Electrical adapters and surge protection

by Greg Zimmerman
Published: Updated:

I was a Cub Scout as a kid and now Scout Leader. I always like to be prepared, and having a pair of electrical adapters is a great idea. The 15 amp to 30 amp adapter lets me plug in the Casita into a standard household outlet. This is important for charging the Casita battery and getting the fridge cold before a trip. Because a 15 amp circuit isn’t as robust as a 30, don’t try to run all your electrical at the same time.

The 50 amp adapter gives me the option to plug the Casita if I end up on a RV spot that only has 50amp service. Or maybe the 30 amp outlet doesn’t work but the 50 amp does.

Surge Protection

A critical component to protect our Casita from power surges or incorrectly wired power outlets at a campground is a surge protector. I like the compact Camco (and similar versions) over the larger models that hang down, because it’s not visible with the power panel door covering it, so it’s less likely to get stolen. LED’s show if the circuit has the correct polarity and is safely grounded before hooking up the Casita to power. The only downside to these affordable surge protectors is they are a one shot deal. If it takes a surge, it burns out.  The resettable protectors cost hundreds of dollars, so I can buy a few of these and still break even.

I keep both adaptors and the surge protector in the space where the power cable stores.  It’s easy to reach in and I can grab them whenever needed.  They’re cheap and could save a trip!

Surge protector “hidden” at the power post.

Another great item to have is a battery monitor for camping without electrical hookups.  It’s a “fuel gauge” for the battery. We leave ours plugged in most of the time. Using a battery voltage chart you can see your battery level. Hint: 12.0 volts is about 50% capacity which is “low”. Going below 12.0 volts will permanently damage your battery.

6 comments

Christina Altman August 15, 2018 - 5:17 pm

Thank you for sharing! I just added the surge protector and 30A/50A adapter to my shopping list.
Tina

Reply
Greg Zimmerman August 15, 2018 - 8:09 pm

Awesome! Glad we could help. When you use the surge protector- first plug it in by itself and flip on the breaker. If the LED’s show the correct wiring, turn off breaker, plug in Casita, and turn breaker back on. That way you won’t harm the Casita if the wiring is wrong.

Greg

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Dan Babineau August 27, 2018 - 9:49 pm

Man your putting up great stuff thanks dan

Reply
Heather March 2, 2021 - 8:17 am

Just discovered your site. Thanks for the helpful info! Could you link to the surge protector you like?

Reply
Greg Zimmerman March 7, 2021 - 4:31 am

I like the Camco, and if you click the little photo, it takes you to the amazon link. It’s been unavailable for a while though due to the shortage in RV parts.

Reply
Macy Jeffery September 6, 2021 - 9:21 pm

Thanks for the great intro for surge protection and providing links to the products! SUPER HELPFUL!

Reply

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