Surge Protector/Lock Up?

[jbsedona]

This forum has been fantastic! We haven't had an RV for years, and the new stuff is a little baffling, as are some of the "new" trends. Like theft at campsites. We have a 2014 Roadtrek 190: many posts suggest wisdom of Surge Protector, and it makes sense. Some posts suggest LOCKING the protector to prevent THEFT? (Welcome to the new era) Any suggestions on #1 Type of Surge Protector: (30 amp, right?) and #2 how to secure it? Many thanks to all who have helped this technically challenged couple experience RV life in the cyber world...Best....Vicki and Jim Buehler, Sedona AZ

[Davydd]

We traveled 9 years without a surge protector in our Class Bs. We looked around and if everyone was plugged in we gave it little thought. If there were an electrical storm we would unplug for the duration. Over those 9 years I noticed more and more Class B owners were adding surge protectors at the plug in post. Some locked them up with a bicycle chain and some didn't. After all, they do cost over $200. The worry would be if you left your B unattended. Also, if you drove off it would always be prudent to unplug your surge protector and cord and take it with you. Here is a Camping World search on them.

http://www.campingworld.com/search/inde ... y=1&Ntpc=1

With our new Class B we will have a surge protector built inside the B safe and protected. That is an Advanced RV standard. I don't know if anyone else does that or offers it as an option.

[bobojay]

Definitely recommend what with all the electronics in RV's nowadays. They have saved our unit from damage more than once I think.
This is the one i installed in our current van: http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/it ... -amp/56406 It mounts inside the van so there's no theft worry. Lifetime warranty also & good price...
Here's another one: http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/it ... -amp/58464 This is on sale at a very good price right now, and is what we used on our previous RV. These seem to be the one that's most popular out there.

Also, I never worried about theft as we never left the RV unattended for more than a couple hours at most, and if you leave and go anywhere, you take your power cord and surge protector with you. Your insurance would cover it anyway.

We were this last fall in a state park in Florida, St. George Island. There were no storms anywhere around. Sky perfectly clear. At 245am I woke up to our surge protector clicking on & off. It has a remote mounted led readout that I can see from the bed. It was reading a voltage fluctuation between 107v & 132v. Up, down, up, down, albeit slowly. The surge protector was protecting the the van's electrics from those high voltages, and cutting the surge out. This went on for about 10 minutes and finally quit. No idea what caused it, but I went back to dreamland not worried about it.....

[booster]

We have ours wired in permanently also so we don't have to worry about it "wandering".

On our last trip, we had it disconnect for the first time. We had been plugged in for hours, then it tripped, wouldn't reset for a couple if minutes and then was fine. Obviously, someone put something on the campground circuit they shouldn't have.

[jbsedona]

Thanks to all who responded....with all the high tech "stuff" on board, pretty reasonable insurance, and I think I can come up with a modified "bicycle chain" lash up around a camp post A/C, and just stash it in the unit when out and about...this is a great resource and as someone who is just getting back into the RV scene, a Godsend....thanks again.........jb

[Jontona]

Is there a link or review that can help a newbie like me determine the type of surge protection need, without being excessive. I'm sure there are super duper protectors out there, but we just want one that is practical and likely to protect us against the most likely surge issues. Seems prices range from $66 bucks through $400!