jerry55lee Report post Posted October 18, 2017 I learned today that my 2017 Newmar Ventana 4369 does not have built in electrical surge protection. With an all electric coach....could be bad news. There are a lot of surge protectors on the market. Thoughts on good ones? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkhartjim Report post Posted October 18, 2017 Progressive Industries. Great customer service and lifetime warranty and its much more than just a surge protector. I've used them for over 10 years and I can't tell you the times its saved my coach from faulty wiring, low voltage and high voltage. BTW...I have the same coach as you. http://www.progressiveindustries.net/our-products Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jerry55lee Report post Posted October 18, 2017 Thanks for the reply. Progressive makes at least 3 50A units. If you had to buy one today, which one would it be? And that Ventana? Great coach....and you can't beat Newmar's customer service. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillAdams Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I am a Surge Guard advocate, especially since Progtessive got sold and no longer seems interested in supporting their product for life as they used to. The price was reasonable for a good product with a great warranty but it now appears to be just another run of the mill warranty for an over priced product. It's good, but I am not sure that it's better than most of the other options available out there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkhartjim Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I took the easy way out and bought this one. I couldn't come up with an easy way to instal the fixed unit. http://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems-pt50x RV Safety Accessories on Ebay had the best price I could find at the time. Lifetime warranty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted October 19, 2017 I bought a Surge Guard 34850 after trying to get buy with out one and frying the circuit board in the washer. I like the portable one as I can test a power pedestal with out the coach. I Have had to try several spots on occasion (not to often) before finding god power. Keep in mind you can use the 50 amp on a 30 amp outlet and it will still protect you. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ispjs Report post Posted November 1, 2017 I had two previous RV's hard wired with permanent surge protection/electrical management, one of which was Progressive. On the last gas coach I got we just went with the portable plug in 50amp for much of the same reason that Bill stated, plus I was getting tired of buying new systems. I will continue to use it on new 4369. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obedb Report post Posted November 1, 2017 We have the same unit that Jim has. It is our second unit. The first lost the surge protection feature during an electrical storm. All other features still worked. Turn around on a replacement from the factory was less than a week and the unit was not our original one. It was brand new. That was in 2016 before the buy out though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkhartjim Report post Posted November 1, 2017 Byron, if you check their reviews they are still getting very good reviews on customer service. As always, some people have issues that are of no fault of the manufacturer but need to find somebody to blame for their misuse of the product. My first one was the hard wired which was trouble free for 10 years and saved me several times from high/ low voltage and incorrectly wired campground pedestals. I expect the same results form the current one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obedb Report post Posted November 1, 2017 Seems to me that a good portable is easier to deal with in the event of a a failure. Go to a UPS store, they will package it properly for little money, ship it UPS to the factory and soon you should have a replacement. No painful removal of a built in unit. If I had the resolve, I would get rid of our hard wired transfer switch. Lost the one that came with the used coach before we took our first trip. Our first coach had a power cord that connected to a generator power female socket for use when underway, and to the power pedestal when in a park. No moving parts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
five Report post Posted November 2, 2017 On 10/18/2017 at 5:05 PM, Jerry55lee said: I learned today that my 2017 Newmar Ventana 4369 does not have built in electrical surge protection. With an all electric coach....could be bad news. There are a lot of surge protectors on the market. Thoughts on good ones? I find it hard to believe that a coach with an MSRP north of $300k doesn't have a built in surge guard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkhartjim Report post Posted November 2, 2017 Well, believe it. The Dutch Star models and up have built in surge protection but they start in the $400,000's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huffypuff Report post Posted November 2, 2017 The problem with the portable ones if you look close is they can grow legs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillAdams Report post Posted November 2, 2017 A lock solves that problem. https://www.amazon.com/Technology-Research-34590-Universal-Lock/dp/B002OUQI3W Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted November 2, 2017 Yes sir. Got all three! Now, wish there was something to prevent my sewage hose and water filter from walking! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ispjs Report post Posted November 2, 2017 8 hours ago, huffypuff said: The problem with the portable ones if you look close is they can grow legs. Years ago when I had my first fiver and paid for the hard wired system to be installed I had read on different forums about the portable ones getting stolen. That was part of the reason I spent the extra on the hard wired version, that plus we were full time then. But now several years have passed and I have never actually met anyone who has had a portable surge protector stolen nor have I read about it happening on a regular basis on any of the forums. I just don't believe it is a common occurrence. I not saying it doesn't happen, just not very often. Cars are stolen all over the U.S. every minute of every day, does that mean we all stop having them as toads and keep them in locked trailers? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted November 2, 2017 I agree, I bought the little device to lock my portable. I but if the truth was known most of the "thefts" were some one left the surge guard plugged into the pedestal. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
abyrd Report post Posted November 2, 2017 Carl, You must be parking on the wrong side of the track!!! Jim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obedb Report post Posted November 2, 2017 I bought a quality 50amp extension cord from RV Upgrades. I usually get close enough to the power pedestal for the extension to reach inside the power bay. The surge protector is inside, out of the weather, and of course out of sight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huffypuff Report post Posted November 2, 2017 7 hours ago, ISPJS said: Years ago when I had my first fiver and paid for the hard wired system to be installed I had read on different forums about the portable ones getting stolen. That was part of the reason I spent the extra on the hard wired version, that plus we were full time then. But now several years have passed and I have never actually met anyone who has had a portable surge protector stolen nor have I read about it happening on a regular basis on any of the forums. I just don't believe it is a common occurrence. I not saying it doesn't happen, just not very often. Cars are stolen all over the U.S. every minute of every day, does that mean we all stop having them as toads and keep them in locked trailers? Hardwire also protect your coach from a bad cord and reel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huffypuff Report post Posted November 2, 2017 9 hours ago, BillAdams said: A lock solves that problem. https://www.amazon.com/Technology-Research-34590-Universal-Lock/dp/B002OUQI3W A hacksaw would cut through that plastic box real quick and the padlock would fall to the ground. Useless Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wayne77590 Report post Posted November 2, 2017 Okay, here goes. Locks, whether padlock or door lock, are to keep the honest people out. A knowledgeable thief will easily defeat any of them. The only protection locks have are for those "ride-through-thieves that are looking for an easy mark. Your entry door lock can be popped with a screwdriver as well as your bay doors. With that said, in the nine years I have owned a PT-50C I have always locked it to the pedestal with a heavy chain and two padlocks. Now let me say that with the padlocks the heel of a shoe smacked against a 50 cent piece a couple times will open the lock. Well 50 cent pieces are not that widely in circulation but hammers and screwdrivers are. Makes a lot of noise but 30 seconds is all that is needed. Peace of mind is what I look for and securing it in any fashion will satisfy the insurance companies Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted November 2, 2017 Wayne, I agree. If some one wants anything bad enough they ca get it. Just turn off the circuit breaker and cut the power cord with some bolt cutters. Now they have the valuable copper cord and the surge protector. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted November 2, 2017 Ugh, bad thought Bill. But true! Wayne, your also right. I do the best I can, without being paranoid! Always Vigilant Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ispjs Report post Posted November 2, 2017 I guess I took the opposite approach as far as securing mine. I had the "black box" with a lock and got tired of messing with the bulky mess plus I felt I was advertising to everyone that what was hanging out of the end was expensive. I took the box off and used about a whole roll of black electrical tape to join the two together. From a distance you can hardly tell I have a surge protector on the end plugged in, and if you get close it almost looks like something I made myself because I have it wrapped with electrical tape. Maybe a dump crack head thief will slip his knife in between there to cut the tape without turning off the breaker! heeeeheeee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
