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RV electrical systems are very sensitive. Costly damage can be done if these systems are exposed to surges, but there are a number of other electrical issues that a simple surge protector cannot defend against. That is why an electrical management system (EMS) is a better choice to protect your RV investment.

While surge protectors are designed to protect RVs from voltage spikes, electrical management systems are designed to protect the RV from voltage spikes and other electrical damage such as: low voltage, open ground, open neutral, reverse polarity and accidentally plugging into a 240 volt outlet.

The latest Surge Guard product will protect the RV when there is high or low voltage, misfired pedestals, open ground, open neutral, reverse polarity, high neutral current, surges, overheating plug or receptacle.

Similar to the portable EMS, the hard-wired version is installed in your RV. It does not come with a built in display, but a separately sold display can be installed on the inside of the RV in order to monitor voltage and amp draw along with any power issues.

Camco also makes a portable voltage protector that will shut off power to the RV when low or high voltage is detected. The display will show other electrical issues, but will not stop power from going to the RV.

The Hughes Autoformer is a power booster with built-in surge protection. When the input voltage is below 113 volts, the Autoformer will go into boost mode to increase the output by 10%. It does not draw power from the campground or any source the RV is plugged into.

The newest product from Hughes Autoformer is the Power Watch Dog Surge Protection with EPO. Bluetooth connectivity allows you to monitor real time power conditions on your smartphone.

Voltage surge.This happens when the power grid experiences a disruption that causes an increase in voltage. It can be an increase of 1 volt to thousands if, for example, lightning strikes a power line. These surges can damage any electrical device that you have in the RV, including anything you have plugged into an outlet. Surges can also start electrical fires.

After those 5 years, we no longer needed an EMS and sold ours. Despite having always been outside in all sorts of weather, it was still in great shape and worked perfectly. If we needed to buy another EMS I would probably buy the Progressive Industries EMS again but I would strongly consider the Southwire Surge Guard since it has protection against an overheating plug.

Surge protectors will be the least expensive option because they provide less protection than an Electrical Management System. Most surge protectors will offer high and low voltage protection but that’s about it. If you want more comprehensive protection, consider buying an EMS which will protect against most, if not all of the electrical scenarios listed above.

We chose a portable EMS and would chose one again because they are, well, portable. When we sold our Class A and got a Class B campervan, the EMS came with us…no need to buy a new one. We also didn’t need to wire and install an LCD panel inside the RV to see what faults were triggered. With some of the newer portable EMSs, they have additional features like detection of an overheating plug. That said, since an EMS can be expensive, they can be targets for thieves. We typically carried a bike lock with us and would secure our EMS to the pedestal so someone couldn’t just run off with it.

Hard-wired units are great because every time you plug your RV into shore power it’s working. No forgetting to connect it. It can also be tucked away so you’re not sacrificing storage to carry around a portable unit. If the interior LCD is installed and the EMS cuts your RV off from power, you can check it to see why without having to go outside. It also can’t be stolen (unless they take the entire RV). The downside is that if/when you get another RV, you can’t take it with you. Also, some smaller campervans, etc may not have space to install a wired unit.

Still, an EMS will protect your RV. A surge protector- not so much. (More about this later) However, your power protection device might end up fried, causing you to need to purchase a new one.

This can cause the power supply to drop. (Especially in older parks where the wiring has not been updated since the "70s or "80s.) This is called a brownout.A huge power drop is called a brownout. It can be more damaging than a power surge.

Therefore, it"s vital to your rig"s health to get RV surge protection for RVs that shuts off power to your rig in such an event. Yes, you can check the voltage and the wiring before you plug-in.

Make sure the 30 or 50-amp circuit breaker is turned off at the power pedestal before plugging in your portable surge protection device or your camper power cord.

The best RV surge protector you can get is an EMS. An Electrical Management System is a different beast. Quite frankly, it"s what you should be using.

It would pretty much cover me for a surge, but no more than 2100 joules.Good thing I have been boondocking about 99.9% of the time during the last few years!

