Hello.... New to the group and still learning the art of caravanning!
Wanted to see what peoples thoughts were on electrical surge protection for use in caravan parks. We have an older van (1975 Millard) and no inbuilt surge protection.
Thinking the $90 investment in the Amphibian Surge device is a small amount to pay for protection but not sure if power surges are even an issue in caravan parks.
*I have the Amphibian 10amp-15amp converter in use at home
Thanks
Adam
Whenarewethere said
11:09 PM Mar 2, 2020
I have one of these on my computers. Eaton have a lot of surge protectors, just depends what level of protection you value.
but not sure if power surges are even an issue in caravan parks.
Caravan parks probably don't get lighting strikes!
-- Edited by Whenarewethere on Monday 2nd of March 2020 11:13:30 PM
Peter_n_Margaret said
11:09 PM Mar 2, 2020
Not sure what you mean, but an Ampfibian is NOT a surge protector.
I suggest you get a sparky to install an RCD (or better still, an RVD) at the power inlet in the van if you don't have one, that is the most important thing to have. It is now illegal not to have one. Also have him check that all the power points are double pole and are wired correctly. Cheers, Peter
-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Monday 2nd of March 2020 11:12:47 PM
outlaw40 said
07:20 AM Mar 3, 2020
Pete
ampfibian do indeed now make a surge protector . see link
That is not what the OP refers to when advising about the one they have at home though and surge protectors are not generally used or needed.
Cheers,
Peter
Dougwe said
05:04 PM Mar 3, 2020
Welcome to the gang Adam, enjoy here and out in the playground.
I also use and Amphibian if hooked up to 240v at friends places or if not 15amp. I also have a 'surge protector' built into the aluminium teepee. Similar to what you have at home.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
Little Briney said
06:00 PM Mar 3, 2020
Hi Adam
I have both Amphibian devices. I use the 240 volt lead which converts 10 amp to 15 amp connectors when hooked up to 240 at home and the surge protector when hooked up to caravan park 240 volt 15 amp supply. Can't be too careful, as far as I am concerned.
Adam Johnson said
10:44 PM Mar 3, 2020
Whenarewethere wrote:
I have one of these on my computers. Eaton have a lot of surge protectors, just depends what level of protection you value.
but not sure if power surges are even an issue in caravan parks.
Caravan parks probably don't get lighting strikes!
-- Edited by Whenarewethere on Monday 2nd of March 2020 11:13:30 PM
Thank you!
Aus-Kiwi said
08:22 AM Mar 4, 2020
I have one fitted on sensitive devices, computer etc . So protected no matter the power source . It can be when high load switches off can cause surges also . Not just lightning . In most cases it doesnt go through transformers . If most delicate things are 12v .
Corndoggy said
10:06 AM Mar 5, 2020
Are these things a gimmick, one of these things you just have to have, a big con to get your hard earned cash? I cannot recall anything that could be attributed to a surge being blown up or damaged in my lifetime. Maybe if it happens it's just pure bad luck at the time.
Aus-Kiwi said
11:05 AM Mar 5, 2020
Mainly effects electronic appliances . Elect jugs, heaters etc dont usually have issues . Direct 240v computers etc .
Whenarewethere said
01:41 PM Mar 5, 2020
Decades ago a friend who worked with CSIRO and who did all our electronic circuits for a club we were in. He was coming home one evening and just put the key in the door and a lightning strike hit leaving a 0.5m crater in the garden. He said he had never jumped so far in is life.
The interesting bit. The electrical circuits were partly burnt out in his house. Some circuits were totally unaffected while some were. He lost a toaster which was turned off at the wall, other things survived even though they were on at the wall.
He said the electricity needed to find a path to earth, you don't know which way it will go. It will jump across switches even if they are off as the gaps of a few mm are meaningless as far as a lightning strike goes.
Due to being decades ago and he had no computer at home there was no discussion of surge protectors. But since then during storms he always pulled plugs out of the wall. It is something I have always done since.
Our neighbours had a lightning strike a few years but fortunately no electrical damage.
It's the luck of the draw, you may or may not be ok. At least protect computers etc. If you are home at the time physically unplug them if there is a storm. If you have a UPS with extra capacity unplug it and run off that. UPSs don't have their own surge protector, you need to add one between the wall and UPS. But I would still unplug it during a storm if I'm around.
wasn_me said
01:42 PM Mar 5, 2020
I've got a surge protector on my rather expensive battery charger. Nothing else.
