Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Testing Surge Protector (Read 839 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Testing Surge Protector

Yahoo Message Number: 115150
Does anyone have instructions on how to test a hard wired surge protector? I have the TRC HW-RV-50.

Thanks!

John
03 Allure 30914

Re: Testing Surge Protector

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115152
Hi John,

Our 04 Allure, built Sept 2003, coach 31017, has this unit tucked in a cabinet behind the bedroom TV and Circuit Breakers. Access it a small plexiglass panel from the closet area. The function lights, should tell you if everything is OK. And, if you're is like ours, it should also have the key to 'bypass' the unit - if ever needed. Ours is not 'hard wired', CC actually has it so I can unplug it if ever needed. (Carry a spare of 'the other guys' EMS, that I bought from a fell CC coming off the road. New In Box, it was his spare that he'd carried for several years. So if needed, I can get back into the cabinet and unplug the Shore Power coming in, and use my back up if needed.

(On a side note. I also added a Hughes Autoformer into the mix, and had that unit in like first, then the EMS after it. (The Autoformer would stay handle a slightly wider range of lower voltages, where as the EMS would have shut off, so that is why I put it in line first. In maybe two, or three parks over the years it was in line, it made the difference of us having power, or not, in older parks with marginal power supply. And, it did it's job well. Remember one time in Anaconda, two or three neighbors were outside talking and looking at my coach. After a bit, I went out and asked them if their was a problem with my unit. They laughed, and wanted to know how I could have my AC running, as they're coaches AC would not fire up from the parks less then stellar power supply:)! I played dumb, and did not mention the Hughes Autoformer, as I've been in parks where the staff did not understand what it does, and said I was 'using all of the parks power on a leg' - of course, not the case. That Autoformer took one for the team on a trip to Alaska, when a park's generator went amok, and toasted the wiring together in the Hughes. I bought a replacement, but have not put it back in the cabinet (PITA to do so!!) But carry in and have maybe used it three times in the last 4 years, at the pole.)

Anyways. What symptoms are you seeing?

Best,
Smitty
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Testing Surge Protector

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115163
Not sure what you're trying to determine. You could make up a short extension cord and mis-wire the cord. Start with not connecting the neutral and see if your surge protector prevents connection. Then connect the neutral properly and remove the ground. Unfortunately, the cord connectors will be expensive. If you don't plan on using the cord for anything else you won't need large wire, 12 gage should be sufficient.

This cord would test for a bad neutral or bad ground. I don't know how you would test for low or high voltage without a transformer.

pete
2000 40' Magna CAT C-10, #5892
Pete
 2000 40'  Magna #5892  CAT C-10

Re: Testing Surge Protector

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115165
Thanks Smitty for the help and background. I too am not familiar with a autoformer. I'll have to study that. My TRC surge protector is exactly what yours is...and has a bypass key. That is exactly the issue I'm having. I don't have any issues when plugged into 30 or 50A Circuts. My issues are when I'm plugged into 20A...especially when they have a GFCI. I HAVE to have the TRC switch in the bypass mode when I'm plugged into 20A. So, I was thinking that the unit may be bad...hence the subject of "testing" it. Mine is hard wired.

So, when I plug into power here at the house or in storage, I have to turn off all breakers, trip the GFCI in the bedroom of the coach, bypass the TRC surge protector and turn off the 12V salesman switch. Then I plug in. Then I go back on board and turn on the main breaker and the inverter breaker only....just to use the shore power for battery maintenance.

As for the YouTube suggestion....thanks! Ive see that one...but I'm looking to learn more about what specific isssues I'm having.

Re: Testing Surge Protector

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115167
Coach wiring and GFCI units do not get along. Nothing wrong with your coach. Avoid using GFCI plugs and you will be fine.

Mikee

Re: Testing Surge Protector

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 115171
Remember with most surge protectors the bypass key only disabled the low voltage protection capability of the device. It does not disable the surge protection completely. If the surge protector is tripping on a 20 amp service but not on the 30 or 50 it is likely that the 20 amp is giving just enough additional voltage drop to trip the surge protector. Bypassing the voltage protection with the key will stop it from tripping. Not a wise thing to do unless you check to see how low the voltage actually is. As for GFI protectors, they will trip any time the hot leg current and the neutral current is out of balance by roughly 25 milliamps. It varies slightly with each device. It is up to you to figure out what is causing the imbalance or where the current went that did not return through the neutral. Often a very frustrating challenge. They are very sensitive to current imbalance but provide no overload protection at all as long as the overload is balanced with respect to the load and neutral current on a 120 volt circuit.

Don Seager
Former CC Owner