30 Amp Bluetooth Surge Protector with Auto Shutoff - Portable - Hughes Autoformers

30 Amp Bluetooth Surge Protector with Auto Shutoff – Portable

Price: $295.00

In stock

Introducing the World’s First Advanced “Smart” RV Surge Protector with Emergency Power Off (EPO).

Our new 30 amp Power Watchdog Smart Surge Protector offers 3,000 Joules of advanced surge protection for your coach. It features advanced circuit analysis to automatically shut off power in an emergency* and includes our patented Bluetooth connectivity so you can monitor live park power conditions on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

* Unit automatically shuts down power if voltage drops below 104 or above 132 volts. Once power conditions are stable for at least 90 seconds, the unit will turn back on automatically.


Key Features

  • Replaceable Surge / Spike Module – should you get hit by a large spike, simply order a new surge module rather than replacing the entire unit. (order online)
  • Wirelessly Monitor voltage, amperage, and wattage on your smartphone in real time using our free mobile app!
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty
  • Plug-n-Play ensures a minimal 4-second power-on analysis to determine if power conditions are safe, while other brands can take up to two minutes.
  • Protect Your Appliances with a built-in 90-second power-on delay after a fault is detected and resolved.
  • Complete LED Park Power Diagnostics with wireless fault alerts ensure you are aware of any hazardous park power conditions.
  • Customizable Alert Thresholds to warn you when conditions fall outside a specified range
  • Compatible with “dogbone” adapters
  • Heavy Duty Construction to withstand everyday use at your campsite
  • Go GLOBAL – add Wi-Fi/Cellular capabilities using the RVWhisper add-on option and monitor your unit from miles away! Visit www.rvwhisper.com for more details.

Specifications

  • Current: 30 Amps (50 Amp is Available)
  • Surge Protection: 3,000 Joules of advanced surge/spike protection for your RV
  • Water Resistance: IP65 rating provides rugged, outdoor protection from dust and rain
  • Length: approx. 31” long, including cables
  • Dimensions: 11 ½” x 5 ½” x 3 ¾”

SPECIAL BONUS OFFER

If your surge module is ‘used up’ within the first 2 years of purchase, Hughes Autoformers will mail you one FREE replacement**.

** (One free replacement offer valid within the first 2 years of purchase. Proof of purchase and proof of used up surge module required)

Note: if the surge module is used up, the unit will still function. The EPO (emergency power off) functions and Bluetooth features will still work. The surge protection will not function until the surge module is replaced, but you will still receive power to your RV.

 

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Our new 30 amp Power Watchdog Smart Surge Protector offers 3,000 Joules of advanced surge protection for your coach. It features advanced circuit analysis to automatically shut off power in an emergency* and includes our patented Bluetooth connectivity so you can monitor live park power conditions on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

* Unit automatically shuts down power if voltage drops below 104 or above 132 volts. Once power conditions are stable for at least 90 seconds, the unit will turn back on automatically.

In stock

Product Videos

 

 

Surge Module Replacement Instructions Power Watchdog + EPO USER GUIDE

4 reviews for 30 Amp Bluetooth Surge Protector with Auto Shutoff – Portable

  1. 5 out of 5

    :

    I purchased this to replace an “inexpensive” surge protector that worried me. I was afraid it would not protect our motor home properly. I really like the blue tooth function of this unit so I can keep an eye on our power consumption. We have had this for about 2 weeks and have been on the road. It has worked perfectly even shutting down the power when our consumption was over the 30 amp limit. Unit came right back on and is working flawlessly. I like the idea of replacing the surge unit if it gets affected, and not buying an new complete unit. $30 is much better than over $200. I hope it works well for many years.

  2. 5 out of 5

    :

    I am a first-time RV owner. The cost of any surge protector is going to be far less than internal electrical repairs of appliances inside the RV. I got this unit for two reasons. First, it not just detects problems, it actively protects against many problems well beyond simple surge; that’s not true of some other alternative brands. Second, the surge protection module is replaceable. That’s quality design, and customer-focus

    The app is awesome. I really found it useful to sit in our RV and watch the amps draw in real time. For example the compressor in our A/C cycles on and off according to the thermostat, but the fan is manual and always runs. I found the ability to monitor when the compressor cycled on and off was very useful in quickly fine-tuning the thermostat to ensure the A/C was set properly. I can also see when the hot water heater kicks on, gauge how many amps each appliance draws, and know when I have spare capacity to plug in a particular extra appliance into a 120 volt outlet.

    One word of caution and one suggestion for improvement. For other customers like me, please note that there are two apps from this vendor with similar names. One has a black dog face with red highlights and one is a red dog face with white highlights. They are for different products and you have to get the right one or the app won’t work correctly. As for improvements for the vendor – the illumination when the unit turns on is hard to see in direct bright sunlight. An increase in brightness, or an additional LED to indicate all is well, would be a great improvement.