Cheers Pete
Whenarewethere said
02:11 PM Mar 5, 2020
My UPS is 3.0kVa mainly used for 3d rendering during blackouts with its extra battery capacity. Can run up to 2 hours rendering with one dual CPU computer running or 6 computers running for about 20 minutes. We often got blackouts for an hour and this is in the city. It's a joke. It's been better lately.
It is surprising the number of brownouts that happen or when switching of some description happens up the supply line as the UPS let's you know everything going on.
You would be surprised how dirty our electrical supply is. So a bit of protection for computers or important equipment won't do any harm. But get a reasonable surge protector, not the rubbish at the hardware store.
The good UPSs are double conversation. So all your equipment is running off its battery while simultaneously being charged back up. You would then have a few surge protectors, one being at the fuse box, one on the piece of equipment and a power line filter, then the UPS.
Hello.... New to the group and still learning the art of caravanning!
Wanted to see what peoples thoughts were on electrical surge protection for use in caravan parks. We have an older van (1975 Millard) and no inbuilt surge protection.
Thinking the $90 investment in the Amphibian Surge device is a small amount to pay for protection but not sure if power surges are even an issue in caravan parks.
*I have the Amphibian 10amp-15amp converter in use at home
Thanks
Adam
I have one of these on my computers. Eaton have a lot of surge protectors, just depends what level of protection you value.
http://www.eatoncorp.com.au/Oceania/Electrical/ProductsandServices/PowerManagement/SurgeProtection/ClassIII-PointofUseandExtraLowVoltageProtection/SSFIPortableSurgeFilter/index.htm#tabs-1
Caravan parks probably don't get lighting strikes!
-- Edited by Whenarewethere on Monday 2nd of March 2020 11:13:30 PM
Not sure what you mean, but an Ampfibian is NOT a surge protector.
I suggest you get a sparky to install an RCD (or better still, an RVD) at the power inlet in the van if you don't have one, that is the most important thing to have.
It is now illegal not to have one.
Also have him check that all the power points are double pole and are wired correctly.
Cheers,
Peter
-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Monday 2nd of March 2020 11:12:47 PM
ampfibian do indeed now make a surge protector . see link
ampfibian.com.au/product/weatherproof-1000j-15a-caravan-surge-protector-with-outlet-tester-s1000dx/
Thanks.
That is not what the OP refers to when advising about the one they have at home though and surge protectors are not generally used or needed.
Cheers,
Peter
I also use and Amphibian if hooked up to 240v at friends places or if not 15amp. I also have a 'surge protector' built into the aluminium teepee. Similar to what you have at home.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
I have both Amphibian devices. I use the 240 volt lead which converts 10 amp to 15 amp connectors when hooked up to 240 at home and the surge protector when hooked up to caravan park 240 volt 15 amp supply. Can't be too careful, as far as I am concerned.
Thank you!
Decades ago a friend who worked with CSIRO and who did all our electronic circuits for a club we were in. He was coming home one evening and just put the key in the door and a lightning strike hit leaving a 0.5m crater in the garden. He said he had never jumped so far in is life.
The interesting bit. The electrical circuits were partly burnt out in his house. Some circuits were totally unaffected while some were. He lost a toaster which was turned off at the wall, other things survived even though they were on at the wall.
He said the electricity needed to find a path to earth, you don't know which way it will go. It will jump across switches even if they are off as the gaps of a few mm are meaningless as far as a lightning strike goes.
Due to being decades ago and he had no computer at home there was no discussion of surge protectors. But since then during storms he always pulled plugs out of the wall. It is something I have always done since.
Our neighbours had a lightning strike a few years but fortunately no electrical damage.
It's the luck of the draw, you may or may not be ok. At least protect computers etc. If you are home at the time physically unplug them if there is a storm. If you have a UPS with extra capacity unplug it and run off that. UPSs don't have their own surge protector, you need to add one between the wall and UPS. But I would still unplug it during a storm if I'm around.
My UPS is 3.0kVa mainly used for 3d rendering during blackouts with its extra battery capacity. Can run up to 2 hours rendering with one dual CPU computer running or 6 computers running for about 20 minutes. We often got blackouts for an hour and this is in the city. It's a joke. It's been better lately.
It is surprising the number of brownouts that happen or when switching of some description happens up the supply line as the UPS let's you know everything going on.
You would be surprised how dirty our electrical supply is. So a bit of protection for computers or important equipment won't do any harm. But get a reasonable surge protector, not the rubbish at the hardware store.
The good UPSs are double conversation. So all your equipment is running off its battery while simultaneously being charged back up. You would then have a few surge protectors, one being at the fuse box, one on the piece of equipment and a power line filter, then the UPS.
Thanks for the info every... appreciated!