7 Best RV Surge Protectors for 30 & 50 Amp Campers

Bill Widmer
Updated: October 19, 2022

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Are you curious about what the best RV surge protector is? Or if having one is even necessary?

When it comes to your RV’s power supply, we know how important it is to avoid costly fixes and we’ve scoured the depths of the internet to provide you with all you need to know about the role of an RV surge protector!

We’ve also compiled all the info we found on the best RV surge protectors here in one place for you!

Let’s get started.

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What Is the Best RV Surge Protector?

Want to skip the bulk of the article and purchase the best surge protector right away? We’ve got you covered:

Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C

Can send alerts on mis-wired pedestals and surge failures
Lifetime warranty
Offers high-grade RV electrical protection

Best Overall

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The Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C is a 30-amp hardwired permanent surge protector that monitors over ten different electrical issues (including data link failure and reverse polarity). This RV surge protector includes accidental 240-volt surge protection, frequency protection, and over or under voltage protection.

Progressive Industries SSP-30XL

Designed for outdoor use, weather resistant, all weather shield assembly, thermally protected
Open ground, open neutral & reverse polarity detection
UL certified and Canadian approved, comes with a lifetime warranty

Best Value

Progressive Industries SSP-30XL Surge Protector with Cover (30 Amp)

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The Progressive Industries SSP-30XL RV surge protector is a budget-friendly, lightweight, easy-to-use RV surge protector that’s able to reduce the danger of devices on the go! It’s one of the best portable surge protectors on our list today.

Hughes Autoformer BX4370

30A surge guard safeguards your RV from power spikes of up to 2,400 joules
Bluetooth phone connection and automatic alerts
Universal fit & weighs 3 lbs

Honorable Mention

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The Hughes Autoformer BX4370 RV surge protector is perfect for campers and has alerts for electrical issues as well as a bluetooth feature that’s able to connect with your phone.

All in all, if you’re after the best surge protector, any of the ones we just listed would do the job.

Keep reading to see some of our other picks for the best RV surge protector, though!

Why You Need an RV Surge Protector

RV surge protectors block any power surges that may get sent to your RV (whether it’s from a malfunction with the power grid or from a lightning storm). That surge of electricity can do a ton of damage to any appliance that’s plugged in.

Think about your RV fridge or RV air conditioner for a minute. The circuitry in both of these appliances are pretty delicate and even the smallest power surge can fry the circuit boards.

There’s no saying when this could happen, meaning the only real preparation you can do is to have an RV surge protector that constantly monitors for that type of thing!

RV surge protectors also filter out any “bad power”, too (such as things like “brown out”, which is when voltage drops either unintentionally or intentionally by the power source).

This can happen in areas that are prone to wildfire in the summer or places that have an unexpected high demand for electricity. Power companies around these areas will drop voltage to lessen the strain on the system (which can actually cause a lot of damage to sensitive electronics within your RV).

While purchasing an RV surge protector is no cheap feat, it’s nothing when compared to the cost of a new RV air conditioner or fridge.

Now that you know why RV surge protectors are needed, let’s briefly talk about what they’re able to protect you (and your RV) from!

3 Things Your RV Surge Protector Protects You From

The basic surge protection you get from an RV surge protector includes:

Power surges
Incorrect wiring
Low voltage

Let’s quickly go over each one below:

1. Power Surges

When too much power courses through wires, it can damage your wiring and electronics if it reaches your RV. Though various reasons cause power surges, one of the most well-known causes is lightning.

When lightning strikes, it causes a massive spike in voltage, which most RV surge protectors can handle. However, in some cases, the power surges that cause large voltage spikes could damage your RV surge protector, forcing you to purchase a replacement.

Buying another RV surge protector would be a slight inconvenience, but compared to having to replace the several burnt-out appliances had your RV been unprotected is much worse.

Electrical surges are pretty common when staying at an RV resort or campground, which is why having even the most basic surge protection is needed!

2. Incorrect Wiring

From disintegrated wires and loose connections to an unqualified electrician setting up or modifying the wiring incorrectly, there can be many potential faults at play (electrical protection is no joke).

Additionally, by the time you detect a connection with incorrect wiring, the damage to your RV’s electrical system could already be done.

This damage would force you to spend thousands of dollars repairing or replacing things. You can avoid these headaches by opting for a good surge protector!

