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jnuechte · 02-25-2018, 07:04 PM

So I am looking to purchase a surge protector for the trailer this season and want to get the best figuring the progressive industries. My question is this... Our trailer is a 30A trailer and so I was considering the EMS-PT30X ($269). However some day we will likely upgrade from our 2012 trailer and may end up with a dual AC 50A unit... Is there any reason to not just get the 50A EMS-PT50X ($336), and use adaptors while we only have a 30A airstream? This will allow us to upgrade in the future and keep the same unit.

Any negatives to doing this besides needing adaptors and the extra cost...?

**wulfraat** · 02-25-2018, 07:27 PM

Get the 30A. You will likely hit campgrounds that don't have 50A service, and you'll be outta luck and be forced to run naked. Murphy's law will dictate that the one time you don't use the surge protector that you are carrying your trailer gets fried.

Buying a 50A replacement surge protector in the future when you are upgrading your service will be a rounding error financially compared to a new AC, new wiring, panel, etc..

Get the right tool for the job IMO.

Baby Zeppelin · 02-25-2018, 07:41 PM

We have a new 50 amp Airsteam, having two A/C units on the roof. So far we've only used the trailer once, and camped at a Florida state park with 30 amp service. We have a 50 amp Progressive Industries surge protector, and it worked fine with a 30 to 50 amp dog bone adapter between it and the pedestal.

The only downside was the foot long adapter had the expensive surge protector laying on the ground. I've since purchased a short 30/50 amp adapter but haven't had a chance to try it yet.

In any event the 50 amp surge protector worked fine testing and displaying the 30 amp voltage and amperage readings, and I assume worked fine to protect the trailer.

rmkrum · 02-25-2018, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnuechte

So I am looking to purchase a surge protector for the trailer this season and want to get the best figuring the progressive industries. My question is this... Our trailer is a 30A trailer and so I was considering the EMS-PT30X ($269). However some day we will likely upgrade from our 2012 trailer and may end up with a dual AC 50A unit... Is there any reason to not just get the 50A EMS-PT50X ($336), and use adaptors while we only have a 30A airstream? This will allow us to upgrade in the future and keep the same unit.

Any negatives to doing this besides needing adaptors and the extra cost...?

Keep in mind a 30 amp surge protecter is for a single 120 volt 30 amp circuit.

The 50 is for a double 120 volt (actually 240 volt) 50 amps per side circuit. It’s not wired properly to use on a 30 amp setup, and may not work properly.

If your AS is only 30 amp, there is no need to spend the extra money. Upgrade the surge protector when you upgrade the power circuits....and put the old one up for sale...

waninae39 · 02-25-2018, 07:59 PM

Yes, the 30A is made one single phase service
The 50 A is made for two phase service ie two x 115V with a common neutral

get the 30 A model

tjdonahoe · 02-26-2018, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnuechte

So I am looking to purchase a surge protector for the trailer this season and want to get the best figuring the progressive industries. My question is this... Our trailer is a 30A trailer and so I was considering the EMS-PT30X ($269). However some day we will likely upgrade from our 2012 trailer and may end up with a dual AC 50A unit... Is there any reason to not just get the 50A EMS-PT50X ($336), and use adaptors while we only have a 30A airstream? This will allow us to upgrade in the future and keep the same unit.

Any negatives to doing this besides needing adaptors and the extra cost...?

There are cheaper ones out there.. try amazon... I saved quite a bit...

FCStreamer · 02-26-2018, 10:07 AM

I use the 50A model, and in camps with 30A service I just use a 50-30A adapter. Works fine.

capt_ron777 · 02-26-2018, 10:11 AM

not sure I understand. Are you saying that if you have 50 amp service but dogbone down to 30 that a 50 amp surgeprotector won't work properly?

