Saving your RV electrical components and appliances from any kind of power fluctuations is an important part of your vehicle. Damaged devices can hamper your journeys in a great deal. So, it’s important to get a surge protector that will give full protection to your devices.
Finding the best EMS surge protector for RV from hundreds of models in the market can be quite difficult. So, we have made a list of the most rated ems surge protectors to help you find the best one for yourself.
If you ask us, the Progressive Industries HW50C surge protector is the best one among them. It has a high power along with a good AMP rating and comes with an LED display that shows the error codes on the digital screen.
If you have any confusion left after reading the reviews, check out our buyer’s guide for more assistance.
How We Decided
–We researched every product, we review with our own.
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Customers Reviews
How To Choose The Best EMS Surge Protector For RV?
Besides reading the review articles, there are some other factors you should consider before going to shop for an ems surge protector. The best one can’t always be the best choice for you! So, we have made a buying guide to help you with this.
AMP Rating:
Amp is the unit you use to measure the amount of electricity flow in a certain device. Every electrical device needs a specific amount current to pass through them in order to function properly. Insufficient flow of electricity can cause your device to fail or disfunction.
So, it’s really important that the EMS surge protector ensures the right amount of current flow into your devices. Make a list of the required current for all the devices in your vehicle and then select the one that fulfills your requirements.
UL Listed:
UL is one of the authorities that test and ensure safety as well as the quality of products while protecting your RV from power surges. You can be assured about the quality and longevity of a product whenever you find it UL certified. Also, you can be sure that your product is can ensure the highest protection for your RV appliances.
Joules Rating:
Joules is the unit to measure the surge suppression or protection level that an EMS can provide to your rig. Also, your protector should be able to diffuse the heat in case a power spike occurs. So, you can see how important a thing this Joules rating can be. The EMS surge protector with a higher rating will ensure better protection and will last longer than others. Also, it can easily control overheating.
Installation:
It’s quite obvious that you should always pick a product that’s easy to use and operate. In most cases, you should look for a manual with illustrations that will help you through the process of installing the protector in your RV.
Easy installation is kind of an essential thing if you are a complete beginner. Mostly, “plug and play” designed products are best in this case.
LED Display:
Since you are making a good amount of investment in the product, it’s better to select one with the most advanced features. LED displays are really handy when it comes to getting alert on error codes. An EMS with LED display will not only solve your problem but also alert you of the problem beforehand. Also, make sure to pick the one that shows easy signs and the display is bright enough to see at night.
Weight:
You should always choose a protector that has a compact and lightweight design so that you can move it around easily. Also, it should be strong enough to cope with the hard weather. Choosing a lightweight design is especially necessary if you have to move your unit constantly. Also, a heavy device will put on extra weight on your vehicle.
Budget:
There’s a common saying that a good thing always costs more money. But you should know that’s not true all the time. There is a lot of product available in the market that have excellent features but come at a very affordable price. So, you should always try to find the best one in your budget. Exceeding the budget might not be a good idea in this case. Just have a little patience and keep looking.
What Are The Best EMS Surge Protector For RV?
01. Progressive Industries HW30C 30 Amp Hardwired EMS-HW30C RV Surge & Electrical Protector
Salient Feature
- Mode: 3-Mode
- AMP Rating: 30A
- Power: 3,600W
- Voltage Rating: 120V
- Surge Rating: 44,000A max spike/ 1,790 joules
- Display: Remote Digital
- UL Certified: Yes
- Response Time: < 1 nanosecond (10⁻⁹ second)
- Mounting Style: Vehicle Hardwired
The first one in our list is a 2 in 1 device that works both as a surge protector and an electrical management system. This hardware detects and prevents your Rv’s electrical system from any kind of failure including voltage fluctuations, faulty wired shore power, and power surges while protecting the connected devices all the time.
The unit not only operates at a power of 30 amps but also provides 1790 joules of surge protection. It features an LCD display that scrolls by the power information and shows results on fault types, voltage levels, current or error codes. Moreover, it provides 240-volt accidental protection to your system while keeping the 120-volt lines circuitry level safe.
