Getting New Surge Protector

[butchiiii]

Hi folks,
I'm going to purchase a surge protector this week for my TT. Circuit is 30amp. My question
is do the benefits of installing the hardwired on offset the pita to install it. Please let me know
your experiences good and bad with the hardwired unit over the portable one.
TIA
Butch

 

[John From Detroit]

The benefits of a hard wired
1: IT IS ALWAYS THERE, no forgetting it
2: IT STAYS THERE (can ot easily grow a pair of legs and walk off)
3: One less thing to do at setup.

 

[Alpena Jeff]

I went with the PI portable. This may not be my last coach.
If you do...buy a good cable lock. As far as forgetting it upon departure....that's on you! ;D

 

[whiteva]

Just for your consideration: A portable SP can easily be removed from the connection in case of device failure. Most have a method of securing the device from thieves. The better portables can match or exceed the mounted devices protection. The better portables have plenty of reporting lights to easily give you real-time review of bad conditions and with auto re-connect.

I have two portables, 1 is my latest and greatest more expensive device and the second is my old and faithful basic device as backup in case the modern device should have a problem. No sense in throwing the old one away, it will work in a pinch.

However,,, just be sure to protect your vacation from electrons that have not been given the proper maternal up-bringing as a young electron.

The Fox   

 

[Ghostman]

I have heard of many portable protectors disappearing. I went with the wired. As mentioned before the portable can be removed if there is a fault and shuts down. (not sure why you would do this if it is doing its job) but it can be done. The progressive I bought also has a bypass switch. It is hardwired. Also has a monitor I mounted inside so I can see the voltage  and amps along with errors if any. 30amp should not be that hard to wire in.

 

[NY_Dutch]

We use a portable with a lock, but a friend of ours has the best of both worlds. He installed a short cord and plug at the coach end inside the electric bin that's plugged into the SP, with a standard extension cord running from the SP to the park stanchion. The SP is entirely out of site and can also easily be bypassed if needed.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

With a bit of extra work, a portable could be placed at the RV end rather than the campsite power pedestal.  If your shore cord comes into a storage bay of some sort, cut off the shore cord and install a female receptacle on the RV end.  Leave a short stub power cord on the RV with a male end, so that the portable can be plugged between the two.  That way it is onboard and protected, yet easily removable.

Personally, though, I would hardwire.  The likelihood of a failure is low enough that the extra work & expense does not seem warranted.


Somebody mentioned a bypass switch, but the bypass provided on some models only works for certain kinds of faults, those deemed to be not immediately dangerous.  If the device is falsely reporting dangerous faults like reversed hot & ground, it won't bypass.

 

[Rene T]

I have the portable model By PI.  One of the main reasons is that the area where I would mount a hard wired model would have been a real PITA to get to if I ever had to. I would have to take down a wall to gain access. I just lock mine up with a cable/lock to the CG pedestal. If mine should fail electrically, I just remove it from the cable. 

 

[Markap12013]

I guess a lot of the decision depends on where you need to place the HW unit.  On my 2019 View, it's velcro'd to the floor of the bay.  Out of the way and easily removed or bypassed if I ever need to...  I shortened the original shore power cable to make it much easier to plug to generator outlet, put new ends on the cable so I can still plug to pedestal but now much easier to store

However, if the location was hard to get to, I probably would have gone with a portable and a good lock...

 

[Ghostman]

Somebody mentioned a bypass switch, but the bypass provided on some models only works for certain kinds of faults, those deemed to be not immediately dangerous.  If the device is falsely reporting dangerous faults like reversed hot & ground, it won't bypass.

Thanks for the clarification Gary. I wondered why they would go to the trouble to let you by pass the fault.

 

[FenderP]

However,,, just be sure to protect your vacation from electrons that have not been given the proper maternal up-bringing as a young electron.

The Fox 

Haha!  Nice.

I have only been RV camping for about 6 years -which is only a second compared to some folks here on the forum, but I have never had anything stolen while camping (kiss of death, I know).  Everything is usually secure on/in my RV, though, except for the portable surge protector.  :-\  My buddy was "camping" at a NASCAR race once and while he was in the stands someone relieved him of his Onan genny -and it was a big one!

Kinda OT, but I was once setting up at South Llano River SP, TX and the surge protector showed a fault.  So before I plugged in I called park maintenance.  The guy (nice guy) checked the pole and said it was fine and surge protectors may as well be used as a boat anchor.  Well, I never stopped using one and I wonder if the guy actually has an RV.  Why take a chance?

 

[NY_Dutch]

I've said it before, but in 75 years of camping/RV'ing, the only things I've had stolen were taken by little furry bandits wearing masks or big furry bandits wearing bear skin coats. Neither one seems to be attracted to surge protectors. 

 

[FenderP]

I've said it before, but in 75 years of camping/RV'ing, the only things I've had stolen were taken by little furry bandits wearing masks or big furry bandits wearing bear skin coats. Neither one seems to be attracted to surge protectors. 

Haha  Right?  We found out the hard way that the raccoons at Choke Canyon SP, TX have a hankerin' for Coke.

 

[NY_Dutch]

I once had a raccoon jump up and take a bag of chips off our picnic table while I was 10 feet away talking to my wife through a window! Nervy little critters...  ;D

 

[Ghostman]

We had raccoons open the cooler take the lid off the watermelon and eat it all. Then shut the cooler. My wife accused me of eating it all the next day. Until the neighbors cooler was empty also.

 

[butchiiii]

Thanks guys. I think that I'll go with the portable unit for our TT. Sounds like it will
keep the rig safe from electrical issues. Now the raccoons I don't know. Before we got
our 1st TT we tent camped for years. One year the little suckers got into our supply
tent. I thought that I might have left the zipper up a bit. So I chased them out then
made sure that it was closed. Went back into the other tent. I waited by the window
and 10 minutes later there was a group of them back and I couldn't believe it but
one of the raccoons unzipped the tent to get in. Needless to say zip ties where used