You will notice that the Southwire "surge protectors" have a higher joule rating than the Progressive Industries "surge protectors". But what does this mean and is it important?

So, let"s see if we can simplify what it is. A Joule in the context of RV "surge protector" for RVs is the maximum amount of energy that a "surge protector" can absorb and dissipate as heat.

In other words, how quickly the camper "surge protector" will respond, for example, to a sudden voltage spike. You want this to be an incredibly small number so that the power supply issue doesn"t have a chance to damage your RV.

The Progressive Industries "surge protectors" for RVs have a response time of less than 1 nanosecond (one billionth of a second). That"s a really small number, and thus a really fast response time.

Why? Because they both produce surge protection and electrical management system devices to protect your recreational vehicle from electrical issues when you are plugged into shore power.

Not a move in the right direction, in our opinion. Progressive Industries continues to be the only company that JUST produces RV "surge protector" products. Their parent company does manufacture other products.

While Progressive Industries" line of RV "surge protection" products are a bit more expensive than the competition (generally just a few dollars more), we think that the superior customer support and a few KEY better product features justify this increased cost.

While this doesn"t mean their RV "surge protection" products aren"t any good, it does mean that the company isn"t singularly focused, the way Progressive Industries is.

Recently they have been transitioning the RV surge protector line of products over to the Southwire name, moving away from the Technology Research brand.

What differs is that Southwire offers a "Connected Equipment Warranty" (Progressive does not) that covers damages to, well, equipment connected to their surge protectors.

Both companies manufacture surge suppression and Electrical Management System (EMS) devices to protect your recreational vehicle from shore power electrical issues.

Two electrical management systems (one that mounts permanently in your RV and one that is portable), and a Progressive portable RV surge protector that offers basic electrical protection.

The Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C (30 amp surge protector) and EMS-HW50C (50 amp surge protector) are Electrical Management Systems (EMS) that offers complete electrical protection for any RV that utilizes 30 or 50 amp electrical service. They offer the same great protection that the portable EMS-PT30X and EMS-PT50X do but in a hardwired version. In other words, the EMS-HW30C and EMS-HW50C are permanently mounted inside your RV.

They no longer offer 24/7 customer support (just Monday through Friday, normal business hours), but they do have a reputation of being the most customer-friendly company making "surge protectors" for RVs.

It offers instantaneous (in under 1 nanosecond) electrical surge protection, as well as continual monitoring of electricity quality coming into your RV.

These units will also prevent power from reaching your rig if they are plugged into a 240-volt power source. Both of these models come with a single remote LED display.

There is an option to add a second remote LED display that you can install inside the rig so you can monitor electrical conditions without having to go outside.

There is an automatic 136-second delay before shore power is allowed to go to your rig. During this time observe the LED display to make sure no fault has been found.

Able to bypass all Electrical Management System features (but maintain surge protection) in the event of circuit board failure. This allows you to continue to use the unit as a surge protector until you get a replacement part to restore EMS functionality.

In addition to providing great surge protection, these units will detect a wide variety of electrical issues and immediately shut off power to your RV.

We chose Progressive Industries electrical management systems as number one for their superior products and their backing of their surge protector for RVs.

Progressive has a very nice lifetime warranty on their surge protectors and EMS"s. Customers from Amazon (reviews) to bloggers are all very happy with the product.

By continually monitoring the shore power being supplied to your rig from the power pedestal, these units will react instantly (in under 1 nanosecond) when it detects a power surge condition.

Progressive RV surge protectors (Because they are not electrical management systems) will only provide active protection against voltage spikes such as those caused by lightning strikes.

To use this portable surge protector, first make sure the 30 and 50-amp breakers are off at the power pedestal. Then, plug the surge protector into the appropriate socket.

Southwire"s (formerly Technology Research) Surge Guard line of RV power protection is our runner-up company. They will provide your RV the protection you need.

The Southwire Surge Guard 35530 and 35550 does offer complete protection from electrical issues originating from the power pedestal. Still, we feel that the Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C and EMS-HW50C are a better choice.