Outbackga · 02-26-2018, 10:32 AM

I do not believe surge protectors measure amperage in any way, just protect from over voltage. There is no reason the 50A protector would not work adapted to 30A connection, as it is used to protect from over voltage on two separate 120 VAC circuits. Using only one circuit will work fine

MWBishop · 02-26-2018, 10:50 AM

Was in same boat. Had the 30A EMS for old trailer, but when bought the 50A FC also bought a 50A EMS. Now keep both along with a 30A cord with 50/30 adapter. Now when at 30A campground (which is most of the time) I don't have to fool with the heavy 50A cord - AND I have a "spare" EMS just in case.

jimmy-g · 02-26-2018, 12:02 PM

I should not be chiming in since I won't even have an Airstream til April, but I had the same question. I posted the question on the Progressive Industries web site and they replied back that the EMS-PT50 will work on a 30A pedestal with a dog bone. It looks like they also have an adapter that can replace the dog bone. It is a puck that plugs into the pedestal and the 50A plug plugs into it so you don't have the cable hanging down.

brick1 · 02-26-2018, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmy-g

I should not be chiming in since I won't even have an Airstream til April, but I had the same question. I posted the question on the Progressive Industries web site and they replied back that the EMS-PT50 will work on a 30A pedestal with a dog bone. It looks like they also have an adapter that can replace the dog bone. It is a puck that plugs into the pedestal and the 50A plug plugs into it so you don't have the cable hanging down.

I asked them the same question, and got the same answer: 50EMS-PT50 works when connected to a 30 amp service.
Yes, you can buy cheaper. May, or may not work as well.
brick

GM Airstream · 02-26-2018, 12:28 PM

The way that the surge protectors work is on the voltage side of the curve... i.e spikes

The 30 amp vs 50 is not much difference... both are looking at the spikes that can kill the trailer.. not the current... as the trailer will draw what it needs... only... so what you need is to stop the spikes that occur from other trailers switching things on and off.. like AC...
As far as I can tell the 50 amp is set up for 240 volt... L1, L2 has the protection from each side of the line to ground and is used to protect electrical or electronic components from damage due to voltage spikes. This is an important device that is used to limit the voltage supply to any device. It can be done by shorting or blocking voltage (unwanted or above safe threshold) supplied to ground.

Their are actually 3 different types of surge protectors...

Basic surge protector:
This is designed to prevent electronics from big surges. It does not protect devices against low/high voltage. It is not capable of detecting faulty wiring if any. It helps with an only electrical problem that is caused by lightning strikes. These are available with 30/50 amp models.

Basic surge protector with faulty wiring indicator:
This can be better than first one as it can detect the faulty wiring. It comes with indicator lights that prevent you from plugging RV power to pedestal if it has been wrongly wired. Again they are not capable of preventing you from low/high voltage conditions. They are also available with 30/50 amp models.

Complete RV power protector:
This is the perfect option to look into. It helps prevent damage from high voltage or low voltage conditions. It can also detect faulty wiring. Many electrical appliances damage due to voltage spikes, so you need to get it. Complete RV power protector can be more expensive than other two options, but it is worth buying. It can detect and prevent any damage caused by an electrical surge, low line frequency, high line frequency, low voltage, high voltage, open ground, reverse polarity and much more.

If you use the 30 amp one... it only has one set of protections... i.e Line to ground

And the cost of the protectors... are way out of line... but the only game going... but as to intimidation... if you use the old resistance type of refrig, univolt and stock items about the only thing your conserned with is spikes getting to the AC.. the rest really don't care... and that is why they didn't have 'em installed in the unit... which you can do to make the thing fixed inside... most have ground fault to take care of most problems from the ckt breakers...

Basically they sell to the RV's who have electronic equipment like computers and TV's but you can get just as good or better one that don't have all the bells and whistles you really don't care about... cheaper...

I know of several who got MOV's and installed them in their ckt bkr panel... across the main ckt bkr... cheap and just as good and a perm mount inside the unit...

Here is what one of the expensive ones looks like inside