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Topic: Surge protector locations? batteries, solar panel (numbers) (Read 20 times) previous topic - next topic
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Surge protector locations? batteries, solar panel (numbers)
Yahoo Message Number: 111558
The RV/solar tech (the one AM Solar recommended (his shirt had their logo on it) did not want to wire in the Progressive Industries surge protector I wanted. He defended his belief by stating he had a degree in electrical engineering and the Surge Guard was proprietary technology and better. He, said not to hardwire a surge protector because when they go bad and you can't access it, you won't have power. He said to use portable Surge Guard with it's lock.
 I really prefer hardwired and will research more both brands, so, have any of you found a location to put a hardwired one that you can get to if it goes bad?

---
 We considered getting the max # of AM solar panels we could have on our 26.5 MB. The new controller will handle six, he thought he could get six panels up there, we are now leaning toward just four for now, because:
 He will not install batteries beneath the rig. He flat out does not want to use 12 volt.
 I told him that y'all cut the plastic panel beneath the refrigerator to equalize the environment with the other batteries, ty. (He understood that.) I also told him I read the lower outside bin needed to be shored up if he went that route (ty, again). He said that could be done and that depending on what was behind that bottom bin he might be able to put a rack that did not rest on the bottom - if - we wanted to have six panels and the associated batteries. (He was not trying to push 6 on us, I asked what the max was.)
 If for now we can only fit four 6 volt AGM batteries is there ANY gain to having a 5th solar panel now other than he can have them shipped to Florida all at once? Faster recharging in Seattle summers or Florida winters - maybe?
 I did tactfully mention to him that though he had not worked with a Lazy Daze, his "co-installers" at AM Solar had done dozens, so they may have ideas to save him work. He responded, "No point in reinventing the wheel," so I relaxed about it all a bit.

I hope this is the last of my electrical/solar questions....
Surge protector locations? batteries, solar panel (numbers)
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 111560
The RV/solar tech (the one AM Solar recommended (his shirt had their logo on it) did not want to wire in the Progressive Industries surge protector I wanted. He defended his belief by stating he had a degree in electrical engineering and the Surge Guard was proprietary technology and better. He, said not to hardwire a surge protector because when they go bad and you can't access it, you won't have power. He said to use portable Surge Guard with it's lock.
 I really prefer hardwired and will research more both brands, so, have any of you found a location to put a hardwired one that you can get to if it goes bad?

---
 We considered getting the max # of AM solar panels we could have on our 26.5 MB. The new controller will handle six, he thought he could get six panels up there, we are now leaning toward just four for now, because:
 He will not install batteries beneath the rig. He flat out does not want to use 12 volt.
 I told him that y'all cut the plastic panel beneath the refrigerator to equalize the environment with the other batteries, ty. (He understood that.) I also told him I read the lower outside bin needed to be shored up if he went that route (ty, again). He said that could be done and that depending on what was behind that bottom bin he might be able to put a rack that did not rest on the bottom - if - we wanted to have six panels and the associated batteries. (He was not trying to push 6 on us, I asked what the max was.)
 If for now we can only fit four 6 volt AGM batteries is there ANY gain to having a 5th solar panel now other than he can have them shipped to Florida all at once? Faster recharging in Seattle summers or Florida winters - maybe?
 I did tactfully mention to him that though he had not worked with a Lazy Daze, his "co-installers" at AM Solar had done dozens, so they may have ideas to save him work. He responded, "No point in reinventing the wheel," so I relaxed about it all a bit.

I hope this is the last of my electrical/solar questions....
Surge protector locations? batteries, solar panel (numbers)
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 111564
Marcia wrote:

Quote
The RV/solar tech (the one AM Solar recommended (his shirt had their logo on it) did not want to wire in the Progressive Industries surge protector I wanted. He defended his belief by stating he had a degree in electrical engineering and the Surge Guard was proprietary technology and better. He, said not to hardwire a surge protector because when they go bad and you can't access it, you won't have power. He said to use portable Surge Guard with it's lock.
 I really prefer hardwired and will research more both brands, so, have any of you found a location to put a hardwired one that you can get to if it goes bad?
Well I have a BSEE as well, but I don't see what that has to do with it. I need a better explanation of the Surge Guard being proprietary technology and better, thing. If the Progressive Ind.
EMS fails, it should fail to the "connected" position, and there is a bypass switch on the remote control panel allowing the user to manually bypass the computer should it fail, allowing the EMS to keep shore power connected. I haven't heard anything about these units failing anyway. I have one of the hardwired PE EMS systems and I like it.

Tom Johnston
Re: Surge protector locations? batteries, solar panel (numbers)
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 111566
"Tom Johnston"  wrote:

"Tom Johnston"  wrote: I need a better explanation of the Surge Guard being proprietary technology and better, thing.
--- Agreed. I'm not an engineer, but I can smell smoke! What specific "proprietary technology" feature, if any, of the SurgeGuard makes it more efficient/powerful/protective of the rig's electrical system than a counterpart product from Progressive Industries?
 If I were handed this line, I would ask the installer to back up his statement with factual information, i.e., identify the "proprietary technology", explain why it makes the product "better", and provide current spec charts for each product under consideration. YMMV.

Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Surge protector locations? batteries, solar panel (numbers)
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 111569
On Apr 3, 2010, at 9:17 PM, Marcia wrote:

Quote
The RV/solar tech (the one AM Solar recommended (his shirt had their logo on it) did not want to wire in the Progressive Industries surge protector I wanted. He defended his belief by stating he had a degree in electrical engineering and the Surge Guard was proprietary technology and better. He, said not to hardwire a surge protector because when they go bad and you can't access it, you won't have power. He said to use portable Surge Guard with it's lock.
Pure BS. I would find another tech.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy
Re: Surge protector locations? batteries, solar panel (numbers)
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 111573
Quote
Well I have a BSEE as well, but I don't see what that has to do with it. I need a better explanation of the Surge Guard being proprietary technology and better, thing. If the Progressive Ind.
EMS fails, it should fail to the "connected" position, and there is a bypass switch on the remote control panel allowing the user to manually bypass the computer should it fail, allowing the EMS to keep shore power connected. I haven't heard anything about these units failing anyway. I have one of the hardwired PE EMS systems and I like it.
Tom Johnston
Well, most surge protection circuitry relies on MOV's (metal oxide varistor) as the primary fast-spike protection. These are semiconductor devices that show an extremely high resistance until their protection voltage is reached, then they start going down in resistance rapidly as the voltage goes up. They are rated to carry hundreds or thousands of amps for very brief periods, and are connected across the power line. When they fail, they will present a short, and must be replaced at a service facility (they are soldered in), and they will fail or present problems eventually if they are doing their job. Small surges or brownouts, etc, do not harm them, so the surge protector may never fail. However, if they do fail and are permanently wired in, your shorepower will be disabled until the unit is removed, unless a bypass switch is installed.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit