jpatrickc Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 I'm just about to purchase a portable surge guard for my RV and started looking at reviews. I noticed there are a some reviews where the units have failed at 13 Months (Just outside the warranty period). It seems like these things are expensive if they are going to need to be replaced often. How many of you out there have this surge protector and have you had any problems? I understand that a lot of the time reviews come from the people that have problems so I thought it might be better to ask here. I'd also like to hear any suggestions for different units that might be available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hitchup Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 This last June, we bought the 34750 Surge Guard by TRC which has now been discontinued. Last month, we lost power in half our 5thW and tracked it down to the outside. Once and extension cord was removed, we had power. The next day, same problem, so the Surge Guard was removed. Power restored. Whether it was faulty or not, we got a new extension cord and have not had any problems except with inside wiring issues. We now use a different style. http://m.campingworld.com/shopping/item/50-amp-rv-voltage-regulator/42293 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Greg Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 Check out Progressive Industries portable surge protectors AND EMS (electrical management system) for complete AC power protection. We have a 9 year old built in EMS and when the relay started to fail due to improper installation (RV manufactured didn't tighten one power lug so it overheated) Progressive Industries replaced the relay at no charge. Greg http://www.progressiveindustries.net/#!services/mainPage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 I owned a TRC-Surge Guard 34750(now replaced by the 34850) from 2001 through 2012 and the only problem that I ever had with it was that I had to replace the power plug due to it being connected to loose outlets too many times and so it got hot and distorted. I just bought the special tool to remove the rear cover and replaced the cord myself. I bought it used from another RVer who had owned it less than 1 year. Since that time I have been using a Surge Guard 34730(now replace by the new 34830) for 3 years with no problems at all. It was also purchased used and was about 18 months to 2 years old when I bought it. It also works just as TRC says that it will. I have known a lot of people who have used both the TRC and the Progressive units and am aware of no major failures by either product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFchap Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 I bought a Surge Guard 34560 model (50a hard wired version) in 2004 and it has served us very well in over 100k of travels since. The only "problem" we had was when it was totally destroyed by a lightning strike in about 2009. We did have some other damage but nowhere near the amount that coaches around us had, and TRC replaced the Surge Guard at no cost to us. We continue to use it, and it lets us know when something is wrong with the shore power ...the last time just a month ago. We would not hesitate to buy a TRC Surge Guard again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 I have the Progressive 50 amp portable. Today it was sent back to be checked out, it may have been hit by lightening in Tampa last weekend. That's what it's designed to do, be the weak link and save the trailer electronics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 X2 on Progressive Industries and their lifetime warranty. I'm a big fan of their EMS units. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Lifetime on the built in unit, one repair only on the plug in as I recall. This is going back 10 yrs. They will have mine Thursday so we shall see what the problem is, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmacnut Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 X2 on Progressive Industries and their lifetime warranty. I'm a big fan of their EMS units. X3 here also. They work and the warranty is the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edatlanta Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 I have the Progressive 50 amp portable. Today it was sent back to be checked out, it may have been hit by lightening in Tampa last weekend. That's what it's designed to do, be the weak link and save the trailer electronics. I too have a PT50C and am glad yours worked for you. I am so concerned about incoming power I have a spare PT50C still in the box. If my primary one ever has to go back for service I have a spare. Two days ago I plugged in at a new site and initially the line check failed. I turned the power off and then back on and all worked normally. But an hour later the 50 amp breaker tripped. It was hot to the touch. I will admit I had a lot of electrical load on it to warm up my 5'er, heat water, etc. The park replaced the breaker and no more issues. I knew something wasn't right initially, but it seemed ok for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPtravel Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 We also have the Progressive 50 amp portable. It has saved us a few times. We have sent it back twice for repairs. Lifetime warranty is excellent. My only complaint is that it is big and heavy and sometimes difficult to stay plugged into an old outlet or if outlet is close to the ground it is difficult to use. We also bought the 30 amp adapter from them. We are amazed at people who don't have a surge protector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 We also have the Progressive 50 amp portable. It has saved us a few times. We have sent it back twice for repairs. Lifetime warranty is excellent. My only complaint is that it is big and heavy and sometimes difficult to stay plugged into an old outlet or if outlet is close to the ground it is difficult to use. We also bought the 30 amp adapter from them. We are amazed at people who don't have a surge protector. Are you saying they fixed the portable for free more than once? My recollection is they fixed the built in for free no matter how many times it failed but only once on the portable. Ed, good idea. I will order a backup to be shipped with the repaired one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Are you saying they fixed the portable for free more than once? My recollection is they fixed the built in for free no matter how many times it failed but only once on the portable. Portable or fixed is the same limited lifetime warranty. They will fix or replace (at their discretion) either multiple times if needed. The only "glitch".. if you could call it that.. is that it is exclusive to the original owner and is not transferable. You DO have to pony up for the initial cost, but then you're good for life. Customer service-wise.. I would put them right up there with TST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpatrickc Posted January 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 It looks like I need to check into the PT50C. I like the lifetime warranty. I'll have to compare the specs. Thanks for all the replies so far. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smitty77_7 Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 We have a portable TRC Surge Guard 50A, but Country Coach installed it inside to the coach. The portable features allows us to simply unplug it, and bypass it if we ever have a need to. (And, we added a Hughes Autorformer into the mix, and the plug and play feature of the portable, allowed us to simply add this into the mix. And then remove it on our trip to Alaska, when a poorly run RV Park's generator fried our Hughes, which we had in line first.) This is our second TRC Surge Guard, as our Bounder we had a portable 30A unit too. Which served us well for about 4-5 years before we sold the coach. If I was buying new today, I'd go with the Progressive, due to the superior warranty. IMO, either one will serve 99.999% of the RV'ing community well... Best, Smitty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twotoes Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 I have the portable Surge Guard, not sure which model, going on 4 years now. No problems whatsoever. I have heard about the Progressive Lifetime Warranty but I believe that it is a limited warranty so read the fine print before you make a choice based only on the warranty. Both Surge Guard and Progressive are great products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 I have heard about the Progressive Lifetime Warranty but I believe that it is a limited warranty so read the fine print before you make a choice Yes. It is limited. Basically.. if it fails while in the course of doing it's job.. you're covered, however, it's doesn't cover "acts of God" outside of it's intended operation. Zapped by lightening and it protects your rig, but the unit is fried... covered! Ask me how I know. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Greg Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 A few years ago I was installing a switch on a friends Progressive EMS unit allowing him to bypass the EMS if he desired to allow power from the pedestal directly into his fifth wheel. I made an error an blew up the EMS computer, sparks and smoke. I talked with Progressive Industries support line a told them what I did. He asked for our address and sent a new computer board free. I believe PI has excellent customer support. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 sparks and smoke. Most electronics have a limited supply of smoked installed at the time of manufacture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Greg Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 You are correct Yarome, the spark time was VERY short and the smoke wasn't much longer. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tednruthy Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 X3 here also. They work and the warranty is the best. X4 here. Nothing but Progressive products. Just a very happy customer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Update on my Progressive power analyzer, Got it back last Friday, no charge, they even paid freight. The thing was completely rebuilt, logic pcb, cord and plug, gaskets. As it was, it had not been blasted by lightening, so the big guy missed this time. I tried to get a second one at a discounted rate but not to happen. 366$ firm. But, it's back and no cost except going and that was 35$ as I recall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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