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Yesterday I installed the micro air "easy start", when I finished and plugged in my power cord, the air conditioner would run for about 5 minutes and shut down, I have the built in surge protector and I checked the voltage on it while it was running. It had 120 volts on startup and when the ac compressor would kick in it dropped to 102 and the surge protector would trip just like it should, turns out I had a bad outlet on the exterior of my 8year old home. Moral of the story is, the progressive dynamics surge protector save me from potentially burning up my ac compressor!!!

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STEVEnBETTY

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When I had my Ollie built, I think (according to Oliver) my Ollie was the first Ollie they built and installed the built - in Progressive Industries unit.  Soon after I picked up my unit I drove Route 66 as a retirement celebration.  I stayed at a state park in OKlahoma halfway through the trip.  When I plugged into the 30 amp power outlet, my unit immediately issued a loud click.  I could tell this was not business as usual so I looked at the monitor attached to the Progressive Industries unit.  I then called Peogressive Industries and the electrical engineer told me the code I gave him indicated the polarity was crossed, posited to negative / negative to positive.  I looked at the box and could tell someone had recently tampered with the unit.  I opened the box and indeed I could tell from the wiring colors that the wires were crossed.  I did not have access to turn off the main, so I reported this to the ranger station. They sent a repairman and he corrected the wiring.

 

The cost of the surge protector was certainly worth the preventative cost of a Oliver camper catching on fire !  I will never have a camper without the Progressive Industries unit.

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We did not get the built-in model, but we have the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30C Portable EMS RV Surge Protector - 30 Amp - and it's saved us many times.  Most of the time the campground owner will at first try to convince us that its the Surge Protector's problem, but thank goodness, we've never fallen for that excuse.

 

When new campers ask if I think a Surge Protector is worth the cost, I always tell them:  You will be getting one, either before you need it or after you've needed it, but you'll be getting one.

 

 

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Before I hook up to shore power I test both the voltage and the circuit wiring. This website describes a simple device to do this

 

http://www.myrv.us/electric/Pg/tester_30amp.htm

 

I ordered all the parts for this device from Amazon for about $25.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-55233-Electrical-PowerGrip-Adapter/dp/B00192QB3I

 

https://www.amazon.com/Globe-Electric-46505-Single-Tap-Grounded/dp/B007XQORTO

 

https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Products-12-4055-Voltage-Meter/dp/B002P48KLK

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sperry-Instruments-GFI6302-Outlet-Tester/dp/B000RUL2UU

 

I keep the testing device in the box with by 30Amp connector cable, and use it each time.

 

David

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David Stillman, Salt Lake City, Utah

2016 Oliver Elite II  Hull 164    |    2017 Audi Q7 tow vehicle. 

Travel and Photography Blog: http://davidstravels.net

 

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Before I hook up to shore power I test both the voltage and the circuit wiring. This website describes a simple device to do this http://www.myrv.us/electric/Pg/tester_30amp.htm I ordered all the parts for this device from Amazon for about $25. https://www.amazon.com/Camco-55233-Electrical-PowerGrip-Adapter/dp/B00192QB3I https://www.amazon.com/Globe-Electric-46505-Single-Tap-Grounded/dp/B007XQORTO https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Products-12-4055-Voltage-Meter/dp/B002P48KLK https://www.amazon.com/Sperry-Instruments-GFI6302-Outlet-Tester/dp/B000RUL2UU I keep the testing device in the box with by 30Amp connector cable, and use it each time. David

I guess the point I was trying to make is the progressive dynamics system does more than just protect from surge spikes, the outlet tested ok until it was put under load, the air conditioner would have kept running on low voltage without my knowledge if the "surge protector" had not tripped. Rv parks are notorious for low voltage "brown outs"in the summer  when ac use is high, low voltage will kill your ac compressor over time.

