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ForestStranger · 06-17-2019, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocinante

I see a strange hinged cover between your plug and the surge guard. Is that hinged cover part of the surge guard? If so, I will tell you that the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X has no such hinged cover over the outlet. It has a much larger hinged weather-resistant plastic shroud over the entire area where the outlet is, and most any 30 amp plug should work with the unit. So, check the EMS-PT50X photos to see how they look in comparison to this Surge Guard.

Thank you for your input. I agree there should not be a conflict, so I went ahead and ordered the EMS-PT50X. Great father's day price!

Adventure.AS · 06-17-2019, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForestStranger

Our 2018 FC 50Amp male plug does not plug into this surge protector. After arguing with Camping World - they wanted me to pay return shipping and stated that, if opened, no refund would be allowed - the issue was elevated to a customer relations person at Good Sam's. They will accept a return, pay shipping and refund the price.

I wonder if the EMS-PT50X 50 will work with my plug?

Our stock AS power cord fits well with our Progressive 30 amp EMS, but the black handle on the cord needs to be folded for the cover to close.

Mollysdad · 06-17-2019, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForestStranger

Thank you for your input. I agree there should not be a conflict, so I went ahead and ordered the EMS-PT50X. Great father's day price!

Good choice!
I was posting to let you know your cover may not close tightly because of the grip on the plug. Mine has a large finger pull and the cover does not close all the way. However, unless I'm in a hurricane, I can't see water blowing in there.
Whoever designed your first unit with the flap over the outlet must have never seen a 50 amp plug!

Mollysdad · 06-17-2019, 09:11 AM

BTW, I Googled the Surge Guard and it seems they've changed the design with a dangling cord plug now. However, that creates another problem with rain.
You made the right choice with the PI-EMS.

dhroberts · 06-17-2019, 10:07 AM

I am very happy with my Progressive Industries' EMS-PT50X. Will not plug-in without it!

Further, I had an issue with my first device and it was replaced very easily to an updated model under its lifetime guarantee! All this following the company being acquired by Wisconsin-based Power Products, LLC.

tevake · 06-17-2019, 11:57 AM

Is there a maker of surge protector that has a breaker built in that can be reset in case of a surge?
Do the progressive ones get fried in the case of a big surge? Then need to be replaced?

Cheers Richard

rmkrum · 06-17-2019, 11:59 AM

Normally the surge protector circuit depends on blowing the supply breaker at the pedestal or behind the outlet the power is coming from.

Typically in case of a really big surge (like a close lightning strike, etc) the components are designed to short out and stay that way, and pop the breaker. Lesser surges they recover to catch the next one.

Breakers will not usually open fast enough to stop a surge. And yes, the Progressive ones can be “toasted” enough to need a new one. That’s the way all surge suppressor systems are.

They help, but lightning hits run to a million amps at a million volts, and not much recovers after a direct hit like that. The aftermath usually means replace the surge suppressor components and be happy that was all that blew up.

uncle_bob · 06-18-2019, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tevake

Is there a maker of surge protector that has a breaker built in that can be reset in case of a surge?
Do the progressive ones get fried in the case of a big surge? Then need to be replaced?

Cheers Richard

Hi

As usual, we are tossing around surge protector / surge suppressor / EMS as interchangeable terms. They are not quite interchangeable.

A surge suppressor is a gizmo that clamps the voltage in the case of a fast rising voltage. It does not disconnect the circuit. There is no time to do so / no switch made that is fast enough. It simply soaks up as much of the incoming energy as it possibly can. Depending on the level of the "hit" it might be able to do that a few dozen times up to maybe a hundred times. As noted above, in the case of a big hit, one time may be it.

With a surge suppressor, you replace the thing once it makes it to its "hit lifetime" it needs to be replaced. There is no reset process. The parts in it are done for. For fun, you can pick up used ones at garage sales. Tear them open and take a look at the parts .... hmmm ... yup ... this one is fried just like the last one. In most cases, tearing one of them open is the only way to know if the parts are fried .... sorry about that.

An EMS monitors voltages and does various things. They check for a limited number of faults and try to deal with them. Generally, when they see a fault, they disconnect as long as the fault is present. Once the fault is gone, they reconnect. The do not check for all possible faults and they do not protect from all likely dangers. They *do* take care of some of what you might run into.

