Surge guard

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by AJMike

All of them look interesting, and I am sure they are worthwhile, but what is to keep someone from just walking off with it when you are not in your RV or at night when you might not realize that you have lost your power?

The Southwire unit we locked to the pedestal with this bike lock, much better than an easy to snip cable lock. Issue was with the Southwire, is it had a PLASTIC ring, and we all know the “weakest link in the chain” motto”

The Hughes has a steel ring, so better in that department.

As I already said, we cut the Mothership umbilical cord and now store the Hughes in our electrical bay. Main reason to do that was, escaping from the campground fast in case of a Wild fire, not because we were worried about it walking off.
So for the most part, it now is thwarting thieves, or at least, keeping honest people honest.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Lette]

Originally Posted by Lowdie24

I went with the Progressive Industries Hard Wired 30 Amp unit, EMS-HW30C. I spliced it into the umbilical just after the connection box, and mounted the unit on the aft bulkhead in the power bay, with the readout onto the cover for slide mechanism, facing outboard.
My thoughts for the Hard Wired unit is that it is truly a "Fit and Forget" device. I do not have to add it to my camp set up and breakdown list, nor ever worry about it mysteriously walking off the pedestal all by itself.
I chose to hook it up so that both the generator and shore power pedestal power is monitored and protected.

https://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems-hw30c

Do you have to plug your male connector back into a socket inside the electrical cabinet?

[Lowdie24]

Yes I do;
I do not have an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS). Unless I am plugged into shore power I simply leave the male connector plugged into the generator receptacle at all times.

[Sun_Seeker]

I have a suggestion for any owner of a Surge Protector....even if it is to date, in your usage of....it is attached to the power pole assigned to your site, of which it will be hanging down, and vulnerable..and usually 20-100 feet away from your R.V....and yes, we all know that these are a hot-item target of snatch and run....is to, use a 30/50/ and or 100 foot 30 amp extension cord FIRST coming off the post...and then have your Surge Protector AT, or just tucked in below your female input A.C. entry point into your R.V. or T.T. Your O.E.M power lead would connect to the female socket on your S.P, just as if it were hanging out there, on the Power Post. You can lock it to the 30 amp 30, 50, or 100 foot extension cord, via the available locking box...and then, you can lock with a chain, or multiple strand steel cable, to one of your axles. This way, it will not be 30 or more feet away, at the edge of your camping site...to make an easy target during the night, or even brazenly, during the day, by walk by's..or people driving by, LOOKING for a vulnerable and easy to disconnect and grab. You can even place the actual S.P. body BEHIND your tire under the axle it will be changed to. People will only see a conventional MALE power lead plugged into the post...and ....move on, to another S.P. that is saying: "I'm hanging here here..come and steal me...". Hope this will help you hang onto yours... Cheers. Oh...before someone says that you will lose power...nonsense...you can run two 100 foot 30 amp cables together...(as long as it is 10 gauge three wire for a 30 amp load,...) and not sweat an amp or voltage drop that would cause you any kind of concern. This ONLY happens when you do that length of line into your tent or R.V. with 15 amp extensions. Happy, uneventful camping, all!

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by Sun_Seeker

is to, use a 50 foot 30 amp extension FIRST coming off the post...and then have your Surge Protector AT, or just tucked in below your female input A.C. entry point into your R.V. or T.T. Your O.E.M power lead would connect to the female socket on your S.P, just as if it were hanging out there, on the Power Post. You can lock it to the 30 amp 50 or 100 foot extension chord, via the available locking box...and then, you can lock with a chain, or multiple strand steel cable, to one of your axles.

I'm not sure if you suggested this, but another idea would be to have a second shorter cord with the surge device in the middle. That might provide more flexibility on location, and also give you a backup cord in case something happens to the one.

[Sun_Seeker]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

I'm not sure if you suggested this, but another idea would be to have a second shorter cord with the surge device in the middle. That might provide more flexibility on location, and also give you a backup cord in case something happens to the one.

Good Spike..my suggestion M.O. would have the S.P. between your own factory 30 amp lock ring cord..and the 30/50/100 cord that will be coming off the post, and leading right to your body of the R.V. T.T.

Right...and you don't want it (the S.P. body) laying even away from your R.V. body, visible upon the ground, that advertises one is even in use.

If you purchase (at any camping store) the shell that covers the male/female down lead coming off your S.P...that will lock the S.P. body to the extension, and then you use another at the male/female connection between your OEM and the S.P...thereby making all the cords secure as if one long continuous cord, and secured by your locking part of that total-lock to your axles BEHIND your tire(s).

