive Dynamics HW-50C. I've been using one for nearly three years, no issues. A small handful of people who HAVE had an issue with theirs have reported amazingly-prompt and helpful response from the manufacturer.

[ncitro]

Another vote for the Progressive Dynamics HW-50C. I've been using one for nearly three years, no issues. A small handful of people who HAVE had an issue with theirs have reported amazingly-prompt and helpful response from the manufacturer.

Agree here. I think it was TucsonJim that had trouble with his shore cord, which the hard wired version would protect against.

[TucsonJim]

Agree here. I think it was TucsonJim that had trouble with his shore cord, which the hard wired version would protect against.

Actually, that was Paul Paul & Deb who had the shore power cord issue.

I use the portable version and it works fine for us. Both the hardwired and portable versions have their pros and cons. I like the fact that if I'm helping another owner with an electrical problem, I can plug my portable one into their pedestal and get a reading for them. And if you decide to change to a new RV, you'll have to remove it from the old RV, or buy a new one.

Jim

[OffToHavasu]

Agree here. I think it was TucsonJim that had trouble with his shore cord, which the hard wired version would protect against.

Actually the new Surge Guard plug in model would have seen the issue. The new model monitors open neutral both up stream and down stream. I prefer this method because if there is a large surge event, I'd rather have the bang happen outside my trailer and not inside.

[boyscout]

if there is a large surge event, I'd rather have the bang happen outside my trailer and not inside.

I just talked to Progressive Industries technical support to ask about this. They admit that it might be possible to get a "bang" out of one of their internal units if there was a direct lighting strike on the trailer, which would also make microwave, television, fridge, and most other things go "bang" too.

The technician said that they have never seen even serious melting of one of their units. Ever. This is in part because the guts of the unit are a very small circuit board, an actuator, and contact plates, none of which have the mass to create significant heat before being destroyed. They are also UL-certified - they are tested and proven NOT to catch fire.

Having started out years ago with the then-topmost 50-amp Surge Guard pedestal model for a few months I can compare the experience of owning both. No contest for me - internal mount is less trouble, less worry. I sleep just fine at night.

[OffToHavasu]

I just talked to Progressive Industries technical support to ask about this. They admit that it might be possible to get a "bang" out of one of their internal units if there was a direct lighting strike on the trailer, which would also make microwave, television, fridge, and most other things go "bang" too.

The technician said that they have never seen even serious melting of one of their units. Ever. This is in part because the guts of the unit are a very small circuit board, an actuator, and contact plates, none of which have the mass to create significant heat before being destroyed. They are also UL-certified - they are tested and proven NOT to catch fire.

Having started out years ago with the then-topmost 50-amp Surge Guard pedestal model for a few months I can compare the experience of owning both. No contest for me - internal mount is less trouble, less worry. I sleep just fine at night.

I've seen the end results of a surge protection. No contest for me - external mount, less worry. I sleep just fine at night.

[ncitro]

Actually, that was Paul Paul & Deb who had the shore power cord issue.

I use the portable version and it works fine for us. Both the hardwired and portable versions have their pros and cons. I like the fact that if I'm helping another owner with an electrical problem, I can plug my portable one into their pedestal and get a reading for them. And if you decide to change to a new RV, you'll have to remove it from the old RV, or buy a new one.

Jim

That’s right. I couldn’t recall. That story is what convinced me to go with the internal, plus I don’t need to keep track of it or worry about it walking off. Good point about flexibility of troubleshooting. If I ever sell the rig it’ll be one of many things I’ll have to decide whether to replace or take off. Sometimes I feel like I may as well have built one from scratch lol.

[Cate&Rob]

This has been an interesting back-and-forth evolution between external and internal (hardwired) EMS. Basic “surge protectors” are not really in this game. Over the years, we collectively convinced ourselves that it was safer if the unit was outside the trailer. Then we worked through Paul’s issue that could only be “seen” by a unit inside the trailer and the hardwired version gained preference. The latest evolution is the post unit that can see a missing neutral downstream which puts the preference back with the post unit (in my opinion).

Rob

[ncitro]

This has been an interesting back-and-forth evolution between external and internal (hardwired) EMS. Basic “surge protectors” are not really in this game. Over the years, we collectively convinced ourselves that it was safer if the unit was outside the trailer. Then we worked through Paul’s issue that could only be “seen” by a unit inside the trailer and the hardwired version gained preference. The latest evolution is the post unit that can see a missing neutral downstream which puts the preference back with the post unit (in my opinion).

Rob

It’s true. It’s been impressive tothe innovation in this regard in her the last few years. Has that been an option when I got mine I might have gone that way.

[ThePowells]

Our Progressive EMS is hardwired and our's is under the fake fireplace. That was the first addition to our first RV and we had the new one in hand when we took delivery of this one, but it didn't get installed right away.

[JHC]

All good information. I am thinking hard wired but I need to figure out where to install in the 22MLE.