The Surge Guard 35530/50 doesn"t include an LCD display so you can see what is happening with your power supply. It is an option costing around $100. When you include the purchase price of the display, the The Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C/50C is a much better deal (it includes a single remote display with the option to have a second one).

The Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C/50C has a bypass feature. It allows you to continue to use the unit in surge protection only mode should there be an issue with the Electrical Management Features. The Southwire 35530/50 does not have this ability. Why is this important? If there is a failure of the EMS unit, then the Southwire Surge Guard must be removed and replaced before you can power your coach via shore power. The Progressive Industries unit can bypass the fault and then be repaired in the field (the Southwires are not field repairable).

Once permanently installed in your rig, do the following to utilize your new Surge Guard EMS:Make sure the 30 and 50-amp circuit breakers are turned off at the power pedestal.

For any RV that uses 30 or 50-amp electrical service, the Southwire Surge Guard 34930 and 34950 portable electrical management systems offer complete electrical protection.

The Southwire Surge Guard 34950 portable EMS (50 amp version) can check the RVs wiring for an open ground condition. If there is an open ground in the RV wiring, the 34950 will not let power flow to the RV. The 30 amp version doesn"t offer this function.

Turn on the 30 or 50-amp circuit breaker and observe that the LED display is counting up to 10 seconds (built-in delay before connecting power to your RV).

Assuming no faults are detected, the Surge Guard 34930/50 will provide power to your RV after the 10-second delay. This will be indicated by the green "power on" LED being illuminated.

2-line LED display indicates incoming line voltage, amperage use and whether power is going to the RV. If a fault is present, the LED display will indicate the issue.

They only provide active protection against voltage spikes such as those caused by lightning strikes. These surge protectors will indicate a power supply issue. However, they will not stop power from reaching your RV under these conditions.

The Southwire Surge Guard 44280 and 44290 RV surge protectors will inform you, via LED lights, if there is an open ground or neutral, or a reverse polarity situation.

First, to use either of these surge protectors, make sure the 30 and 50-amp circuit breakers are shut off at the pedestal. Then plug the unit into the appropriate power supply.

If there is a fault indicator, refer to the front of the unit to see what the issue is. DO NOT plug your shore power cable into the surge protector until the issue has been resolved.

In testing, this surge protector was one of the best at preventing extra voltage from reaching its outlets. It also safely stops all power once the protection wears out, and it has 12 AC outlets plus coaxial and phone ports.

If you want a surge protector for your home office or entertainment setup, the Tripp Lite Protect It 12-Outlet Surge Protector TLP1208TELTV is your best choice. It has a critical auto-shutoff feature, more than enough outlets to keep all your gadgets powered, and both coaxial and telephone connectors. It offers great protection against household surges that come from other equipment in your home or fluctuations from the power company. Plus, it has a generous 8-foot cord, and it feels sturdy and robust.

For light-duty powering, such as under a nightstand or end table, the Accell Power Air is the way to go to protect gadgets such as phones, tablets, or alarm clocks from surges. It offers two USB ports and six AC outlets in a round package that’s smaller than a dinner plate. The USB ports put out a combined 2.4 amps, enough to charge one smartphone or tablet at a high speed or two devices at low speeds. The circular outlet layout makes the Power Air usable with a variety of plug sizes. Its 6-foot cord is 2 feet shorter than that of the Tripp Lite 12-outlet model but should still be plenty long for most people. The Power Air performed almost as well as our top pick against individual surges, though it might not hold up to as many surges over its lifetime given its lower joule rating (which describes roughly how much energy it can absorb before it dies—the company estimates it’ll withstand about 1,080 joules of use, whereas many larger models are built to handle more than 2,000 joules).

Tripp Lite’s three-outlet SK30USB has an auto-shutoff feature and offers almost as much surge protection as full-size models. Plus, it has two 2.1-amp USB ports.

The Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector SK30USB offers the portability of our favorite small power strips for travel but with even more protection. It has an auto-shutoff mechanism, making it one of the few three-outlet options we’ve found that will disconnect the power when the surge protection wears out. In addition to the three AC outlets, it comes equipped with two USB ports that offer a combined 2.1 amps to charge a phone, a tablet, or a couple of low-power devices. It performs well compared with other small options we’ve tested, blocking almost as many volts as larger models. In contrast to many comparable models, its compact size, grounded (three-prong) plug, and optional screw in the center of the unit help keep it firmly attached to the wall outlet, which is important for preventing electrical fires or shocks. We’d choose the SK30USB for protecting a few small household appliances—say, an essential oil diffuser, a Nintendo Switch dock, and a coffee grinder—and a couple of smartphones, or even for tossing in a carry-on when we’re traveling.

Tripp Lite’s eight-outlet TLP825 has a 25-foot cord, which is three to four times the length of most surge protector cords. It has fewer outlets than our top pick and no extra ports, but it performed almost as well in our surge tests.

With a cord measuring 25 feet, the Tripp Lite Protect It 8-Outlet Surge Protector TLP825 has the longest cord of any of our picks, making it the ideal choice for a garage, a basement, or any room where wall outlets are few and far between. It performed about as well as Tripp Lite’s 12-outlet TLP1208TELTV (and better than Accell’s Power Air and Tripp Lite’s three-outlet SK30USB) in our surge tests. Since it’s unsafe to plug a surge protector into an extension cord or to daisy-chain multiple surge protectors together, you should get this model if the devices you want to protect are more than 8 feet away from an outlet. It has four fewer outlets than our top pick and no additional ports (coaxial, phone, or USB), but that’s a small sacrifice if you need the extra cord length.

Overkill unless you have high-end home theater, office, or media equipment, this unit knocked down surges better than any other model we tried, including surge eliminators costing twice as much.

Our top pick will protect most equipment in most cases. But the Furman Power Station 8 (PST-8) goes further, providing the best surge suppression of any model we tested—enough to give owners of high-end electronics peace of mind. It turned a 5,000-volt surge into just 40 volts, thanks in part to a shutdown circuit that turns off all power when a surge is detected. The PST-8 actually let less voltage through in our tests than high-end series mode surge eliminators that can cost hundreds more. But common equipment, such as a computer monitor, will be fine protected by one of our less expensive picks, so this model is best for people who insist on extra protection for particularly precious gear. Plus, it has a sturdy aluminum body and an 8-foot cord.

A quality, highly protective RV surge protector can appear at first glance to be a bit pricey. But when you consider the cost of replacing your RV’s electronics, the cost of surge protection becomes inconsequential.

Plugging your RV into unknown power sources like those at RV parks, campgrounds, state parks, etc. is always risky. Any power pedestal could have issues that even the park owner isn’t aware of yet. When you consider the large number of power sources we connect our RVs to, a high-quality surge protector is an absolute must.

A good RV surge protector offers protection from an electrical surge that can come through the power pedestal into which an RV is plugged. An electrical surge can damage RV electronics and appliances (both those that came with the RV, and anything plugged into a 120V AC outlet).

A high-quality RV surge protector has the ability to cut the power coming in from the power pedestal automatically when any dangerous electrical event occurs.

A good surge protector will also automatically restore power to your RV once power is detected as being safe and the electrical event is no longer a threat.

And finally, some high-quality RV surge protectors will even display the fault so you’ll know exactly what electrical event took place to cause the unit to shut down the power coming into your RV from the power pedestal.

Any interruption in the power grid is capable of causing a power surge. This could happen when lightning strikes a power line, for example. If powerful enough, a power surge could fry every electronic device and appliance in your RV, which is why a surge protector is extremely important.

You can see how important it is to have a high-quality portable RV surge protector to address all of these types of potential issues, especially if you plug your RV into a variety of power sources as you travel.

When you plug your rig into a power pedestal without high-quality surge protection, you’re risking every electronic device, receptacle, and appliance in your RV.

There are a few things you need to know before you shop for an RV surge protector and a few things you want your surge protector to have, so let’s take a look.

