I am looking to get a surge protector or two for my van. This is just your random cargo van that I modified myself into a camper van (check the link below if anyone is interested in the van build).
The van is not wired for electricity; although I did install a nice window-style AC unit that I can plug into campground power, either directly (if parked close enough) or by extension cord (the extension cord I use is an industrial-grade 12 gauge, rated at 125v - 15amps - 1875w. The AC is rated at 5,000 btu (small, but sufficient for my van) 115v - 60hz - 4.8 amps.
In the winter I have a Delonghi oil-filled radiator heater that works exceptionally well in the small space, with the added bonus that it slowly radiates heat, but never gets so hot that you can't touch it.
Two years ago I went camping in January (northern California) in the mountains at about the 2500 foot elevation. It was nice during the day, but as it began to get dark it began to get cold. I plugged in the heater (extension cord) and went to sleep. In the morning I looked at my thermometer and it was 70 degrees inside the van. Too warm, really. Anyway, I got out of the van to walk the dogs and put the thermometer on the handy-dandy picnic table to get an idea of the outside temp (I needed my heavy coat to walk the dogs).
When I came back about 20 minutes later I was mildly surprised to see that frost had formed on the thermometer in that short period of time, so I used my fingernail to scrape off the frost so that I could read it. I was a LOT surprised to see that the thermometer was reading a chilly 13 (F) degrees!! This was a nice surprise - I had guesstimated that I would be comfortable in the van down to around 30 degrees. (for those who won't read about my van build, I spent some few hundred hours insulating it with foam panel insulation).
The insulation works really well in the summer too - on a trip in the summer the van dash AC (the only AC I have while driving) kept the entire inside of the van - and it is a BIG van - about 70 degrees, front to back. And this with only having the AC on the low setting. A surprise was in store when I stopped for a pit stop, though. Outside it was a toasty 105!
Anyway, now I come to my question: I would like to get a surge protector for the AC unit (which would do double-duty with the heater, depending upon the time of year). I also, when at a campground, run electronics (computer, etc.) and a small, chest-type Dometic ac/dc fridge, off a twin to the 12 gauge extension cord to the one mentioned above.
I have been perusing surge protectors on Amazon, and have reached the head-scratching stage. What to get? Or to get anything at all? The heater was about $50, the AC unit about $105, the Dometic about $400. The computer, of course, somewhat more than that. If everything went "zip" it would not be a great expense to replace everything. . . but would be a major pain to need to replace these things while on the road. Rather not go there!
So what do you think? Melissa? Anyone else? Surge protector suggestions greatly appreciated.
I really love this forum, and the fact that the ladies here are always so willing to share their expertise.
Thanks ladies
Anne