With my suggestion...as we do...I have the extension male lead hanging off the post, then I have the female attached to the S.P male...and then have my O.E.M. ring lock Winnie 30 amp attached to the female of the S.P. Then...I coil up any slack of the O.E.M and extension 30 amp that allows me to coil and then rest the S.P body off the ground BEHIND and hidden behind my dual axles. I then lock the entire coil and body of the S.P. with a suitable length of multi strand steel cable (wrapped of course in clear plastic), and that get's locked to my actual axle. With this being right at your trailer...even if someone looked for this set-up...would be very hard...and make them very vulnerable to being exposed to the criminal intent. They will simply look for one, out there, advertised, hanging on the post...and even if it has a lock of some sort...being out there...away from the camping road...out there, in the corner of the camping lot...at night, can be bolt-cut...battery disc cut...and away they go. Ask me how I know...well...don't...since I have 'learned' about this painfully....I have never, never had another attempt at theft. Thieves (some actual campers around you, for goodness sake!) look for the easy target, the one that they think can be had, for the least amount of risk to discovery. Hope this helps others keep theirs.....and never have to figure out another solution...!!! Cheers!

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by Sun_Seeker

Good Spike..my suggestion M.O. would have the S.P. between your own factory 30 amp lock ring cord..and the 30/50/100 cord that will be coming off the post, and leading right to your body of the R.V. T.T.

Right...and you don't want it (the S.P. body) laying even away from your R.V. body, visible upon the ground, that advertises one is even in use.

If you purchase (at any camping store) the shell that covers the male/female down lead coming off your S.P...that will lock the S.P. body to the extension, and then you use another at the male/female connection between your OEM and the S.P...thereby making all the cords secure as if one long continuous cord, and secured by your locking part of that total-lock to your axles BEHIND your tire(s).

With my suggestion...as we do...I have the extension male lead hanging off the post, then I have the female attached to the S.P male...and then have my O.E.M. ring lock Winnie 30 amp attached to the female of the S.P. Then...I coil up any slack of the O.E.M and extension 30 amp that allows me to coil and then rest the S.P body off the ground BEHIND and hidden behind my dual axles. I then lock the entire coil and body of the S.P. with a suitable length of multi strand steel cable (wrapped of course in clear plastic), and that get's locked to my actual axle. With this being right at your trailer...even if someone looked for this set-up...would be very hard...and make them very vulnerable to being exposed to the criminal intent. They will simply look for one, out there, advertised, hanging on the post...and even if it has a lock of some sort...being out there...away from the camping road...out there, in the corner of the camping lot...at night, can be bolt-cut...battery disc cut...and away they go. Ask me how I know...well...don't...since I have 'learned' about this painfully....I have never, never had another attempt at theft. Thieves (some actual campers around you, for goodness sake!) look for the easy target, the one that they think can be had, for the least amount of risk to discovery. Hope this helps others keep theirs.....and never have to figure out another solution...!!! Cheers!

I agree. Succinctly, out of sight, out of mind. Keep honest people honest, and hinder thieves...

So we just lock ours in the power bay, as stated previously. Took some electrical finagling, but well worth it in the end, I hope...

[Sun_Seeker]

One more suggestion on the subject...is to never connect your 30 amp lead in line, or a 15 amp using the 30-->15 adaptor plug, into your trailer, until you first plug in your S.P. to the post, no matter how you choose to do it, suggestions above or not. Let your S.P's LCD, or L.E.D. readings (lights lit, or not) tell you the condition of that post box..BEFORE you have your R.V. or T.T. or Tent receiving power.

That way, you will know what the post condition is EVER before your R.V. or T.T. would even be exposed to the current or..problems at the post.

If all the readings are good, or with some L.E.D. equipped read-outs..if none are illuminated...then, and only then are you good to go, to finish supplying A.C. to your R.V. or T.T. So in other words, never just complete a power post to R.V./T.T. without first consulting the read out LCD and/or L.E.D. warning information..and therefore will never be in a position of a power post condition that could damage your A.C. system in the R.V. T.T. S.P.'s read-outs, are not only there for ONCE you have a complete connection...there could be a problem at that plug, as you even back into the camping site.

Due Diligence rules the day...as in all things. Happy UNEVENTFUL camping...just fun stuff...not stuff to fix, or shoulda/coulda/woulda 'stuff'...after the fact.

Oh...watch those hanging tree branches ready to mess with your E.P.O roof liner, or ready to snag and damage/pull out or lift off your roof fixtures,..while we are on the shoulda/coulda/woulda subject(s), as well as leaf and foliage debris on your slide-out roof, sitting on there as you run your slide in....a true seal killer and motor stompper...lol! A three step step ladder and a broom is a slider seals and motor's best friend. They love each other....and should be together always...LOLOLOL! Camping and a sense of humor....can make all the difference!

To all those reading that this is a Preach To The Choir Post...please remember, that there are many, many new folks to owning an R.V. or T.T. that don't have much practical, built up camping do's and don'ts to guide them. I at least come to this forum with that attitude in mind. Good to post something that somebody already knows or follows, rather than assume everybody reading or coming onto this forum has the same Camping Life Experience. So..that's the reason behind this added thought/post. Cheers! When I bought my first T.T....I was at that time, as green to owning, operating, and using one, as the foliage that surrounded my first camping site. At some point, we all were/are.
Sun Seeker