  3. 5 out of 5

    :

    I bought this device after almost frying our whole electrical system in the camper. It saved us countless times as we are camping. I can can also see in real time how much watts each appliance is using via the app. It’s astonishing how much electricity one can use!! With the ability to set parameters on how much electricity is being used it can also save you money if the park charges by watts. I recommend this product to EVERYONE! The best priced product on the market!

  4. 5 out of 5

    :

    This is a well made and competitively priced surge protector/EPO. And having a Bluetooth connection to the unit is brilliant. I upgraded from a small surge protector only to this unit when we upgraded from a TT to a motorhome. It’s cheap insurance to make sure we’re protected in our new motorhome. It’s a huge protector/EPO with a very bright display. I use a waterproof nylon bag to cover it to dim the light. I don’t want to disturb other campers and draw attention to my bright, expensive surge protector.

    I had a question about a loud popping sound when applying power and the Hughes tech was very responsive and helpful answering my questions. He said it’s the solenoid closing to apply power to the RV and the pop sound was normal. I would suggest there should be a note in the user guide, maybe under #3, explaining that the loud pop was a normal sound and does not indicate a problem with the unit.

    I highly recommend this surge protector/EPO, it’s priced competitively, has a Bluetooth app, and their tech support is excellent.

One of the common issues we get is people have one of our Power Watchdogs – whether they have the EPO (emergency power off) unit with the dog’s face that lights up white or red, or they have the base model that has the green LED lights – and they download the wrong app. Because we have two different versions, we have two different apps. They are not compatible with each other.

If you do have the EPO unit you will need to download the app with the black dog’s face with the red accents in the icon.

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If you have the base model unit you will need to download the app with the red dog’s face on a white background.

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A common question that we get asked is “I have a surge protector. Am I protected from high voltage?”

The answer is “No.” Not unless you have an automatic shutoff surge protector. The base, non-EPO Power Watchdog unit does not have auto-shutoff. If you have the Bluetooth app with alerts set up, it will alert you if you’re over the set voltage, but it can’t do anything about it. It’s up to you to unplug, turn on a generator, or go to a different pole.

The Power Watchdog with EPO unit is a little bit bigger and has the dog’s face that lights up white or red if there’s an issue. If the voltage does go too high, then the unit will turn off and the dog’s face will turn red. If the voltage drops back down to an acceptable range, then 90 seconds later, it will turn back on.

So to be protected from high voltage, you need the EPO unit, not just the surge protector.

Power Watchdog EPO Units:

Question: “Will my surge protector protect me from lightning?”

The simple answer is “No.” Unfortunately, lightning is just too strong. The 50-amp Power Watchdog units have 4800 joules of protection – which is industry-leading – while the 30-amp units have 2400 joules. With all of our units, the surge module is replaceable, so if you do have a surge or spike that takes out the module part, you just replace that part, put a new one back in, seal it back up and you’re back in business.

Typical lightning is about 1-10 billion joules, so nothing man-made is going to be protecting you from a direct lightning strike. At the same time, a surge protector is something you should have because it is protecting against surges or spikes coming from your neighbors, arcing power lines, or if it’s a distant lightning strike that’s far enough away.

Here is a great question: “Why choose Hughes Autoformers when there are many other brands out there?”

Robert Hughes was an avid RVer who knew about damaging low voltage and other park power issues. He created and patented the Autoformer in 1995. There are more than 100,000 happy customers over the years. The patent-pending Power Watchdog brand of surge protectors won 2nd place for RVIA’s aftermarket product of the year in 2019. We are the only company that has a Bluetooth app that’s connected straight to your device. With the app, you can see your volts, amps and watts in real time, as well as if there is any power issue. We’re also the only company that features a replaceable surge module. If the surge module gets used up, you replace this part rather than the whole unit becoming trash. Essentially, it’s the last surge protector you’ll ever need.

Replaceable Surge Modules:

The proper hookup order with an Autoformer and a Power Watchdog depends on which Power Watchdog unit you have.

If you have a base model Power Watchdog unit, it’s just a surge protector and has no auto-shutoff, so that can come before or after the Autoformer.

If you have the Power Watchdog + EPO (emergency power off), that means it has the auto-shutoff function.In this case, it is important to have the Power Watchdog after the Autoformer. What you’re going to have is the pole/shore power going into the Autoformer, then going into the Power Watchdog + EPO. If the park is giving you 113 volts or less, the Autoformer boosts that 10%, then it’s going to go into the EPO unit, then into your coach. If the Autoformer boosts the voltage and it’s still too low – or too high – then you have the EPO auto-shutoff unit to protect your coach and prevent anything from going into your coach. If you have the EPO first, you may shut off the power to the Autoformer before it has a chance to boost.

We often get asked “What is the range of the Bluetooth?”