This surge protector is one of the smartest ones available with the latest technological features that can identify as well as respond to sudden failures including the open ground of neutral conditions, reverse polarity, and voltage surges. Furthermore, it offers AC frequency protection and is drove by state-of-the-art microprocessors. As a gift to you from the manufacturers, the protector’s software is upgraded free.
While you can get a lifelong warranty of the product by getting it installed by an RV dealer, you will get only a limited warranty by doing it yourself. However, you should know that the installation is rather a hard part and the manual isn’t the best guide you can use. So, It’s better if you hire a professional RV dealer instead of trying it yourself.
Pros
- Built-in LCD display
- Works both as a surge protector and EMS
- One installation process
- Protection from multiple fault types
- Lifetime warranty
- Powered by the state-of-the-art microprocessors
Cons
- The display is not of a sufficient size
- Installation can be hard
- Extra money on hiring someone
02. Progressive Industries HW50C Hardwired EMS Surge & Electrical Protection- 50 Amps
Salient Feature
- Mode: 5-Mode
- AMP Rating: 50A
- Power: 12,000W
- Voltage Rating: 120/240V
- Surge Rating: 88,000A max / 3,580 joules
- Display: Remote Digital
- UL Certified: Yes
- Response Time: < 1 nanosecond (10⁻⁹ second)
- Mounting Style: Remote Digital
This EMS surge protector has gotten popularity in the electronics world as the one with the best-LED display that can show you error codes for more than 10 electrical matters. It also protects your RV against all kinds of power surges and voltage fluctuations.
This unite offers a 50-amp power connection and is best for full-time RVers. Moreover, the easily found “plug and play” replacement parts if the device helps you with repairs you will ever need. It not only monitors but also displays a wide range of results on the reverse polarity, changed voltages across two lines, open grounds, data link failures, and much more.
The best part about this one is, the remote display feature allows you to read the display results during bad weather conditions without getting outside. With a year-round functionality, this one works for a temperature range of -40 degrees Celsius to 105 degrees Celsius.
The installation of this EMS is a onetime effort and you should try to do it by yourself if only you are technically trained. The portable counterparts make the process way much easier than others. No to mention the lifetime warranty you will get from the Progressive Industries.
For some more information, the surge protector is UL certified and it meets the necessary requirements of the CSA standards (Canadian Standards Association).
Pros
- Excellent LED display with error codes
- Comes with a data link cable to monitor the data stream status.
- UL certified and CSA approved
- Free software upgrades
- Microprocessor technology
Cons
- Not very good for outdoor use
03. Portable RV Surge Protector Portable EMS-PT30X RV Surge Protector
Salient Feature
- Mode: 3-Mode
- AMP Rating: 30A
- Power: 3,600W
- Voltage Rating: 120 V
- Surge Rating: 44,000A max spike/ 1,790 joules
- Display: Integrated Digital
- UL Certified: Yes
- Response Time: < 1 nanosecond (10⁻⁹ second)
- Mounting Style: Power Pedestal
Progressive Industries has always managed to come up with the most advanced technologies to make your journey on the RV more enjoyable. This portable RV surge protector is not an exception. Designed especially for outdoor use, this surge protector works with a power of 22,500 amps and provides surge protection for 825 joules.
The best thing about this product is that you can use it without being worried about the weather outside, thanks to the weather shield. It can perfectly in a weather range of -40 degrees Celsius to 105 degrees Celsius. The thermally protected housing just adds more to safety.
This EMS surge protector has indicator lights to notify you of any electrical failure issues. Besides, it protects your RV’s system from any kind of power surges, wrong wired shore power, or voltage fluctuations. It comes with a pull handle that makes it easier to disconnect the device and a bracket that secures the pedestal to the unit.
It’s powered by state-of-the-art microprocessors and can detect a wide range of reverse polarity, open neutral and ground, wrong wired pedestal, and surge failure.