First, you need to know whether you have a 50-amp RV or a 30 amp RV so you can match your surge protector. Most reasonably-sized RVs are designed to use either 30- or 50-amp power service (while smaller rigs may have only a 15/20-amp connection, like a standard household plug).

A portable unit doesn’t need to be installed at all… you simply plug it in between your RV’s power cord and the campground’s power pedestal. But there are a couple of things to consider with portable surge protectors:

All surge protectors will indicate the level of protection they provide. That rating is listed in Joules and should be clearly noted on the product box or description. The joule rating is important because it tells you how much energy the surge protector can safely absorb before it will fail.

Most surge protectors run somewhere in the range from 825 to 3,580 joules. Some (like the Power Watchdogs noted below) offer between 2,400 and 6,100 joules of protection depending on the unit.

Let’s take a look at three of the best brands of 30 amp RV surge protectors and 50 amp RV surge protectors to keep you from frying your RV’s electronics, and why they’re the best.

As you’ll see below, we’re putting Hughes in the hands-down #1 position for a reason. During our nearly 20 years of full-time RVing, we’ve owned two RVs and a number of different surge protectors. Once we discovered Hughes, there was no going back to lesser brands.

This 30-amp Power Watchdog Smart Surge Protector offers 3,000 Joules of advanced surge protection and automatically shuts off power in the event of an emergency. Please note that it appears that the 30-amp model with 3,000-joule protection is only available directly through Hughes here. (There are other units on Amazon, but at the time of the writing of this post, the models offered on Amazon offer only 2,400 joules of protection.)

The Power Watchdog has a replaceable surge/spike module which is not something you’ll often find in most other RV surge protectors. So, if your rig gets hit with a large electrical surge and the surge module sacrifices itself to protect your RV’s electronics (which is what it’s supposed to do!), you don’t have to replace the entire surge protector. You can simply buy a new surge/spike module from Hughes for a fraction of the price and replace it yourself.

All Power Watchdog models (as all surge protectors) are compatible with dogbone adapters. (See our “Dogbones 101: Plugging In an RV post for more information on dogbone adapters.)

There’s an option to add remote monitoring capabilities to your Watchdog by using an additional device from RVWhisper. Their remote monitoring system allows you to keep track of your RV’s temperature, shore power, battery power, propane, and security from many miles away. (For example, when your rig is in storage or when you’re miles away from the rig hiking or otherwise enjoying nature.)

Make sure your RV is protected from low voltage, bad RV park wiring AND power surges when connecting to shore power with a Power Watchdog and/or Hughes Autoformer. We never hookup without ours (we...Show More

Make sure your RV is protected from low voltage, bad RV park wiring AND power surges when connecting to shore power with a Power Watchdog and/or Hughes Autoformer. We never hookup without ours (we have both), and know our RV"s electrical system and all our electronics are being protected.

There are a number of versions of the Hughes Power Watchdog on Amazon (some of them may be older models), so you’ll need to check the features of any you find and make sure you’re getting all the features you want in an RV surge protector.

A bit more expensive than the Power Watchdog, the Southwire Surge Guard offers 2,450 joules of protection in the 30-amp version and 4,200 joules in the 50-amp version. Complete protection with both line and load monitoring is available, and all units offer automatic reset when power is restored after an event has occurred.

These units are easy to use, and Southwire now offers an optional (extra cost) battery-operated Bluetooth LCD display that allows for remote monitoring of your Surge Guard (similar to how the Hughes Power Watchdog allows you to use an app on your smart devices for monitoring).

Southwire’s Surge Guard 30- and 50-amp models, as well as the separate Bluetooth display, are available through TechnoRV here, and you can save 5% by using the RVgeeks discount code:

They’re also available on Amazon, but once again – be sure to take a look at the specs and reviews to make sure you’re getting the surge guard product you want and need.

Progressive Industries has a variety of EMS units from which to choose, all of which offer either 3-mode or 5-mode surge protection. They offer both hardwired options as well as all-in-one portable surge & testing units.