The Bluetooth we use in the Power Watchdog units is Bluetooth 4.2. Essentially it is the same Bluetooth that you have in the iPhone X. Optimal range (not from the phone or the unit, but in a dry, empty field) is about 100 feet. In reality, with the case around the Power Watchdog unit and any kind of phone covers on your phone, you’re going to get about a 30-50 foot range. Because it uses Bluetooth and has a free app available for iOS and Android, there’s nothing that you need to buy, no subscription fees, and no need for cellular data. Your phone just needs to be in range of the Power Watchdog unit.

One question we get asked is “What is EPO?”

We have two models of our Power Watchdog line. We have the base model model which is PWD30 for the 30-amp and PWD50 for the 50-amp. Then we have the upper end models which have emergency power off (EPO). Essentially it’s a surge protector that has a computer that analyzes the incoming power and a switch or contactor that either allows power to go into your coach or it shuts it off. So when you hear EPO, it’s the same thing as EMS (electrical management system), which means it has an auto shutoff function.

For example, normally you would have around 120 volts coming in from the park, which is good. If the volts drop below 104, then the unit sees that as too low and will cut power to your coach, sparing your coach from damaging low voltage. The Power Watchdog units with EPO will also look for reverse polarity, open ground, open neutral, high voltage, low voltage and too many amps, as well as open neutral from the coach end. If any of those faults are detected, the Power Watchdog’s face turns red, displays the error code on the faceplate, and if you have the unit paired to your phone, you will get an alert letting you know it’s detected a problem. On the app it will let you know what the error is, why it’s potentially bad, what you may be able to do and more information on that particular error.

Power Watchdog EPO Units:

A quest we get asked is “What causes a surge or spike?”

Essentially when you’re at an RV park and everybody is plugged in, you have electricity running through the wires from the park pole into your Watchdog or surge protector, into your Autoformer or whatever, going into your coach. Everybody is plugged in, they have a lot of draw or load on the line – their AC units, water heaters or microwaves working – there’s electricity flowing through the wires into that coach. If somebody doesn’t shut down or unplug from the pole properly, you can have a surge or a spike.

Picture electricity like water flowing through a pipe. If somebody goes to the pole and just yanks their shore cord out of the pole, that electricity – that water flowing through the pipe – hits a wall and has to go back through the powerline and can easily have an effect on anybody that’s still connected around that RV. So, a surge can be caused by your neighbors.

Obviously, if there’s a distant lightning strike hitting the ground or power lines, you can have a surge or spike that way. If it’s windy and you have power lines that are arcing, you can have a surge or spike. Even just simply turning on and off large equipment – washing machines, electric dryers, or devices with a high amp load – they can cause surges when they kick on and turn off. You’re essentially changing the flow of electricity. It’s this sudden change that causes that surge or spike. It can either go into your RV or somebody else that is near you if they’re still connected and you’re sharing some wires.

So essentially, you do want a surge protector. It is something that is necessary to prevent damaging surges or spikes.

A big question many RVers ask is “What causes prongs or plugs (or sockets or the receptacle) to melt?”

Typically, the two most common causes of a melted plug or socket are a loose connection or low voltage. As long as you have a good, full connection at proper voltage, there should never be any issues.

Improper/loose connection: When you have electricity flowing through wires, it is like electrons moving down an eight-lane freeway. If there is a loose or bad connection, there is a point of high resistance – it’s bottlenecking. It’s like that eight-lane freeway going down to two lanes. Electrons will be bumping into each other at this point. This will generate heat, which causes the melting. Heat in itself is resistive to the flow of electrons; this causes more heat – which is more resistive – and so on, until that point melts or burns out.

Low voltage: Low voltage can also be a cause. This is because with inductive loads, the lower the voltage, the higher the amp draw to compensate. For example, your AC unit that is usually only 12 amps now requires 16 amps at a lower voltage. Amps are the flow or volume of electrons going through the wires. So if you increase your amps to compensate for low voltage, the wire will heat up. Again, heat is resistive to the flow of electrons, so it causes higher resistance that requires more amps and so on.

One question that we get asked is “What are common power pedestal issues?”

There can be several.

  • Low Voltage – The most common issue that you’re going to get at an RV park would be low voltage. It’s just something that can happen at a busy park. Let’s say it’s the middle of a hot summer. The park is supplying 120 volts, but there are multiple units running cooling equipment, so the voltage drops. You could also be at the end of the line, farther away from the original power source. The inherent resistance in the power line itself could mean that, if you are, say, 1000 feet away, your voltage could drop from the 120 volts provided at the source.
  • Bad Wiring – Some common wiring issues include: bridged hot wires on a 50 amp source, mistakenly sending 240 volts through your coach; open ground or open neutral which are dangerous conditions increasing risk for electric shock. Having an EPO unit or something that has the auto-shutoff can help protect you and/or your coach.

The Power Watchdog with Auto Shutoff can be on guard for these dangerous conditions and automatically shut off to prevent dangerous electrical conditions from entering your coach.