another request or opinions

[bennu36]

So when I bought the interstate I was taken over to the dealers "camping "store to get my starter kit and such. While there and still under the infuence of what ever psychotic event that caused me to buy this thing in the first place I was talked into buying a "surge protector", a $250 to $300 item. This monster plugs in between the shore power and you and, among othere things, keeps the power from popping back on for like 120 seconds allowing you ac compressor to bleed down before coming back on. A couple of week ago,again in some depleted mental capacity, I left this thing at the campground we were staying at. You are welcome who ever was next. So here is my question is one of these things really needed? I have never seen anyone else useing one. Before I go and plop down another 3 bills I thought I would ask..

[SteveSueMac]

Sorry about that. In my opinion it is absolutely worth having. I bought one and we stayed at a campground the very next weekend whose power was shaky. It worked exactly as advertised. Several times the campground voltage dipped too low and everything was safely powered down until things were restored to normal. Had it been a surge, I believe the protector would have performed just as well, protecting lots of expensive electronics.

Expensive but "cheap" insurance in the long run.

[c21]

The Progressive Industries EMS-PT30C is on EBAY right now for $239 with free economy shipping. Last time I looked the guy had two left.

[TBRich]

We also use one of these for our 19' Bambi. It has cut power to the rig a couple of times when things weren't right in paradise. I think they are worth it. Wimpy surge protectors are not worth it.

Check with your insurance to see if your loss can be covered. Of course, your deductible might be too high to do you any good.

[Reganzo]

Originally Posted by bennu36

So when I bought the interstate I was taken over to the dealers "camping "store to get my starter kit and such. While there and still under the infuence of what ever psychotic event that caused me to buy this thing in the first place I was talked into buying a "surge protector", a $250 to $300 item. This monster plugs in between the shore power and you and, among othere things, keeps the power from popping back on for like 120 seconds allowing you ac compressor to bleed down before coming back on. A couple of week ago,again in some depleted mental capacity, I left this thing at the campground we were staying at. You are welcome who ever was next. So here is my question is one of these things really needed? I have never seen anyone else useing one. Before I go and plop down another 3 bills I thought I would ask..

Did you try calling the campground to see if the next camper turned it in to the office? I left a tool box behind and it had been turned in, and I was able to get UPS to pick it up and ship it back to me for a lot less than replacing all the tools. Just a thought....

Regards,

Reganzo

[moosetags]

I'm not going to say that these surge protectors are a waste as I have often thought about getting one. It is just something that I have never gotten around to.

That being said, we have camped in Lucy for almost 1,400 nights over an eight year period. We have hooked up to 30 amp power in at least several hundred different campgrounds all over the United State and Canada. We have never had any power surge issues.

I still may get around to getting one of these things. I guess that I never have because I just don't want to add another thing to deal with.

Brian

[Boxster1971]

Do try calling the campground. I left my fresh water hose on the picnic table at a camp site this summer and the campground called me. But I was too far down the road to go back for a $10 hose. I would have gone back for my surge protector, or had it shipped to me.

I use my surge protector all the time -- my experienced camper friend recommend it. Some high end big rigs have them built in. All that expensive electronics in these units can easily get damaged by bad power.

Originally Posted by Reganzo

Did you try calling the campground to see if the next camper turned it in to the office? I left a tool box behind and it had been turned in, and I was able to get UPS to pick it up and ship it back to me for a lot less than replacing all the tools. Just a thought....

[c21]

A few years ago in an rv campground we had a power surge that fried my tv. That was in a trailer as opposed to a modern rv with all their electronic stuff. I'm down with paying for a little extra protection. Hell, the things only cost about 2/10ths of 1% of the cost of these coaches.

[PSchw]

I installed one permanently and hooked it in so it protects not only from the shore power but also from the generator as they can fail and cause damages too.
I believe it is a good investment.

[Al - K4GLU]

Have been camping 14 years - fulltiming since Oct 2006 - never had one and never had a problem.

[PSchw]

Yes I never had on either but all it takes is one and I have a mobile office in it set up so lots if sensitive electronic equipment. It checks and limits voltage amps and frequency.
It's like an insurance you don't need but you happy having it if anything happens.
I guess it is a personal preference.

[overlander64]

I always wondered about the value of a surge protector for my Airstream, and purchased one after installing my third appliance with an integrated circuit board. My thought was that I wanted to protect the circuit boards in my then new Dometic 3-way refrigerator, Suburban furnace, and Coleman air conditioner. Experience with maintaining a computer system with 300+ computers taught me the value of surge protection in our rural area where power outages, electric storms, and ice storms could all produce power issues as well as when a nearby commercial installation would have all of their coolers and other small electric motors operating simultaneously.

I learned the value of the surge protector when I neglected to include it in my preparation of the Minuet for its first long trip. While parked in the Vintage section of the WBCCI International Rally at Springfield, MO, we eoncountered a severe thunderstorm with cloud to ground lightning that stuck withing about 600 yards of my spot . . . the electricity surged . . . and all of the Minuets electrical devices sped up and made some unpleasant noises. I thought that I had escaped major damage as everything settled down and seemed to return to normal. Three weeks later, I was preparing for a camping trip in Northern Illinois and the Coleman Mini Mach air conditioner refused to work . . . the diagnosis was that the power serge had weakened the capacitors and they chose that next camping trip to fail . . . parts and labor $255. I feel confident that had I had the surge protector on that trip that the capacitor replacement would have been avoided (the air conditioner was new that season and had seen almost no use prior to the International Rally).

Kevin

P.S.: The surge protector is among the first things to go into the tub where I carry my electrical cord and adapters when preparing for a trip in either Airstream or Argosy.

[c21]

An even better deal for the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30C Surge Protector: Dyer's RV (online) has it for $232.98 with free shipping. Pretty cheap insurance IMHO.

[openroad118]

Make that 1

[Jim Clark]

I have one, it is always in use. My trailer is parked at my home and the surge protector is always inline. I treat it as part of the connectiing cord, unplug the surge protector then the power cord. Use a bike lock to secure it.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by c21bill

An even better deal for the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30C Surge Protector: Dyer's RV (online) has it for $232.98 with free shipping. Pretty cheap insurance IMHO.

Also the one we use.
Mostly on the pad at home as the power company just realized that electricity needs working transformers.

Bob

[PSchw]

I got the EMS-HW30C installed in mine we works fine and with the remote it even tells you what the problem was. Installing it in the inside allows me to also monitor the generator power coming in which I heard could also sometimes being trouble some. It also helps not to leave it on site when packing up.
peter

[dkottum]

A good one also protects against low voltage (resulting in high current flow) and that's more common than many may realize. We have one and use it.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I have one too, but only use it if there will be a thunderstorm. A friend of mine has one in his motorhome and showed me one the saved his motorhome while it'self was fried.

[joemikeb]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, I have one too, but only use it if there will be a thunderstorm. A friend of mine has one in his motorhome and showed me one the saved his motorhome while it'self was fried.

That is one that did the job it was supposed to do. Point of interest surge protectors get hit by lots of brief unnoticed surges any time they are in use. Over time these little hits begin to add up and the switching circuits in the surge protector begin to slow down. and are more likely to let surges get through before the protection can react. I have seen recommendations for the protection of sensitive electronic equipment because of this response slowdown with age surge protectors should be considered a consumable item and replaced at least every three years. (Of course this recommendation came from a vendor of surge protectors.)