These models offer anywhere from 1,650 to 3,580 joules of surge protection for your RV. All models will protect from open hot, open ground, open neutral, and reverse polarity situations, and all of them come with a lifetime warranty (with the exception of the Weather Shield protective housing).

So, if you’re shopping for a surge protector, you may have noticed there are a TON on the market. I’ve narrowed them down to a list of the 11 very best options. Plus, I included a guide on all things surge protection in case any of the terminology is confusing.

This is probably the most confusing part of shopping. What the heck is the difference between surge protectors and electrical management systems (or EMS)?

Electrical management systems do what surge protectors do, plus a lot more like monitoring for miswiring, low voltage, and a host of other electrical issues.

The best RV surge protector will protect you from some really dangerous situations — from power surges that can fry your electrical systems, to pedestal miswiring that causes electrical fires.

In my list of the 11 best RV surge protectors and electrical management systems, I’ve included a mix of 30 amp and 50 amp RV surge protectors, as well as portable and hardwired RV surge protectors.

The Progressive Industries SSP 30XL is a popular EMS designed for use on 30 amp RV’s. It’s lightweight, weather resistant, and inexpensive compared to a lot of surge protectors on the market.

This model from Progressive Industries will detect open ground, open neutral, and reverse polarity. It’ll also indicate a miswired pedestal and surge failure.

One feature this one doesn’t come with is a digital display that tells you what’s wrong. Instead, you have LED lights on the front and you look up what they mean if one comes on.

The PT50X is a portable RV surge protector from Progressive Industries that indicates open hot, open ground, open neutral, and reverse polarity. It has a surge protection rating of up to 3,580 joules or 88,000 amps.

All Progressive Industries surge protectors come with a lifetime warranty, so if you have any issues, you just have to fill out a form and they will mail you a replacement product.

The surge guard claims to have a super easy 10-second installation process. Once plugged in, it will continuously show you the current amp and voltage draws on the LCD screen.

This compact circuit analyzer indicates issues with open ground, reverse polarity, open hot, open neutral, and other electrical issues from the power supply. This rv surge protector protects against surges up to 1,050 Joules.

That being said, you do get what you pay for with this surge protector. It doesn’t come with any weather protection and it’s not the most durable long-term.

However, if you’re looking for quick peace of mind on a budget, or if you don’t use your RV super often, this Camco surge protector will do the trick.

There are three different levels of surge protection, so it could catch and protect against surges better than some other devices on this list. It’s also pretty inexpensive.

The Powsafe RV surge protector doesn’t come with fancy features like a digital screen or an anti-theft lock. But it definitely works and will get the job done.

The Progressive Industries SSP-50X indicates open ground, open neutral, reverse polarity, and miswired pedestals. It protects against surges up to 1,200 Joules.

This Southwire surge guard protects against reverse polarity, power surges, miswired pedestal open ground, open neutral, low and high voltage, and high neutral current. This EMS is permanently installed (hardwired) into your RV’s system.

The system continuously monitors for electrical issues and displays them via LED lights. Surge Guard also sells a remote digital display for this model that you can purchase separately.

It protects against surges up to 3,850 Joules and has a 128-second reset delay to protect your A/C compressor. Plus, it automatically resets itself each time it loses and regains power.

The only difference between this unit and the Progresive Industries HW50C is the location of the display. On LCHW50 the display is located on the EMS itself, and on the HW50C, it’s located on a remote display that you can place anywhere inside your RV.

I compiled all the ins and outs of surge protectors right here, so keep reading if you’re confused, or just need to know more before you make a purchase.

A power surge is when very high voltage unexpectedly comes through your power source, typically due to lightning. A power surge can damage or completely destroy all of the electronics in your RV.

Low voltage is another scenario that can cause almost as much damage as a power surge. Low voltage is when your RV is not getting enough voltage from the power source it’s attached to.

Never assume that your campground’s electrical system is safe. A quality surge protector will let you know right away if something’s wrong with the wiring. You’ll know your campground has faulty wiring if you plug in your surge protector and it displays a code for “miswired pedestal”.

