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Saved by our surge suppressor!


docj

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Surge suppressors and associated energy management devices get a lot of discussion on RV forums and many (most?) serious RVers agree they are necessary, but most of the stories that get printed of how they protect people relate to common RV issues such as reversed polarity, voltage on neutrals, etc. It's not all that often that one gets the chance to test his surge suppressor against an almost direct lightning strike!

 

We had that opportunity an hour ago when a small but severe thunderstorm went over our RV park. My wife and I were chatting about the growing intensity of the storm when, all of a sudden, I saw lightning strike a power pole less than 300' from where we were sitting. I've only seen such a strike once before and it is magnificent. There was a brief, but intense, ball of orange fire and then we realized we had lost our power. We didn't hear the pop of the transformer that usually is associated with such hits, but it would have been difficult to differentiate it from the thunder claps being heard over the pounding rain.

 

All I can say is that I think I just got my money's worth from my Surgeguard! The one other time that we suffered a similar nearby lightning strike (at one of our S&B's) we popped every breaker in the panel and blew out all the lights that had been on. I've checked all the electronics that were plugged in today and I think everything has survived. I can't prove we would have had issues if we didn't have the Surgeguard, but it will be interesting to see how our neighbors fared.

 

Joel (AKA docj)

Sandie & Joel

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Joel, thanks for sharing. It is very difficult to prove that something was prevented, but in situations like this one can easily point to a high degree of probability. Even if that pole wasn't your power source directly, it typically will put a voltage spike on every power line close by that would cause significant damage. In my field service career, I have done a lot of repair work to equipment that had been exposed to lightning caused transients that were from strikes much farther away than this one was. We also have some friends who scoffed at the use of such devices until they had to pay for about $1500 in repairs to their motorhome from one such storm.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

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Good point, Joel. Mine wasn't a lightening strike, but could as well have been. Back in January 2015, we boondocked in a small city park in Gatesville, Texas. Been driving all day, heading for Arizona. Pulled into the park, let my eyes uncross from driving, and then went to hookup into power pedestal... and our 50 Amp Progressive Surge Protector started thumping... and we got knocked off. Tried several different pedestals... nothing. Finally gave up. Next morning, I chatted with the City office about the situation, and they were surprised, and concerned. Turns out that no one had used the park for camping in months... and they had no idea. (we had stayed there the year before - its a very nice place.)

 

We never learned what the problem was, but we did stay there this January on our way to Arizona... fixed and just as nice as ever. I have a fair amount of computer hardware on board, and the damage could have been costly.

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I have a PT50C and this time last year I had just arrived for my summer host position when we had a lightning strike in the park. It wasn't that close to me, but RV's were damaged up and down the park including one right next to me. I had no damage at all. The distance between the damaged units was over a half a mile total.

 

Did my PT50C save me or not? Don't know for sure, but the guy next to me bought one right before all of his damage was fixed and he powered up again.

Ed

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Over the 9 years that we have had the PT 50 EMS it has saved us 5 times that we can remember from serious damage.It has not allowed us t o apply power from the pedestal because of out of tolerance readings and took us off line because of hits on the line many times.This is one add one we would not be on the road without.

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Probably the flip side does even more damage. We were in a crowded county campground on a hot summer day. My surgeguard shut the power down, reporting voltages below 104. Campers all around me had their a/c's running, laboring under that low voltage. I went to the office and told them the problem, but the girl behind the counter didn't have a clue. She told the campground manager, though, and they contacted a county electrician who told her, "Oh, that's not low enough voltage to do any damage."

 

People will wonder why their devices with a/c's, etc. die early.

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I am assuming the protector was fried?

 

That's a good question. The device powers up and doesn't show any obvious errors. With a surge protector there can be loss of protection without any outward sign of damage. I'm waiting for my next door neighbor to come home so I can evaluate if he had any damage. It's possible that the surge inside our RV park wasn't as great as I would have thought; as Kirk said, it's difficult to prove a negative result.

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake system
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A while back when I was still in the electrical business I looked at a surge protector for the trailer for lightning protection. I compared their reaction time to the ones I installed in phone buildings that contained electronic switch gear and they provided no lighting protection because they just aren't fast enough. What I do use is a surge receptical that is mounted in a box with a cord that I plug into the receptical for the entertainment center and use power strip pluged into it. The receptical has a green light that tells you it's working but when it turns red it had a surge and has to be replaced because it did its job. I only had to replace it once because of a close lighting strike in 13 years. Lightning protectors only short the surge to ground but don't open the circuit and they are one time.