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STEVEnBETTY

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According to Progressive Industries, the manfacturer of my electrical unit, the following is what it does, certainly much more than what I could do, test for,  or evaluate

 

Product Features:

• Over/Under voltage Protection

• Open Ground, Open Neutral & Reverse Polarity Detection

• Accidental 240V Protection

• Miswired Pedestal Indication

• Surge Failure Indicator

• Amperage Meter Display

• Previous Error Code

• A/C Frequency Protection

• Time Delay (136 seconds)

• Adjustable Time Delay

• Thermally Protected

• Built-in Scrolling Digital Display

• Field Servicable

• UL Certified and Canadian Approved

• Lifetime Warranty

• Made in the USA

 

 

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I too have the on board Progressive unit.  During the build of Twist I thought long and hard about this unit's cost versus its benefits.  Certainly I knew that I wanted protection of some sort for all of the expensive electronic stuff in the Oliver, but, there had to be a way of getting this protection for less.

 

Actually, there are several ways of reducing the cost, but, in the back of my mind I just knew that somewhere down the road there was a dark and stormy night waiting for me when I would pull into a camp ground after a long day on the road.  Hungry, tired and in a rush to get things set up I would convince myself that I could just skip the testing this one time and all would be OK.  NOT!

 

With the on board unit I simply have one less thing to be concerned with, my mind is at peace knowing that I'm protected.  Kind of like spending money on an insurance policy that I hope I will never need.

 

Bill

2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

Near Asheville, NC

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I chose not to spend the $550 that Oliver wanted to install the Progressive unit because I prefer to be able to plug in the protector first, every time, before I plug the trailer in. I keep mine plugged into the Oliver's power cord when in storage, so it always comes out with the cord and the circuit gets checked before the cord gets plugged into the trailer.

 

Here's a link to Progressive's external unit with the same specs as the hard wired.

 

http://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems-pt-x

 

It can generally be found for around $300 online. Then without the low voltage protection, this is the most common -

 

http://www.progressiveindustries.net/ssp-30xl-ssp-50xl

 

and it can be found for $90 at Little House Customs. This is what we used on our Casita.

 

Camco also sells their versions and the Defender is their cheapest in being that it is a sacrificial unit. The unit will fry itself during a power surge if needed and it will also throw the breaker powering the circuit that you are plugged into. It doesn't compare in quality to the $300 dollar unit, but for $37.00, you do get what you pay for.

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGJH8QU/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=IEQRWJQ65XFVP&colid=DVETVI1ZF5E8

 

Either of Progressives top of the line models will give you full protection, but for me, I want to see what's going on before I plug in :)

Happy Camping,


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Reed & Karen Lukens with Riffles our Miniature Poodle


2017 Oliver Legacy Elite II  Standard, Hull #200 / 2017 Silverado High Country 1500 Short Bed 4x4


Past TV - 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 4Matic BlueTEC Diesel


Click on our avatar pic above to find the videos on our Oliver Legacy Elite II


 

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"Either of Progressives top of the line models will give you full protection, but for me, I want to see what’s going on before I plug in ????"

 

Reed and Karen,

 

I must admit that before I had the readout of the Progressive moved to a place where I could see it - the original location was under the streetside bed - I would plug in, enter the camper and wonder why the electric was not on.  So, I went back outside, unplugged, re-plugged, went back inside only to find that the electric was STILL not on.  On at least one of the two occasions that this had happened, I repeated this dance at least a third time before it finally dawned on me to check for error codes on the Progressive.  Re-locating the readout to the inside of the pantry has simplified things greatly - note that since the red readout is constantly on and flashes between several items (voltage, amps, etc.), I had to place it were it was not constantly visible or it would be like living in a cheap motel with a neon sign right outside your window.  Now, all I have to do is open the pantry door to see what the problem is.  Note that at no time does the Progressive allow electric to "enter the camper" if there is a fault.  So, in my case, on that dark and stormy night I'm not out there in the rain, snow, sleet, gloom of night trying to read what the Progressive is trying to tell me.  Is that plus the convenience of having it hardwired worth the extra $250 or so?

 

Bill

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

Near Asheville, NC

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