Over voltage protection - RV-Dreams Community Forum

tonyd51 · RV-Dreams Community Member

Over voltage protection

BRDof3 · RV-Dreams Community Member

I only have a 30-amp camper, so only have one protector. I have a higher-end unit that shuts off my power for either surges or drops in voltage. It also runs a diagnostic mode when first plugged in. It won't connect me until the power source is checked out and working normally.

I learned the lesson 2 summers ago. While camping with my son one weekend, I woke up at 2:30 am to find us in the middle of a Midwestern storm worthy of hurricane status. I decided that it was more dangerous to try to leave the camper and get to the shower house, given the wind, as long as no tornado warnings were being issued. That was when I realized that the A/C was off and I had no electric service, only 12 volt. I turned on the radio and tracked the storms, which were slowly moving away from us. The CG had power, the lights were on in the shower house, but my voltage protector had obviously detected dangerous fluctuations in the power and shut us off.

About 45 minutes after I woke up the A/C kicked back on, telling me that the protector had decided the voltage was normal and reconnected us. Things settled down and I went back to bed. No damage done to the camper, but if the voltage was jumping up and/or down, there certainly could have been.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

A 50AMP one will work for 30AMP and that is what we have.

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Wouldn't RV without it. Had a voltage spike years ago and it did a lot of damage.

As Bill said, a 50 amp unit will work on 30 amps and even on 20 amps with adapters.

Jim

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

tonyd51 wrote:
Does any one have a surge protector? If so do you just have one...ie one for 50 amp. Or do you have 2 ( 30 amp and 50 amp)?

Yes, a 50 amp model works on 30 amps and yes, you absolutely need a surge and voltage protector. I recommend the Progressive Industries HW-50 as it has the best specifications; slightly more expensive, and worth it IMO.

See the tread:

http://rv-dreams.activeboard.com/t35365124/surge-protector/

also:

http://rv-dreams.activeboard.com/t36452987/voltage-regulator-or-protection/

Many threads on this and below is just one post I made.

“Well, last night, yet again, during an overnight in Oklahoma, I had one leg go up to 135 volts. The Progressive Industries surge / protection box cut the power and saved the leg that had the microwave on it – among other things. The other leg had 109 volts, but that was within limits so I was able to “make do” without the generator for the evening.

The campground host was understanding of my report and said, “Yea, you’re on the one old transformer that hasn’t been changed out.” You see, you can have a problem on one row of sites and not the next. As I oft say, “it depends.”

I understand some have camped “for 35 years” without a problem and I’ve camped that long as well with and without electrical issues. It was just “back when” you didn’t have all the electronics and microwave ovens many do today. Back then just an AC unit (totally mechanical as to controls) and maybe a tube type black and white TV as far as the “electronics” were concerned.

Now, it’s just bit different. I just recommend considering a power monitoring device such as the Progressive Industries that handles over and under voltage protection as well as “surges.” This problem is one of my few “passionate recommendations” to those who travel. BTW, the campground we were in was a “big name” campground and was “working on the problem.” It can happen to anyone, anyplace.”

Safe travels

Bill

tonyd51 · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thank you everyone. Great information.