Indeed multiple things can happen all at once. Lightning hits and the spike never makes it down to your trailer. (Properly setup systems *do* have protections ...). However it imbalances your feed (as that stuff cuts in) and your gizmo trips out. You are "off line" for two minutes. Without some pretty fancy gear logging everything that's going on, it can be impossible to know just what happened in what sequence. You just don't have the data ...

Lots of fun !!!!

Bob

Crazycanuk · 08-23-2020, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waninae39

ems is the best

Hello we are in Southwestern Ontario and just purchased our first airstream. Where can we get an EMS surge protector in Ontario. Our dealer in London, Ontario was out of them. Thankyou

**Nelson428** · 08-23-2020, 09:04 AM

https://www.progressiveindustries.net

Or

Amazon

claymanjack · 08-31-2020, 12:01 PM

where did you purchase ems pt30x thanks jack

SpikePoet · 09-01-2020, 03:29 PM

So, buying the EMS function with surge/spike protection makes sense to me as a complete newbie. What about upgrading all the way to a voltage booster? Hughes product is pretty expensive and heavy. Worth the money and pounds?

SpikePoet · 09-01-2020, 03:31 PM

[QUOTE=SpikePoet;2405264]So, buying the EMS function with surge/spike protection makes sense to me as a complete newbie. What about upgrading all the way to a voltage booster? Hughes product is pretty expensive and heavy. Worth the money and pounds?[I plan to live forever. So far, so good!]

**jcanavera** · 09-01-2020, 07:14 PM

Hughes makes good stuff. I think the voltage booster can cover up to a 10% shortfall once you drop below 113 volts. The minimal voltage is 90 volts. So if you start dropping into the 90's depending on how low you go, you still may not have enough boost to get you to a safe voltage for your air conditioner. On the other hand assuming you aren't down into the 90's it can even out those voltages that drop below 113 voltage. Quite honestly your air conditioner is most affected by low voltage and subject to damage. The refrigerator, water heater both can run on propane. I was in a campground for a WBCCI rally that had only 96 volts. We left the air off and ran the fridge and water heater on gas. Everything else in the trailer was 12 volt powered (lights, and Fantastic fans) so nothing else really was affected.

I am assuming the converter in the trailer can deal with low voltages without harm. Someone correct me though if I'm wrong on this assumption.

Jack

Joe15601 · 09-02-2020, 10:37 AM

I have the Hughes Power Watchdog and am very pleased. I once plugged into 50A and there was a problem so it didn't allow the power to the camper. Moved it to 30A and there was no problem. Probably saved some damage. It has Bluetooth and I have it paired with my RV Whisper so I can monitor my electric from anywhere. The surge protector in the device is replaceable so there is no need for an entire new unit should it fail.

SpikePoet · 09-02-2020, 02:59 PM

So, does your experience with shorepower connections lead you to believe that going all the way with voltage booster (Hughes or others) is worth the extra $500-600? What about theft? Have you experienced theft of your equipment or heard many others relating theft incidences?

DCPAS · 09-02-2020, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpikePoet

So, does your experience with shorepower connections lead you to believe that going all the way with voltage booster (Hughes or others) is worth the extra $500-600? What about theft? Have you experienced theft of your equipment or heard many others relating theft incidences?

I decided just to buy an EMS that will shut the system down if there is low voltage. That protects the air conditioners (and maybe other things) without spending a fortune and having one more thing to set up.

Brownsfan · 02-06-2021, 07:36 AM

This experience might be worth sharing. We have a Progressive 30-amp surge protector built in and tried to connect our Honda EU3000 for boondocking. It did not work. We learned, if you are going to use a generator, remember to turn off the surge protector at the EMS box.

Mollysdad · 02-06-2021, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpikePoet

What about theft?

The PI EMS has a ring on the cord so you can attach a cable lock. I use this:

Wrap it around the pedestal a couple time and it's secure.

Quote:

Have you experienced theft of your equipment or heard many others relating theft incidences?

No and No.

I do wish the lighted display would "time out" so it didn't become a beacon at night.

Mollysdad · 02-06-2021, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brownsfan

This experience might be worth sharing. We have a Progressive 30-amp surge protector built in and tried to connect our Honda EU3000 for boondocking. It did not work. We learned, if you are going to use a generator, remember to turn off the surge protector at the EMS box.

The surge protector sees the generator as an "open ground". The way to 'cheat' is to make a 'cheater plug' and plug it into any outlet of the generator. All it is is a male Edison plug with a jumper from neutral to ground.