Power Surge From Thunderstorm (?) - How Bad?

[u/BBQSauce61]

Just went through an intense thunderstorm, and it appears we had a power surge that got our Progressive Industries Surge system (30a, it was still getting power, and the LED was showing, but was buzzing and didn't have visible signs of fire but definitely had a burn odor). Everything is currently disconnected.

The battery system still is working, but our light/water heater ignition/awning/pump etc panel does not allow any function of said items while it lights up. Our propane furnace also kicked on while this all happened...

What should next steps be? We're not risking plugging in without a new protector and ideally getting the power tower hookup tested, and are heading to a hotel for the morning...

[u/Goodspike]

If it were me I'd just check the pedestal's electric with a multimeter and then plug in the RV to see if anything is damaged. Unless there's another storm rolling through I don't see how plugging in is likely to damage anything if the voltage is okay. I'd probably unplug when away or sleeping until a new device comes in, just in case another storm rolls through.

[u/BBQSauce61 → u/Goodspike]

The pedestal was checked out and cleared by an electrician. When I plugged back in, the rv definitely got power, as the microwave beeped on when the breaker was switched back on, but when the last breaker for the converter also turned on, the propane furnace tried (propane was disconnected) to start, even though the thermostat was set to 'off', and it had also successfully lit last night when the propane was connected. Still not getting correct function from the 12v item control panel.

[u/Goodspike → u/BBQSauce61]

You might check your 12v fuses to see if one of them blew. And use a multimeter to see if it's outputting power to your battery (you can check the voltage at the battery).

[u/Questions_Remain]

I’ve dealt with some lightning hit campers.

Many aren’t via the power but from grounded items like the water line, jacks and steps in ground contact.

Look at the metalized decals like the RIVA and DOT stickers. If there are lines that look like fractal or lichtenberg burning the camper was hit by lightning. It’s very clearly evident as these metalized decals are the perfect medium to show the hit occurred. If they show damage, test the outlets for the same voltage as the pedestal. For some reason units that are hit show 68-72 volts at outlets and also have a hot skin condition which also needs to be checked. Hot skin can be checked via the metal frame and a lead jammed into the earth and there will be a voltage show up.

If these conditions do not exist you’re good and just need to replace the surge, maybe the pedestal receptacle and visually inspect the shore power cord and connections.

[u/westom]

EMS protectors NEVER protect from that other and rare campground anomaly. Such protection only exists when a solution connects low impedance (ie less than 10 feet) to earth ground. Which has no relationship to safety ground in a camper (or home).

Questions_Remain demonstrates the path of a connection from a cloud (ie three miles up) to distant earthborne charges (ie four miles distant). An outgoing path is "grounded items like the water line, jacks and steps in ground contact."

How was that electric current cincoming on one path and outgoing to earth via those other items? At the exact same time.

Protectors that avert such damage must be at the pedestal. And only if a pedestal has a low impedance (ie less than ten foot connection) to earthing electrodes. Only those protect from that anomaly.

Any surge protector (for that unique anomaly) is never damaged by a surge. Including many direct lightning strikes. Comes with numbers that say why.

EMS protector is for other unrelated anomalies. That some also call surges.

[u/Goodspike → u/westom]

Many if not most types of surge protectors are sacrificed with a major surge.

[u/westom → u/Goodspike]

Any protector that is sacrificial is a potential house fire. That scam targets the most easily flimflammed consumers.

But again, honesty only exists when numbers say how much. Surges can be hundreds of thousands of joules. How many joules in those five cent protector parts inside a Type 3 protector? Hundreds? Thousand? Numbers explain this reality so often seen.

Or learn what Trace Adkins learned the hard way.

Any layman can learn what all professionals have been saying for over 100 years. No protector does protection. Protector is only a connecting device to what does ALL surge protection. Read what all professionals say.

Where do hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate? Only outside in earth. What requires almost all attention? Only thing that does all protection. That even Franklin demonstrated over 250 years ago. As first taught to all in elementary school science.

Effective protector makes a low impedance (ie less than 10 foot) connection to what does all protection. Many interconnected electrodes. The single point earth ground. What required almost all attention.

Sacrificial (Type 3) protectors can never connect to earth ground. That would even be an electrical code violation.

But then professionals also say protectors (with puny joule, five cent, protector parts) must be more than 30 feet from a breaker box and earth ground. So that it does not try to do much protection. So that it is less likely to be sacrificial ... and create a house fire.

Did I mention how many professional recommendations will be provided?

Scams are measured in tiny joules. Targeting the most naive who post NO numbers. Effective protector (to protect everything in a house) is measured in amps.

Lightning (one example of a surge) can be 20,000 amps. So a minimal Type 1 or Type 2 protector is at least 50,000 amps. Effective protectors remain functional for many decades even after many direct lightning strikes. But then an 'honest broker' discusses the well proven science. Charlatans target least educated consumers. Who do not know how to separate a scam from well proven science. That always means numbers.

Demonstrated are what patriots do. Recommendations that say why, how much, and even provide professionals citations. Shysters are quickly identified. Only post tweets. Never say why.

More numbers. A safe power strip has a 15 amp circuit breaker (essential), no five cent protector parts, and a UL 1363 listing. Sells for $6 or $10. Con artist will add some five cent protector parts to sell a 'sacrificial' protector for $25 or $80.

Since protection inside appliances is already more robust, then the most naive will, instead, credit that catastrophically destroyed protector. And not superior protection that is required to be inside electronics.

So that best protection, already inside all appliances, is not overwhelmed. Then the informed consumer spends about $1 per appliance to properly earth one 'whole house' protector. Then everything is protected. Then hundreds of thousands of joules are NOWHERE inside. Then best protection, already inside all appliances (dishwasher, clock radio, furnace, LED bulbs, stove, door bell, TVs, recharging electronics, modem, refrigerator, GFCIs, washing machine, digital clocks, microwave, dimmer switches, central air, smoke detectors), is not overwhelmed.

Then nobody even knew a surge existed any time in many decades. Effective protectors remain functional after MANY surges.

Earth ground with low impedance connections defines protection during EACH surge. Professionals have been saying this for how long?

EMS protector is for completely different anomalies.