3. Low Voltage

Voltage is an electrical unit that is constantly changing, either dropping or surging at any time. Unless you have a device monitoring it at all times, your RV will always be vulnerable.

Though most people are well aware of the damage that high voltages can cause, low voltages can be just as harmful.

If you’re in a campground packed with RVs, with each of them using the campground’s electrical supply, it can lower the camp’s power supply and lead to a brownout. This low voltage is especially common in older campgrounds whose wiring has yet to be updated.

The lower the power supply, the less amount of voltage your RV gets. If your RV doesn’t get adequate voltage, your electric system can be significantly damaged.

Even if your RV model has a feature that shuts off power during low voltage, having an RV surge protector is still essential to your RV’s electrical health.

Surge Protector vs. Electrical Management System (EMS)

There are several differences between a surge protector and an electrical management system (EMS). Generally, the most basic surge protectors can protect your RV from large spikes of electrical activity.

On the other hand, an electrical management system protects your RV from a wider variety of potentially harmful electrical issues (such as low or high voltages, smaller power spikes, reverse polarity, open neutrals, and open grounds).

If an electrical management system detects any issues that can potentially lead to more significant problems for your RV and the appliances inside, it immediately shuts off power.

While most people opt for RV surge protectors because of their lower prices, we highly recommend getting yourself both an RV surge protector and an electrical management system if you can afford it.

Doing so provides your RV’s electrical system and appliances with complete protection from any possible electrical defaults that your RV might come across.

Is My RV a 30 Amp Or 50 Amp?

To find the best RV surge protectors, you’ll need to know if you have a 30 or 50 AMP connection.

Different RVs have different power needs, and it is these power needs that help you determine the right RV surge protector to get for your respective RV.

One electrical difference RVs have deals with the type of connection with which they are fitted. Your RV could either have a 30-amp or 50-amp connection.

One way to tell the type of connection your RV has is by looking at the number of prongs on the connector at your power cord’s end.

If you have a 30-amp connection, the connector will have three prongs. On the other hand, if your RV has a 50-amp connection, the connector will have four prongs.

30 Amp = 3 Prong

50 Amp = 4 Prong

Once you know your RV’s electrical connection’s size, you can proceed to match it with the properly rated RV surge protector!

Note: One important thing to keep in mind when doing this test, however, is the presence of an aftermarket adapter, which is sometimes called a ‘dogbone.’

If you bought your RV used, the previous owner could have installed an aftermarket adapter at the end of the power cord. Such an adapter can give you false readings, leading you to purchase an RV surge protector that is incompatible with your connection.

Portable vs. Permanent RV Surge Protectors

Besides the difference in amp rating, you also have the option of getting portable or permanent RV surge protectors.

Portable RV Surge Protector

With a portable surge protector, you plug it into the available power base’s female outlet, then connect your RV’s power cord. When leaving the campground, simply unplug it and pack it up, ready to use at the next stop.

Here are some of the benefits of a portable RV surge protector:

Easy to use
Requires no installation
You can test the outlet
Easy to replace if damaged

Though portable RV surge protectors offer the best ‘plug and play’ options, they have a few drawbacks as well. Drawbacks for portable surge protectors include:

You can easily forget them
If an electrical base is low to the ground, you’d have to put the surge protector on possibly wet ground
They can be easily stolen if not locked up
You might have to purchase a lock separately

Permanent RV Surge Protector

Alternatively, you could get a permanent RV surge protector. A permanent or hardwired surge protector is directly and permanently hardwired into your RV.

It is usually installed underneath your rig, in the same compartment that you typically use to access your rig’s power cord. When connecting it, you place it between the power base and your camper’s electronics.

Here are some of the pros of a permanent RV surge protector:

Optional digital display inside your RV to monitor your surge protector
No need to worry about rain or other harsh weather conditions
It cannot be stolen
Installation is once and done
Usually smaller than portable units

Some of the disadvantages with these types of RV surge protectors include:

You often need to hire a professional to install them
It is challenging to remove and keep them should you sell your RV

Despite such drawbacks, permanent RV surge protectors are easily the more durable and reliable option.

7 Best RV Surge Protectors Compared

Whether you are in the market for portable or hardwired RV surge protectors (or electrical management systems) you will not find a more comprehensive list of the best options available than the one we have created below: