mking
Indianland,South Carolina
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Joined: 02/14/2006
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Personaly,I think your concern should be less voltage than say a spike in voltage.The surge protectors are a hit or miss when it comes to say lightning.If the C/G is kinda old and is say 90% full you will see a drop in voltage,and this is very bad on compressors.Ofcourse you will pay around $400 for a 30amp auto transformer with surge protection.You will get various opinions on this,but IMO I would get the auto transformer.
2006 Dodge Quad-Cab 2500 CTD,4;10 gears,pulling a Forestriver Flaggstaff 831qbss
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downtheroad
Pacific Northwest
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Joined: 02/18/2003
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Yes....trend - debate rages on.
In this corner we have the: never had one in xxx years of camping and never had a problem.
and
In this corner we have the: won't leave home without one. It has saved us xxx times. Cheap insurance.
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane."
GMC Duramax LBZ
Komfort
Reese Dual Cam HP
Our Rig Picture...CLICK HERE
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B.O. Plenty
Minnesota
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Joined: 02/04/2010
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Chromag wrote:Would the warranty on a new TT cover the damage that could be caused by a surge or low voltage drop?
No. This is not a problem caused by a defect in manufacturing.
B.O.
2011 Big Country 3250TS...2010 Ram CC Laramie 4wd Cummins
15k Super Glide, Firestone Ride Rite, TrailAir Tri-Glide
Michelin XPS Ribs. Just say no to Chinese tires.
Twin Cities Mn.
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eastern shore girl
eastern shore of Maryland
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Joined: 10/30/2008
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We had damage caused to our airconditioning unit twice on our old rig (the one in my sig) due to voltage dropping. This cost us about $320 dollars. We have just got one for the new trailer, it is worth the cost to us to have that extra protection.
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mowermech
Billings, MT
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Joined: 06/28/2003
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We full-timed for a little over three years, starting in a 1977 Class A, then a 1982 class A, then a 1999 fifth wheel. Our minimum stay (other than overnighters) was 13 weeks. We stayed in KOA campgrounds, mobile home parks that had RV hookups, a couple of VERY old campgrounds where half the power pedestals were messed up, etc. At the time we had never heard of any kind of electrical protection device.
)Whooops! I forgot the several months I spent living in a 19 foot TT, also without a surge protector!)
We never had a problem.
Is such a device NECESSARY? IMO, no.
Is such a device a good idea? IMO, perhaps.
Do I have one for my Tioga? No, mainly because I rarely have hookups, except at home.
Do I plan to buy one? No.
But then, perhaps I should have one between the generator and the coach, JUST IN CASE????
CM1, USN (RET)
2002 Fleetwood Southwind 32V, Ford V10
Toad: 2006 Jeep Rubicon LJ
Other toad: '06 PT Cruiser, Kar Kaddy dolly
Toy: 1977 Dodge W100 CC SWB, 3/4 ton axles & springs
"When seconds count, help is only minutes away!"
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Cedarhill
Deep South
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Joined: 09/20/2011
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samsontdog wrote:I have the surge protector but one evening to get a early start the next morning
I put it away. Hour or so later we had low voltage in the Park and it took out the ref,heater, A/C. Very costly mistake. $1,000 later the ref and heater works but not the A/C So I recommend surge protectors
A surge suppressor protects against voltage surges, not dropouts. Unless you own a device that does something more than surge suppression, using that device would have made no difference. From what I have personally seen and heard from others, voltage sags are the most common and damaging type of power problem. In that case, a simple $10 voltmeter from Harbor Freight would be a more effective investment in power protection.
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Dog Folks
Naples, Fl. USA
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Joined: 11/09/2003
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I'm curious as to how you determined the four occasions that saved your electronics. Was it the surge protector interupting the power?
Three times it was low power and it kicked off. One time, a close lighting strike, lights in park got brighter and then went out. The surge protector kicked off all four times.
After the power is restored to the pedestal, ours takes 1 1/2 minutes to go thgough a "self check" before allowing power to flow to the camper.
Camping Rig:
2005 Dodge 3500 - Dually- Cummins
2006 Outback 27 RSDS
We also have with us two "fur babies". A Basset Hound and a Chihuahua mix. Both are rescue dogs.
Fulltimers since June 2006
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CA Traveler
The Western States
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Joined: 01/03/2004
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I have a power protector. If you want to sit and watch a voltmeter and then hope that you can turn off the power in time - great. I've been protected against reverse polarity and voltage as low as 80V. And one that would have immediately toasted the electronics was 160V.
The PI unit was well worth the investment.
2009 Holiday Rambler 42 Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
2004 Honda CR-V
Bob
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Brassica
Snow belt
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Joined: 01/19/2011
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Why cannot the RV manufacturer just build a "power protector" into the trailer? It would be easier to use and nobody could steal it.
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davisenvy
Franklin, NC
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Joined: 05/01/2011
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TRC 34730 says it will shut off for low and high voltage. Will this not work to prevent damage from spikes and brownouts?
2007 GMC Sierra Classic 2500HD SLT,4x4,Crew, Duramax
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323bhs
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