Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X Portable Surge Protector Review

This post may contain affiliate links.
PT30X Portable Surge Protector set against a dark blue background.

Many RVers rely on surge protectors to safeguard the electronics in their RVs. These handy devices can save a lot of hassle. Let’s take a look at one such surge protector, the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X.

What Is the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X? 

Progressive Industries Portable RV Surge Protector, 30 Amp EMS with Integrated Display, Fault Detection, and All Weather Shield Assembly - EMS-PT30X
  • Maintain electronic safety - This 30 Amp RV Surge Protector by Progressive Industries is a real guard for your RV...
  • Prevents costly damage - With a 30A/120V/3,600W rating, EMS-PT30X can absorb surges of up to 1,790 joules. This surge...

The Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X is an electrical management system (EMS) for 30 amp hook-ups. An EMS does everything a surge protector can do and more. It monitors and mitigates a host of electrical problems stemming from power surges, high or low voltage, and other issues. 

The EMS-PT30X protects against power surges of up to 44,000A and reacts in less than one nanosecond to protect your rig. It includes a digital display to diagnose power problems easily. Simply plug it in, and then plug your RV extension cord directly into the EMS. 

Why You Need a Portable RV Surge Protector

An RV surge protector offers an easy and affordable way to protect your RV and yourself. Electrical fires can cause extensive damage to your rig and put your safety at risk.

If there are shore power problems, you’ll know before you ever hook up your rig. And if issues arise during your stay, having an EMS or surge protector could save your rig’s electrical system. Although it might seem expensive, an EMS or surge protector costs less than the alternative.

What We Love About the EMS-PT30X Surge Protector

This surge protector can do a lot of heavy lifting. Here are some of our favorite features.

Digital Display

Some RV surge protectors use LED light displays that can be frustrating to interpret. The digital display on the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X provides precise and detailed information that’s easy to read. 

3-Mode Surge Protection

Having multi-mode surge protection offers added levels of defense for your rig. This system is comprehensive enough to mitigate issues from a variety of problem points. 

Portability

Many surge protectors take up a lot of space among your limited RV storage. The Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X is smaller than most. Its portability makes storing and setting up quick and easy. 

Cons 

There isn’t a lot that we don’t like about this EMS. However, no product is perfect. 

Lock Needs to be Purchased Separately

Locking up your EMS is a smart thing to do. These devices cost several hundred dollars and would be easy to steal. The biggest downside of the EMS-PT30X is that you must purchase a lock separately, which means a little extra cost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqrt9zAEiR0&ab_channel=DaveWyant

Alternatives to Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X

There are a lot of things we like about the EMS-PT30X, but keep your options open. Here are a few alternatives to consider. 

Progressive Industries SSP-30XL

Progressive Industries SSP-30X RV Surge Protector – 50 Amp to 30 Amp RV Adapter – Circuit Analyzer Portable Surge Guard W/Fault Detection & Hardwired Options
  • Maintain electronic safety - This 30 Amp RV Surge Protector by Progressive Industries is a real guard for your RV...
  • Prevents costly damage - With a 30A/120V/3,600W rating, SSP-30XL can absorb surges of up to 825 joules. This surge...

Progressive Industries also makes the SSP-30XL. Like the EMS-30PTX, this surge protector is used with 30 amp hook-ups and has a less than one nanosecond response time. It doesn’t offer as much protection but comes with a lower price tag. 

Unlike the EMS-PT30X, this surge protector doesn’t protect against under or overvoltage. It also has an LED indicator display rather than a digital display. Finally, the surge protection is only 22,500A versus the 44,000A offered by the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X. 

Surge Guard 44260 Entry Level Surge Protector

Technology Research Corp 44260 30 Amp Portable Surge Protector
  • Technology Research Corp 44260 30 Amp Portable Surge Protector

If you don’t have room in your budget for an EMS, a run-of-the-mill surge protector is still better than nothing. That’s what you get with the Surge Guard 44260. You’ll save a lot of money and get some protection for your rig. 

The Surge Guard works with 30 amp hookups and will tell you upon plugging in if there’s faulty shore power. It also protects against surges up to 2100 Joules. 

The Progressive EMS-PT30X RV surge protector comes with a higher price tag than other 30 amp surge protectors. However, that’s for a good reason. It stands head and shoulders above the competitors when it comes to the depth of protection offered. Do you have a surge protector for your rig?

Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Total
9
Shares
1 comment
  1. We just purchased this brand but decided to go with a 50amp, even though we are normally only plugged into and need 30amp we wanted to be prepared if we upgraded the rig at some point and used 50amp more. We bought the Progressive Industries SSP-50xl. We have been hoping we chose wisely. Do you have any feedback on how good the SSP-50xl version of the Progressive Industry brand is?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Article
A man regrets buying a motorhome.

Top 5 Regrets of Buying a Motorhome

Next Article

Think Harvest Hosts Is A Waste of Money? Here's Why You're Wrong