This EMS is not only easy to use but also comes with very easy installation. The plug and play application have made the process way too easier for you. Also, it comes with a diagram explaining what the different indicator signals mean in case you face difficulties with understanding any of them.
Pros
- The product is very lightweight with only 1.95 pounds
- Comes at an affordable price
- Easy to install
- The display has light indicators
- Comes with a weather shield
Cons
- Does not have any LED display
04. Progressive Industries EMS-PT50X Portable RV Surge Protector (50 A)
Salient Feature
- Mode: 5-Mode
- AMP Rating: 50A
- Power: 12,000W
- Voltage Rating: 120/240V
- Surge Rating: 88,000A max / 3,580 joules
- Display: Integrated Digital
- UL Certified: Yes
- Response Time: < 1 nanosecond (10⁻⁹ second)
- Mounting Style: Power Pedestal
This 50-amp portable RV surge protector comes with a durable pull handle that makes it easier for you to disconnect it. With a weather shield assembly and a locking bracket, the device protects your RV system from wrong wired shore power, voltage fluctuations, and power surges. This weather-resistant product comes in five different modes.
This one is one of the best ems surge protectors for RV that’s really easy to use and provides you with the most accurate results possible. This device is a unique one in our list that works as both a circuit analyzer and a surge protector. It automatically turns itself on and directs the power to your RV once the circuit analysis checks out. Also, if there is ever a spike or circuit issue, it shuts itself off.
Though it’s water-resistant, the unit can be filled up with water in the rainy season. The installation is very easy and the “plug and play” feature allows it to be done in lesser time.
Pros
- Plug and play design
- Lockable and protected
- Scrolling high resolution LED display
- Comes with an all-weather shield
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- A little expensive than others
05. PROGRESSIVE INDUSTRIES EMSHW30C Surge Protector
Salient Feature
- Mode: 3-Mode
- AMP Rating: 30A
- Power: 3,600W
- Voltage Rating: 120 V
- Surge Rating: 44,000A max spike/ 1,790 joules
- Display: Remote Digital
- UL Certified: No
- Response Time: < 1 nanosecond (10⁻⁹ second)
- Mounting Style: Vehicle Hardwired
This one comes with a very easy installation depending on the shore power inlet and your trailer configuration. It can be placed anywhere along the line but before the fuse box. The LED display allows you to monitor the numbers all the time. With this device, you can enjoy your journey knowing that it’s protecting your system and devices from all the electrical issues. It uses AC current and system and shows error codes on the screen whenever there is a power surge or voltage up-down. Also, it notifies you of the low voltage by shutting down immediately. The unite shows the most accurate results on any occasion of voltage, open ground, polarity, and any other technical issues. It’s not only this easy to use but also comes with a super simple installation. The “plug and play” operation has made our lives much easier!
Pros
- Very easy to install
- Can be placed anywhere
- Signals low voltage by shutting down
- Plug and play design
Cons
- Relatively heavy
06. RV Trailer Camper Electrical Surge Protector Hwire 50A/240V EMS-HW50C
Salient Feature
- Mode: 5-Mode
- AMP Rating: 50A
- Power: 12,000W
- Voltage Rating: 240 V
- Surge Rating: 88,000A max / 3,580 joules
- Display: Remote Digital
- UL Certified: No
- Response Time: < 1 nanosecond (10⁻⁹ second)
- Mounting Style: Vehicle Hardwired
So, here comes the last in our list. This is another EMS surge protector that offers the maximum protection to your RV’s electronics. Also, it completes a digital readout of the AC power source. The units protect your RV from a great deal of power surges, voltage problems, wrong AC wiring, and many more.
On the other hand, the built-in display constantly scrolls through showing frequency, line voltage, current, and error message. If for any reason the AC source drops down to 104 V or rise above 132 V, the EMS will shut down immediately notifying you of the error. However, it restores again if the power comes back in the between the 104 V and 132 V, delaying for 136 seconds.
