Concerning RVs, a power surge is very common but preventable with a surge protector and the right know how. When using a power source that is shared by many vehicles there are many variables that could lead to dirty power and surges affecting many campers. Typically, it’s caused by someone who isn’t connected properly. This can set off a chain reaction throughout the park. With any luck the issue may be confined to the RV in question, but as the electrical connections are shared by several campers at once it is more likely that it will affect all nearby.
Sometime it is an issue with the wiring, either bad wiring by the factory or as a result of an RV owner tampering with the lines. The wiring is different than it is in your home although it may appear to be similar at first glance. In your home, the neutral bar and ground are wired into the same area, whereas in an RV this isn’t nor should it be the case. This could produce a potentially dangerous situation and a costly one down the road. An RV surge protector in this case may provide some short term protection, but you may just end up replacing the surge protectors more often than necessary as they will most likely burn out quickly.
For RVs, there are two kinds of surge protection that can benefit owners at mass energy-sharing compounds. One is shunt to ground surge protection. These are your basic surge protectors for RVs that utilize MOV technology. Like most devices you use in your home, MOV protection is temporary, meaning when the MOVs burn out you will have to replace the device. It’s not perfect, as the MOVs degrade with every surge until they become useless; but it’s protection nonetheless. They simply push the surge away from your equipment into a ground where it releases the surge harmlessly into the air.
The other kind is the series mode model. These offer better protection and you can find most 50 amp surge protectors in this style. They don’t use MOVs so there’s no degradation. What they do use is a combination of inductor coils and gas discharge tubes. The only downside to a RV 50 amp surge protector is the size. It can be somewhat bulky. It used to be that for an RV surge protector 50 amp device didn’t exist. They are becoming more and more common on the market, however.
Prices are reasonable but not exorbitant (a quality device will cost around $200) and they offer whole house protection for all the appliances in the RV rather than protecting one appliance each. Since RVs don’t exceed 50 amp capacity, this is all the protection you need. You could invest in a lower 30 amp surge protector and this may be enough. Some RV parks still carry only 15 amp currents for which there are no adapters to use a 50 amp surge protector for RV campers. Your best bet is to call ahead prior to parking to see exactly how the park can accommodate you.
Another sign that you have a quality device is it will have RV cable connections with GFI functionality. This shuts down the power supply if there’s a short in the circuit anywhere on the line. Look for one that isn’t sealed as you cannot make repairs on these. This is especially important if you purchase a MOV protector. Sometimes the better models will produce a buzz, sometimes they won’t work with any installed inverters. Overall though, it’s always best to be protected and installing a 50 amp surge protector could save you thousands of dollars in ruined gear.
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