R-pod Owners Forum : WDH and surge protection https://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : I need HELP!!! : WDH and surge protection Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Thu, 21 May 2026 14:18:25 +0000 Mon, 31 May 2021 11:23:58 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 https://www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=14678 R-pod Owners Forum https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.rpod-owners.com/ WDH and surge protection : Previous advice on surge protection... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14678&PID=142991#142991 Author: GlueGuy
Subject: 14678
Posted: 31 May 2021 at 11:23am

Previous advice on surge protection is good. As for WDH, you may not need it. We tow our 179 just fine with our 1/2 ton F150, but it does raise the nose enough to mess with the headlight aim. For that reason, we use the WDH. We find that the WDH tends to make the trailer and truck move together as more of a "unit" for lack of better description. 

Check with you vehicle manual, it may make recommendations. As for our F150, the manual recommends a WDH if the tongue weight is over 500 lbs. Our 179 is a little shy of that mark, but we still prefer it to without it.
]]> Mon, 31 May 2021 11:23:58 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14678&PID=142991#142991 WDH and surge protection : Surge protectors (even expensive... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14678&PID=142958#142958 Author: podwerkz
Subject: 14678
Posted: 30 May 2021 at 2:54pm

Surge protectors (even expensive ones) will only limit or shunt a certain amount of energy that has made it's way into the power lines....they have no ability to protect from direct or very close lightning strikes. 

And they need to be checked and replaced now and then...they do not provide permanent protection.

During a nearby storm when you are in the camper, or an RV that is unattended in long term storage, it is best to unplug from shore power. You may also need to install solar panels and/or battery cutoff switch to protect your battery from deep discharge during long term storage.
]]> Sun, 30 May 2021 14:54:45 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14678&PID=142958#142958 WDH and surge protection : Nothing will protect against a... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14678&PID=142957#142957 Author: offgrid
Subject: 14678
Posted: 30 May 2021 at 2:46pm

Nothing will protect against a direct strike. You could install a   lightning protection system (masts, rods, and perimeter grounding grid) if you are permanently in one lightning prone place (like mountain top telcom sites have). That redirects the strikes away from your equipment.

As for nearby strikes, they cause damage two ways: by coming in through your mains supply (assuming you're on shore power) or by inducing surges in the circuits in the trailer itself. Induction is the way generators work, a changing magnetic field causes electricity to flow in nearby wires. And lightning creates huge electromagnetic fields (fir a few microseconds).

So induced surges don't require the lightning to directly strike any circuits, but they do fall off fast with distance. But if you have a stroke 5 feet away you could have induced currents in the 10000 plus amp range which could easily destroy your electronics.

A surge protector/EMS (as far as lightning protection is concerned they are the same thing) at the service entrance to the trailer will protect the trailer circuits from incoming surges but won't do much to protect devices from surges induced in the trailer circuits themselves. To protect from those it's best to unplug the electronics when a storm is coming. Second best is to add power strips with surge protectors at the outlets right next to the sensitive loads.

Surge protectors contain devices called metal oxide varistors (MOVs) which shunt the current from an induced lightning strike to ground when the voltage exceeds a threshold. MOVs are rated in joules which measure the energy they can handle during the lightning event. If you can find the joule ratings for the MOVs in the surge protectors get the highest rated ones you can.

Re WDH's since as you say you don't really need one for that truck you could get anything you like, but do be sure what you're after is actually weight distribution not sway control. Even with a heavy truck you need to be sure the trailer isnt prone to sway. It's best to accomplish that via proper fore/aft balance and then add sway control only as a backup. For rpods you need the tongue weight to be at least 10%, preferably 11% or higher of total trailer weight to minimize sway risk.

]]> Sun, 30 May 2021 14:46:44 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14678&PID=142957#142957 WDH and surge protection : An EMS, not surge protector is... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14678&PID=142955#142955 Author: mjlrpod
Subject: 14678
Posted: 30 May 2021 at 1:52pm

An EMS, not surge protector is the best protection in general. For a lightning strike, I dont know if anything would work. I would think the rubber tires protects you?? If the lightning came in through the umbilical, then the EMS would stop it.

]]> Sun, 30 May 2021 13:52:16 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14678&PID=142955#142955 WDH and surge protection : Some subjects on this forum generate... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14678&PID=142954#142954 Author: ArenaBlanca
Subject: 14678
Posted: 30 May 2021 at 1:35pm

Some subjects on this forum generate a plethora or opinions but I still want to take the chance.

I am looking for a recommendation on a WDH.  We have a 195 and use a 2004 Chevy 2500 diesel as a tow vehicle.  I have towed both the 195 and a 179 with this tow vehicle and may not really need a WDH.  But there is a certain amount or "porpoising" that replacing the shocks didn't remove to my satisfaction.  So what do you recommend?

The second item I'm looking for advice on is surge protection.  We have two campers -the 195 and a 35+ foot tow behind that we live for the summer in gorgeous northern NM.  But lightning struck a tree about 5-6 feet way from the camper two weeks ago.  The surge came in through the ground a fried a number of items -- television, coffee maker, converter, and the satellite antenna. 

So I am looking for recommendation for a surge protector -- either portable or hard wired for the 195.  In my opinion, the ideal unit would protect against not only issues at campground pedestals but also against near lightning strikes.  I can't imagine that anything will protect against a direct strike but if anything does, please let me know. 
]]> Sun, 30 May 2021 13:35:19 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14678&PID=142954#142954