It comes with a surge rating of 750 joules and 4 mode protection. The surge light is attached to notify the change in surge circuit. The remote digital display allows you to check it without stepping outside in bad weather.
Pros
- Digital readout of the AC power source
- Shuts down when the AC source lowers
- 4 mode protection
- Surge light notifies of the surge circuit
- Remote digital display
Cons
- A little heavier
Related Post:
What Is An EMS Surge Protector?
Electrical management system (ems) the kind of surge protector that was designed with higher technologies to protect your RV system from power surges, voltage fluctuations, and inaccurately wired shore power, open ground, reverse polarity, open neutral, accidental AC frequency, and many more.
These are generally powered by state-of-the-art microprocessors that offer full protection to your electronics from all the power-related issues that can occur. Basically, it comes with a more advanced protection system than the surge guards.
Also, these surge protectors will alert you whenever there is a voltage breakdown or if AC current flow gets under or over the average line. Most of these come with a LED display that allows you to monitor the numbers from anywhere of your RV.
Types Of EMS Surge Protector.
There are usually two types of EMS Surge Protector available in the market. They are:
- Hardwired: These are types that you can’t carry everywhere. These need to be placed and wired in a fixed place to work properly. Also, these are normally heavier and come with a LED display to show you the results.
- Portable: You can guess that these are carriable and you don’t have to put them in a fixed place to work. These are lighter than the hardwired ones but don’t have a screen to show you digital results.
What Is The Difference Between A Surge Protector And An EMS?
A surge protector is the most basic protector that saves your RV appliances from sudden electricity spikes while preventing your circuitry from getting fried dues to the unbalanced surges. These are designed to be very user-friendly with a very simple structure. They are very easy to use and can be operated by complete newbies. Most of these protectors come as extension cables.
On the other hand, an electrical management system (ems) comes with an advanced level of protection system that saves your RV’s electrical devices from all kinds of technical issues that can arrive. Besides that, it also shows the number if it comes with an LED display.
The main difference between a surge protector and an EMS is the way of their doing their jobs. While a surge protector can only give protection to your appliances from unexpected electric surges and voltage changes, an EMS can offer complete protection to all your electronics from every possible power related issue including power surges, open ground, wrongly wired power units, voltage spikes, and many more.
Basically, an EMS can do everything a surge protector can and much more than that. Hence, they are expensive too. A surge protector will cause you something between $70 to $125. On the other hand, you will have to pay more than $200 for EMS. But I would say that an EMS does its job pretty good and deserves that much value.
However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to buy an EMS for your RV. It depends on your needs.
Benefits Of EMS Surge Protector
The appliances in your RV need a steady level of voltage to work without any damage or accident. But you can guess that this is not an easy task to do. The voltage can change anytime and you might never know about that until an accident occurs. Fortunately, the brilliant minds of science came up with some excellent ideas to make sure that you are totally safe in your vehicle.
High and Low Voltage:
A high voltage occurs when it goes above 132 volts and a low voltage occurs when the voltage levels go below 104V. This slight change in the AC current voltage can cause serious damage to your devices. What’s worth, a high voltage can fry your electronics causing a fire in your RV. While a low voltage isn’t that dangerous, it can still cause long-lasting harm to your appliances. So, it’s really important to take the necessary steps before anything bad happens.
That is where you will need an EMS. The EMS will not only notify you of the change but also protect your devices by turning off the electricity!
Mis-Wirings:
Mis-wirings are kind of a common problem in RVs if you wire the outlet backward or something gets loosened or disintegrated or in an open ground/neutral and reverse polarity situation. These can cause damage to your pricey appliances and make you stop your journey on the halfway. Imagine the air conditioner getting off on a hot summer day and you are on a highway without any option to pull over! Sounds terrible, right?
Hence, you will need an EMS to save you from all the trouble. An EMS will alert you of the situation before it gets out of your hand.
How Do I Secure My RV Surge Protector?
We know how important it is to secure your EMS surge protector from thieves as each of these devices cause a lot of money. Most protectors need to be placed outside and the portable ones come with a cable that you will have to place outside. So, either way, your EMS surge protector remains to be in a good zone for thieves.
There are a couple of tricks you can apply to protect your RV surge protector.
Bicycle Chains: The first thing you can try is getting a bicycle chain. It’s the cheapest yet the most effective way to secure your EMS Surge Protector. Most campers have applied a combination of bicycle chain and padlock and found the way very useful.
The best thing about this is that the bicycle part is not very hard to find and you can even borrow them from your friends! All you have to do is, wrap the chain around the cord strongly and place the padlock on it.
Lockbox: This one is another effective way of protecting your EMS from the thieves roaming around. Fortunately, you don’t have to get into trouble looking for a lockbox matching your EMS, the manufacturers of the surge protectors have come up with a lockbox which is specially designed to help you save your investment from the thieves. The box is used to lock your device into an electrical pedestal that has enough space to take both the protector and the power cable.
A locking cable: This one is quite similar to the bicycle chain method and requires you to wrapping the lock around your protector. However, in this case, you will be using a locking cable designed specially to protect your outdoor equipment.
The cable is usually made sturdy, flexible, and durable braided steel that will keep your device totally protected. Also, each of the cables comes with a unique key that means no one can open it without a key.
Why Do I Need An EMS Over RV Surge Protectors?
Like I mentioned earlier, there are a number of key differences between an EMS and RV surge protectors that make it easy for you to choose one. A surge protector’s main task is to save your electrical appliances from any kind of sudden electric changes or spikes. On the other hand, an EMS can handle any kind of electrical problem that might occur.
Now, I am not saying that the EMS is better than the RV surge protector. While EMS offers more than the surge protectors, it’s not the best for you if you don’t need all of its applications. However, since it comes with every electrical solution you need, it’s better to buy it with the price.
So, basically, EMS has all the features that a surge protector might offer you but it has some things better. Once you compare all the options, you will see why you need an EMS over RV surge protector.
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Conclusion
So, there goes our complete review article on the best ems surge protector for RV you can find in 2020. We have listed the best ones depending on our experience and customer reviews on the products so that you can rely on us most assuredly.
Whichever ems surge, protector, you choose, make sure that one’s totally compatible with your vehicle and has the power to handle all the devices properly. Also, make sure that your protector is protected itself!
FAQs
Can I use a surge protector with a generator?
You can. But you will have to use a power strip with the generator. The strip will help you to protect your electronic devices from harmful surges. Also, you can connect the appliances directly to the generator.
Can I plug a surge protector into an extension cord?
Yes, you can. But you will have to make sure that the extension cord has the capability to take a load of the same amount as the surge protector or more than that. Otherwise, it gets risky when the extension cord is overloaded and can end up in a fire hazard.
What kind of surge protector do I need for an RV?
Honestly, it depends. You can find surge protectors of both 30 amp and 50-amp power. Now, you will have to choose the one that will be compatible and suitable for the appliances in your RV. Also, choosing either a hardwired or portable ems surge protector can be quite confusing. But you should choose the one you think might be most needed for your vehicle and journeys.
What is the best surge protector for electronics?
If you are talking about the EMS surge protector, then Progressive Industries offers us the highest quality and most advanced technology surge, protectors. Most of the protectors we mentioned above are one of the best ems surge protectors you can find for electronics.
Are 900 joules enough for a surge protector?
Ans: Unfortunately, no. A unit with a minimum of 1000 joules surge protection is suffic9ient for smaller devices in your RV. An EMS surge protector with 1000 to 2000 joules can easily maintain power tools and large devices like printers and copiers. So, you can guess that 900 joules are not enough for a surge protector.
Will Surge Protector stop breakers from tripping?
No, a surge protector will not stop breakers from tipping. Breakers are usually designed to avoid any kind of surges and transients. So, even if a power surge occurs, the breaker will ignore it anyway while continuing its tipping job. Hence, the surge protector will your breaker alone.