 

I've worked on buildings and equipment that took direct or close hits and there is no way to protect from it because there's just to much power involved. It would just fry your sure protector then jump past it and continue on its way.

 

Denny

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Joel thanks for the reminder.

When the guys came to install my Back up currently gas generator system, they were going to charge me 300 bucks to install a 50 buck surge protector similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/GE-PROTECTION-Protection-Unit-Panel-televisions/dp/B008EU89EW/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1464729682&sr=8-15&keywords=Whole-House+Surge+Protector

The electrician was there and it was already opened up so it was not $250 worth of labor. But I did forget to get one and put it in myself.

 

D&J we use UPS' With built in fast surge suppression and battery back ups on all our computers and our TV systems. But that won't save the Back up generator motherboards or the A/C and other major appliances in the house.

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Joel thanks for the reminder.

When the guys came to install my Back up currently gas generator system, they were going to charge me 300 bucks to install a 50 buck surge protector similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/GE-PROTECTION-Protection-Unit-Panel-televisions/dp/B008EU89EW/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1464729682&sr=8-15&keywords=Whole-House+Surge+Protector

The electrician was there and it was already opened up so it was not $250 worth of labor. But I did forget to get one and put it in myself.

 

D&J we use UPS' With built in fast surge suppression and battery back ups on all our computers and our TV systems. But that won't save the Back up generator motherboards or the A/C and other major appliances in the house.

That GE suppressor looks interesting, I may look into one of them if my surge receptacle gets hit agian. It also looks like a one time hit device just like the commercial style ones but they have individual modules for each leg and the neutral so you just have to replace the module that got hit.

 

Denny

Denny & Jami SKP#90175
Most Timing with Mac our Scottie, RIP Jasper our Westie
2013 F350 SC DRW 6.2 V8 4.30 Gears
2003 HH Premier 35FKTG Home Base Nebraska

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That's a good question. The device powers up and doesn't show any obvious errors. With a surge protector there can be loss of protection without any outward sign of damage.

The surge may have been enough to endanger your RV & equipment without being high enough to take out the MOV but still enough to have harmed your appliances and electronic devices. Coming from the service industry, I know from experience that such jolts that are not prevented will each one shorten the life of those items exposed to it and even if no failure occurs at the time of the surge, the long term effect is still there and very often the failure takes place some time later and the owner never realizes that a surge was the cause of his problems, but that it happened sometime previous to the failure. They are also cumulative and devices such as yours do increase the life expectancy of the items that they protect. I've been using a Surge Guard since 2003 and while I can't prove it, I am confident that it has contributed to the very low failure rate of equipment that we have experienced.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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Probably the flip side does even more damage. We were in a crowded county campground on a hot summer day. My surgeguard shut the power down, reporting voltages below 104. Campers all around me had their a/c's running, laboring under that low voltage. I went to the office and told them the problem, but the girl behind the counter didn't have a clue. She told the campground manager, though, and they contacted a county electrician who told her, "Oh, that's not low enough voltage to do any damage."

 

People will wonder why their devices with a/c's, etc. die early.

 

 

Had something close to this summer of 2007. One night the surgeguard shut the power down several times. Everyone else's A/Cs were still on. Told the gal in the office the next day, they sent out the maintenance guys and I was told by them, they knew about it, it wasn't their problem it was the cities problem not sending enough power. :wacko:

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Told the gal in the office the next day, they sent out the maintenance guys and I was told by them, they knew about it, it wasn't their problem it was the cities problem not sending enough power. :wacko:

 

You should have asked the maintenance guys when was the last time they had checked the park's electron pump? When they would have looked at you blankly you'd tell them that yes, the city sends the power to the park, but the park's electron pump pressurizes it and sends it to all the sites. That would have kept them busy for a while. :P

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake system
WiFiRanger Ambassador
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:lol:;)

