A Guide to Finding The Best RV Surge Protector in The Market
If you happen to be living in a recreational vehicles or you are a fan of hitting the road from time to time because of camping or recreational reasons, then you need a surge protector. You must ensure that your towable or motorhome has a surge protector to curb your appliances against any power danger.
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** Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews by click in "Reviews" column, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.com.
What is a Surge Protector?
A surge protector is an electrical device used to protect electrical appliances from power sags and surges. In the event that an unwanted power voltage has been supplied to the device, what a surge protector does is too short it to the ground or block it. A power surge is an instant increase in the power supply. It happens instantly, but the damage it can cause can be overwhelming.
Any kind of an electronic devices needs to be curbed against frequent occurring power surges because, by default, all of them have been rated with designated levels of voltage use.
The basic recreational system has three standard voltage systems. One of them is a 12 volts DC automotive system, a 12 DC volts of a coaching system and a 120 AC volts coach system. Campgrounds for an instant can provide a standard of 120 Volts of a power source thus the need for a surge protector comes in to stabilize and control that massive amount of power.
One has to be always keen on the LED indicator on the surge protector because it tells a lot about the condition of your surge protector. Some surge protectors cut the power off completely when their ability to manage power dies. If you have a surge protector that lacks a LED indicator, then you might be in for a shock of your life when one day you wake up and find all your electrical devices not functioning just because you had no idea that the surge protector stopped functioning a long time ago.
Just like electric bulbs, surge protectors are subject to wear and tear depending on the number of power surge occurrences in your RV and so you might need to be frequently changing them after a certain period of time.
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Benefits of Using a Surge Protector in your RV
The normal electrical sources and outlets lack the necessary protection against power surges. When all of the power plugins in your RV are fitted with surge protectors which can be either the bigger or, the smaller one or they can also be in the form of power strips, then you no longer have to be worried about how secure your appliances are inside the vehicle. Surge Protectors also protect your appliances in your RV from power spikes that may arise from lightning strikes, short-circuiting or tripped circuit breakers.
Surge protectors are easy to use. They act as insulators or bridges between the incoming power and the electrical appliance that is going to use power.
So unless losses and having a sad face all the time fascinates you, you need to get yourself a good surge protector because safety should always come first.
Power Strips
Depending on the cost of your power strip, these devices are not necessarily surge, protectors. But they may come as surge protectors, it depends on and one must be extra careful when purchasing a power strip or using a power strip on your expensive electronics because they may not be of help against surges at the end of the day. They only provide extra power outlets for multiple electronics. Expensive power extensions may come with a power surge already pre- installed inside. So don't confuse a power extension board from a surge protector, even though they may look a little bit similar.
Finding The Best Among The Best Surge Protectors Available with Reviews
Progressive Industries EMS-PT30C Portable EMS RV Surge Protector
EMS-PT30C Portable EMS RV Surge Protector guarantees you complete safety for your electrical appliances because it safely cuts off power once it exceeds its protection capabilities. It offers quick and easy RV power protection. There is also an inbuilt lock and bracket that allows you to input the chain and lock it for security purposes. All the codes and the necessary information are in the front part of the unit.
Progressive industries offer nothing but the best when it comes to surge protectors because EMS-PT30C Portable EMS RV Surge Protector only pulls in current only when you turn on you're electronic. The red light indicator there means that it is going through its countdown process just to check whether a everything is in order.
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
Pros
- The display is clear and easy to comprehend.
- Time delay feature ensures that everything is in place.
- No need to be worried under wet conditions. It works!
- Covers a wide range of protection up to 240V.
- The built-in lock and bracket protects the unit from any destructions or theft.
- Has a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer.
- A plug and play device.
- Curbs against all kinds of surges
Cons
- Looks bulky.
- A little expensive.
Technology Research 34830 30 Amp Portable Surge Guard
The 34830 30 Amp Portable Surge Guard is able to provide a two times protection against surges and spikes than the later versions. It has the ability to shut off power in case of low voltages, open ground or open neutral. It is easy to use and understand since it uses simple English and you are able to comprehend anything at a glance.
34830 30 Amp Portable Surge Guard has a built-in intelligence that makes the unit to restart after every power restoration. The LED display makes you informed on the status of the surge protector, so you don't have to be paranoid all the time on whether the unit is working or worn out and it is also convenient for connections whether it is connected to the power source or not. It also has a 2450 joules surge protection and can handle up to 120 volts supply.
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
Pros
- Built in intelligence that shuts off in 128 seconds
- Easy to use
- It is light weight
- Can support up to 120V
- Offers more than twice the rated protection
- Has a warranty of one year plus
Cons
- Relatively costly
- Hard to clearly see the LED during the day
- In case of power surges and spikes, you have to plug and unplug manually
- Too much heat production makes it melt internally
Progressive Industries EMSPT50C Surge Protector
The demand for EMSPT50C Surge Protector is very high due to its exceptional features. It comes with a lifetime warranty, and you can use it anywhere in any weather. The lock and bracket feature are available hence you won't have to worry about vandalization or theft.
EMSPT50C Surge Protector also can offer detections and protections against the open ground, open neutral and reverse polarity.it also has a surge failure indicator and a built-in display for all your readings. It ensures that accidental surges up to 240 volts are neutralized.
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
Pros
- Built-in display
- Works in any weather
- Surge protection of up to 240 volts
- Thermally protected
- Lifetime warranty
- Surge failure indicator
- Lock and Bracket protection
Cons
- Relatively expensive
- Challenging to install
Progressive Industries SSP30 Smart Surge
SSP30 Smart Surge is an extremely portable surge protector with 30 amperes of power and can be used on any kind of an RV. The company offers a lifetime warranty on the product, and it contains a surge indicator, a polarity tester and a three- mode surge protection.
SSP30 Smart Surge is rated at 120-volt protection and too much heat production won't melt the insides of the unit. It is also very portable and has a high response time when it comes to surges and spike response.
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
Pros
- Portable
- High surge/ spike response time
- Thermally protected
- Cheap
- Lifetime warranty
- Surge fault indicator
Cons
- Surge protection is 120 Volts which is a bit low
Progressive Industries SSP50 Smart Surge
Progressive industries seem to dominate the RV surge protector market. They develop products that target all the niches without discriminating the class of a customer. SSP50 Smart Surge is one of their products, and the features include a built-in polarity tester and the size only makes it portable. It also has a built-in surge indicator which shows the state of the surge protector.
The SSP50 Smart Surge protector's polarity tester also checks the behavior of power source before you use.
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
Pros
- Polarity indication
- Lifetime warranty
- Surge indicator
- Portable
- Can be used in any kind of weather
- Thermally protected
- Relatively cheap
- Plug and play
Cons
- LED can be difficult to read during the day
Verdict
We all have electronic devices that need protection against spikes and surges. AS we've noticed, these conditions may be caused by different factors. There is also a wide range of surge protectors there in the market. Some are expensive but with many benefits. Others are quite cheaper but with a handful features and benefits which can still do the work.
I say the best way to buy the best surge protector is by first identifying your needs. Secondly is the rating of protection which is measured in joules. My pick would be the surge protector which is portable, affordable and the one with a considerate rating.