An open neutral reading on a surge guard means there has been some damage to the neutral wire in the power pedestal. Electricity can flow through the wire into the RV, but not back into the pedestal.

With a portable surge protector, you’ll set it up each time you’re at a new park or campground. Set it up by plugging the surge protector into the power supply, and then plugging your RV’s plug into the surge protector.

Hardwired surge protectors are installed one time into your RV and serve as sort of “built in” surge protection. If there are any issues with the power supply, a hardwired EMS will show the issue on its display screen or turn off if necessary.

Hardwired protectors are difficult to install, and you may need a professional to do it. But once you’ve got ‘em in, you don’t need to worry about surge protection. With a portable protector, you’ll have to set it up each time you move sites.

Once you know the connection your RV requires, you should only shop for a surge guard that fits your power requirement. There are aftermarket dogbone adapters that will turn 50 amp to 30 and vice versa.

Surge guards on the market usually come with one of two ways to read what’s going on with the electrical system: LED lights, or a digital LCD display.

Protectors with LED indicator lights sometimes have a color code, where you have to look at the color of the lights and then compare them to a small chart to determine the issue. Protectors with digital displays are usually more pricey, but they can be easier to read.

Both give you the same information and one is not necessarily better than the other. If you want to spend a bit more and have an easier-to-read surge protector, I’d say go with one that has a display.

In essence, it determines the amount of time that your RV’s electrical system is exposed to the surge event. So, the shorter the response time the better.

There are just a few surge protector manufacturers you’ll see when shopping. I’ll cover a few that I talked about earlier here, and what they’re known for.

Progressive Industries is by far the most popular RV surge protector manufacturer. They make high-quality, reliable surge protectors and have great customer reviews across the board.

Progressive industries also offer a lifetime warranty on all of their surge protectors/EMS. So, if your protector fails or breaks, all you have to do is fill out their warranty form online and they’ll send you a replacement product.

Southwire also doesn’t manufacture as many different options as Progressive Industries does. You’ll have a bit less to choose from when shopping from Southwire’s line of surge protectors.

Like Progressive Industries, Southwire also offers a warranty on all of their surge protectors. However, the warranty has a lot more fine print and it may be harder to get a replacement product.

That being said, Camco’s surge protectors are not super rugged, and the company does not have the best customer service. But, if you’re looking for an inexpensive surge protector, and maybe you don’t go on RV trips so often, they’ll definitely get the job done.

While portable generators are generally less prone to issues compared to shore power supplies at campgrounds, you can be extra safe and use a surge protector with your generator.

Each surge protector or electrical management system has a different surge protection rating. The surge protection rating means that the protector will reliably be able to protect your RV against a voltage spike of “x”.

The protection rating is typically measured in Joules, which is a unit of energy. For example, if your surge protector has a protection rating of 1,000 Joules, this means it will absorb up to 1,000 Joules in extra energy (from the surge), to protect your RV.

For a 30 amp RV, try to find a surge protector with a rating of at least 800 Joules. For a 50 amp RV, try to find one with a rating of at least 1,000 Joules.

You can! But you’ll definitely need what’s called a dogbone adapter. This adapter will allow your 30 amp surge protector to be compatible with your 50 amp RV.

Surge protectors are a pricey item that you keep outside your RV, which makes them prone to being stolen. If your surge protector doesn’t already come with a lock, you can use a chain and padlock to secure your surge protector to the power pedestal.

If you’ve learned anything from reading all this, hopefully it’s that you absolutely NEED a surge protector!! No matter which one you get, they’re super important for the safety of you and your family, and for the longevity of your RV.

Southwire Surge Guard 40300-10 Remote LCD Display. 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Also, in the event that there is a power surge that was going to "take out" my surge protector, I"d prefer it be a cheap portable unit as opposed to the ATS/Surge combo unit.

However, a surge protector guards your wire and electronic equipment from voltage fluctuations. Unlike a circuit breaker, a surge guard doesn’t just disconnect power; it trys to dissipate it, first.