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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OK, you've convinced me. I need to get protection. I'm not full-time yet, but I do want to protect my 2015 Cougar. My question is, I try to use 50 amp hook-up when available, but often 30 amp is all that we can get. Can I use 50 amp protection when I'm hooked to 30 amp post? Would I just put it between my 50 amp cable and my 30 amp adaptor? Thanks,

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My question is, I try to use 50 amp hook-up when available, but often 30 amp is all that we can get. Can I use 50 amp protection when I'm hooked to 30 amp post? Would I just put it between my 50 amp cable and my 30 amp adaptor? Thanks,

That is it exactly. You connect the dog-bone adapter to the 30a outlet, the Surge Guard or Progressive to the adapter, then your power cord to the output of the Surge Guard. We have done that many times over the years and it works just fine.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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  • 11 months later...

Is Surge Guard brand the best choice?  We did not buy one during our "check out delivery" because they were a big cost item and we had time to shop for one.  Any tips on securing them while in use - so they don't grow legs?  Also, do you use a non-contact polarity checker and if so which one?  Thanks

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I agree that it sounds like a big ticket added to all the rest when doing "check out delivery". I did the same thing. However on one of my first trips. I was plugged in at a park in Amarillo. I was reading while doing a load of wash. I noticed the lights dim for a brief time and the washer quit. Well it cost more than what a surge guard would have cost to fix the washer. Needed a new circuit board.:o 

Look around you can find them cheaper than what a dealer is selling fore. I have one of the little security devices they show one here. https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=surge+guard&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=153664733922&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4654901273545955085&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027284&hvtargid=kwd-1468273890&ref=pd_sl_7rn417fgvw_e

Personally I haven't heard of one "walking" but it may make you feel better. 

I like the portable Surge Guard because I can go check the power at a spot before pulling in and have used it to find "good power" when the spot I was in was bad. Basically I didn't need to move the coach to find / test the pedestal. In one state park that took 4 different spots.

Bill 

 

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I happen to believe that Progressive Industries makes a better product and has (had) a better warranty. I had 3 Surge Guards fail over 13 months, switched to PI, and had no more failures. The Surge guards were external and the PI was internal, so that might have played a role. This was about 7 years ago, so Surge Guard could have improved quality in that time.

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21 minutes ago, WILDEBILL308 said:

I agree that it sounds like a big ticket added to all the rest when doing "check out delivery". I did the same thing. However on one of my first trips. I was plugged in at a park in Amarillo. I was reading while doing a load of wash. I noticed the lights dim for a brief time and the washer quit. Well it cost more than what a surge guard would have cost to fix the washer. Needed a new circuit board.:o 

Look around you can find them cheaper than what a dealer is selling fore. I have one of the little security devices they show one here. https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=surge+guard&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=153664733922&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4654901273545955085&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027284&hvtargid=kwd-1468273890&ref=pd_sl_7rn417fgvw_e

Personally I haven't heard of one "walking" but it may make you feel better. 

I like the portable Surge Guard because I can go check the power at a spot before pulling in and have used it to find "good power" when the spot I was in was bad. Basically I didn't need to move the coach to find / test the pedestal. In one state park that took 4 different spots.

Bill 

 

Wow, 4 spots to find clean power... that certainly supports the delivery tech's "if I was going to recommend one thing" advice.  Amazon does appear to have very competitive pricing on these.

17 minutes ago, mrfrank said:

I happen to believe that Progressive Industries makes a better product and has (had) a better warranty. I had 3 Surge Guards fail over 13 months, switched to PI, and had no more failures. The Surge guards were external and the PI was internal, so that might have played a role. This was about 7 years ago, so Surge Guard could have improved quality in that time.

When you say internal vs. external, are you saying you saying you bought a style Progressive Industries surge protector that does not go out at the hook-up box?

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1 hour ago, freestoneangler said:

Is Surge Guard brand the best choice?  We did not buy one during our "check out delivery" because they were a big cost item and we had time to shop for one.  Any tips on securing them while in use - so they don't grow legs?  Also, do you use a non-contact polarity checker and if so which one?  Thanks

Having owned both brands, I would recommend Progressive over Surgeguard.  The ability to see the "prior error" condition was essential to the resolution of the intermittent issue we were having.  Plus, it's my understanding that the units are repairable which the Surgeguard are not.

Sandie & Joel

2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake system
WiFiRanger Ambassador
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