Going camping in an RV is fun but there is nothing exciting about being without your onboard appliances, entertainment systems and electronics.
For this reason, it is important to have an R surge protector with you. It can offer to safeguard your valuable electronic devices and appliances from any unexpected electrical events which you have no power over.
The appropriate surge protector for your RV can not only protect your devices against power surges and high or low voltages, but it can also protect from any electricity-related issues that could damage your RV’s power system.
Types of RV surge protectors
There are varying types of surge protectors for your RV and they can be broadly segmented into portable and hardwired units.
- A portable system enables you to move it from one RV to another. This is particularly useful if you rent RVs rather than own. A downside of this system, however, is that it can get stolen or become misplaced quite easily.
- A hardwired RV surge protector also knowns as ems is a system that gets wire into an RV, essentially becoming a part of the RV. This means that you don’t have to be concerned about losing it or having it stolen. Furthermore, it can be used in numerous weather conditions.
One of the greatest benefits associated with using a surge protector is that it is nearly impossible to envision what voltage issue a campground could have. While it is easy to know when you have an overvoltage issue, it can be difficult to recognise undervoltage.
This is where a portable surge protector comes in, as you can connect it to the different pedestals on a campground to find one that does not have any issues. This can be a time-saving tactic, as you don’t have to keep moving the RV to find a pedestal that works correctly.
It is also important to know that RV surge protectors have different varieties which correspond to an RV’s power levels.
This means you can have a 30 amp surge protector and a 50 amp surge protector. before you purchase a surge protector for your RV, ensure that you know what your RV’s power rating is.
Apart from this major benefit of helping to protect your appliances and gadgets from electrical surges and spikes, an RV surge protector has additional benefits.
Nevertheless, it is not without its drawbacks, so it is important to weigh all these factors before deciding if a surge protector is essential for your RV.
Pros of an RV Surge Protector
Apart from helping you to identify any issues a shore power supply connection might have, saving you from damaging your gadget and electrical appliances, here are additional benefits of using a surge protector:
- A surge protector can help regulate electrical flows.
- It enhances safety for your RV’s electrical systems
- It can help you discover faulty connections. It is important to understand that there is no such thing as a perfect campground and while they try to do their jobs, mistakes can be made.
- So, instead of blindly trusting that the outlet is safe, you should take added precaution by checking the outlet before connecting your RV to it. This will ensure that your camping trip is a happy and safe one.
Regulating electrical flow
It is the role of an RV surge protector to block any surges of either high or low. It can also mediate, monitor and buffer the flow of electricity between your RV’s electrical system and camp outlets. This ensures that damaging power issues are kept at bay.
Generally, RV surge protectors manufactured in America are only rated for 140 Volts. This means that when you get power that is higher or lesser than 140 from any source, the RV surge protector keeps it out ensuring your electrical devices are protected.
RV related safety issues
It might not seem like it but there are a couple of electrically related risks on board with you in your RV while you are camping.
They are the possibility of fire hazards, electric shocks and of course, other power-related issues. It is easy to not consider them when considering overall RV safety, but they do happen.
An RV surge protector can help lower the likelihood of these hazards by protection against events such as powers surged, undervoltage and electrical instabilities stemming from blackouts.
While rare, it is possible for electricity to pass through wires when you are caught in a lightning storm. When this happens, your RV’s wiring systems or your appliances could be damaged.
You could say this is a rare occurrence so you don’t need an RV surge protector but electricity, when not regulated, can get out of hand.
It offers protection from faulty wiring
Typically, these surge protectors come with LED indicators, while some expensive ones come with a screen that let you know if there is a faulty connection.
When you attempt to connect your RV to an outlet that is either broken or unregulated, you will get an alert informing you of such.
Cons of an RV Surge Protector
While it easy to be enamoured with the positives, you should also consider the negatives surrounding an RV surge protector. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean your RV doesn’t require a surge protector. Here are a few drawbacks associated with using an RV surge protector:
- It can cost a fair bit of money to purchase. Given that you aim to protect something valuable, it makes perfect sense to spend money to get adequate protection for your RV and the devices in it.
- Your surge protector can be stolen. This might seem like a job but it does happen. There are certain people in this life that go around RV parks looking for an RV surge protector to steal rather than buying their own.
- You should not let this negative stop you, however. You simply have to ensure your surge protector is difficult to steal and if it is stolen, you can help negate the loss by having a spare surge protector on hand.
- RV surge protectors do not last long, meaning they will need to be changed. While this might seem like a negative, it can be a positive. When an RV surge protector goes bad, it means that it has done its job by absorbing ever overvoltage and low voltage that could have otherwise gone to your electronics.
- RV surge protectors tend not to last long because they absorb unsafe voltages every time they are used. That being said, the lifespan of an RV surge protector tends to vary from one brand to another.
Monitor your amps
It is important that when you purchase a surge protector for your RV that you get the appropriate one. You should never buy a surge protector that is incompatible with your RV as doing so could let in the wrong amp of power into the RV.
What this means is that you should refrain from using a 50 amp rated surge protector on an RV rated for 30 amps.
You should also never use a 30 amp rated RV surge protector on an RV that is rated for 50 amps. Doing such can cause your RV’s electrical systems to get damaged. It is best to err on the side of caution.
Conclusion
It is easy to wonder if you truly require a surge protector for your RV. It can be tempting to just forgo the added protection and instead save a bit of money.
However, do you want to witness the stories you hear about others damaging their systems at a supposedly developed campground?
See it like this, would you love to bide your time, waiting till your experience actual extensive damage not only to your RV’s wiring system but also your appliances and gadgets. When you think about it, that makes surge protectors even more affordable.
When you consider just how much your gadgets and appliances cost concerning the seemingly paltry cost of a surge protector for your RV, then it makes perfect sense that you should purchase one.
This seemingly tiny investment into your electrical protection and protection of your appliances can ensure your camping trips are always happy. You never have to worry about damage to your devices or RV due to overvoltage or any other form of electrical surges.
It does not matter if you own or rent an RV, you should seriously consider purchasing a surge protector for your RV.
