Our Hughes Watchdog Power Center provides our RV with complete protection against electrical issues. We now have the latest updated Watchdog Power Center installed inside our RV. Unlike the above photo, where it is sitting next to the power pedestal, I have installed it inside our RV so that whenever we are using external power, the Watchdog Power Center conditions and ensures the power is safe.
Complete protection
Well, maybe not complete protection from every electrical issue. If we get hit by lightning, our Watchdog Power Center is probably going to die along with every other electrical device in our RV. Anyway, short of getting hit by lightning, our Watchdog Power Center can handle everything else. For the last five years, I have trusted our Power Watchdog EMS (Energy Management System) with EPO (Emergency Power Off) and a replaceable surge protector to protect my RV from power issues at campgrounds.
Surge Protection
Every RV should have a surge protector. Surges are voltage spikes that a surge protector absorbs. A surge protector is a limited-use device that needs to be replaced based on the number of surges it has absorbed. You want a surge protector that doesn’t require replacing the entire device and can be “repaired” instead. All the Hughes products I discuss in this article have replaceable surge modules. In addition to absorbing surges, you need a device that can stop power before it enters your RV. This feature is called Emergency Power Off (EPO).
Not my first Hughes product
I have been a fan of Hughes Electrical Management System products since we started our full-time RV journey, even though our first RV didn’t have any Hughes products. In fact, my RV was almost unprotected against power issues, except for our basic surge protector. When we sold our first RV, the surge protector went with it. So, for our new RV (a 2008 Tiffin Bus, new to us in 2020), I already knew I wanted a surge protector with an automatic power shut-off, and the best one I could find was the Hughes Power Watchdog.
In 2020, I started using the Power Watchdog EMS with EPO and was very pleased with the protection it offered my RV. An additional benefit was that I could monitor my power input via the built-in Bluetooth app on my phone. In 2022, I upgraded my RV electrical system with a Hughes Autoformer. I wrote an article explaining how I used both the Autoformer and Power Watchdog to condition the external power and protect my RV from electrical malfunctions.
It started with my air conditioner’s failure.
Before I got my Power Watchdog EMS, my air conditioner failed. Knowing why it failed in 2020 inspired me to study RV electrical power issues, and I started fixing the problem right after the air conditioner failure. It is similar to shutting the barn door after the horse has already gotten out. If my RV had a Power Watchdog installed before I purchased it, the air conditioner might not have failed. This was the first time I had heard that low-voltage operation can create unnecessary heat in an air conditioner’s compressor.
My Power Watchdog EMS had shut down power numerous times between 2020 and 2022 when I installed a Hughes Autoformer. In 2022, Family RVing magazine published my article in their print magazine. Here is a link to my (long) article about controlling my RV’s voltage using my Hughes Autoformer and Hughes Power Watchdog. Correct Campground Voltage
To get the whole story, I will link to my Correct Campground Voltage article multiple times. Don’t forget to jump back to get the entire Watchdog Power Center story.
What is an Autoformer?
A Hughes Autoformer uses transformers to boost the voltage before it enters your RV. Here is a link to how the Autoformer (and the Watchdog Power Center) boosts campground voltage. Boosting low campground voltage
What is the ideal campground voltage?
The voltage delivered to your house (or RV) is ideally 120 volts. The acceptable voltage range is 110 to 130 volts. Power companies target a 120-volt supply, but due to inconsistent usage, they consider a range of 110 to 120 volts acceptable. Voltages below 110 create increased current demand, resulting in higher resistance and undesired heat, and may lead to an electrical fire. Here is a link about how that works. Current and resistance
What is a Power Watchdog EMS with EPO?
A Hughes Power Watchdog is an electrical management system that monitors the electrical system and, when an issue is detected, triggers the EPO (emergency power off) function, disconnecting external power to protect the RV from damage caused by an incorrect power supply. In the previous article, I described how our Air Conditioner failed and why that damage could have been prevented by using a Hughes Power Watchdog with EPO. Here is a link. Our air conditioner failed.
What faults trigger the Power Watchdog EPO?
The Power Watchdog EPO (emergency power off) units will automatically shut down power if dangerous conditions are detected, such as high or low voltage, open ground, or open neutral. The unit automatically shuts down power if the voltage drops below 104 volts or exceeds 132 volts. Once power conditions are good and stable for 90 seconds, the unit will automatically turn back on.
Extra features of the Power Watchdog EMS/EPO
Bluetooth connection displays voltages and status on my phone. Built-in resettable consumption meter. Replaceable surge module.
What is a Watchdog Power Center?
My new Watchdog Power Center combines my previous Hughes Autoformer and Hughes Power Watchdog EMS with EPO into a single, smaller package with enhanced features.
How does my Watchdog Power Center work?
The first thing the Watchdog Power Center does is monitor incoming power for faults like open ground or open neutral. If the electricity is acceptable and within normal range, it will then increase the voltage by 2% and send it to my RV transfer switch. If the electricity is outside the normal range, the Emergency Power Off feature will trigger until the electricity returns to the acceptable range.
If the electricity is acceptable, except for a slightly low voltage, the Watchdog Power Center will automatically increase the voltage by 10%. I have a complete discussion of this feature in my previous article at this link. How does it correct for low voltage?
If the voltage can’t be boosted to above 104 volts, the EPO function will disconnect the power from the RV.
High voltage is rare.
Even though high voltage is a problem, it is rare. In the last 5 years, using our Power Watchdog, we have found only two campgrounds with high voltage. We have probably seen 50 campgrounds with low voltage. Usually, a campground with high voltage is the same campground that occasionally has low voltage. High voltage means the power company has cranked it up above 130 volts to meet the power needs of each campsite when the campground is full, with many RVs drawing a lot of amperage at once.
High voltage (and the other problems I have discussed) is why you need a device with an Emergency Power Off function. A simple surge protector isn’t enough protection.
Extra features of the Watchdog Power Center
Unlike my previous Power Watchdog EMS/EPO, the Watchdog Power Center has a screen on the unit that displays status, including voltages and faults.
In addition to Bluetooth monitoring, the Watchdog Power Center supports WiFi, allowing you to monitor the internet connection via your RV’s WiFi. The Watchdog Power Center still has a built-in resettable consumption meter and replaceable surge module. Another new feature is the ability to turn the power off remotely via your Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection. Another additional feature is that the Watchdog Power Center keeps a history file of the times it activated the Emergency Power Off function.
Emergency Power Off is critical.
The most critical function of any electrical management system is the Emergency Power Off function. Don’t buy a surge protector without one. I mention this because surge protectors absorb surges, and at least part of the surge protector is destroyed in the process. If you only have a surge protector without an Emergency Power Off, you will only have the Emergency Power Off to protect your RV if you absorb too many surges.
Please subscribe and join us on our journey.
We will add you to our email list and send you updates about new articles. Here is a link. Subscribe
About our links
As you are aware, our blog’s income is zero, which enables us to remain independent and tell the truth. We do not get income or commissions. No, we don’t make paid endorsements. We don’t make recommendations; instead, we will tell you what we like (or dislike). The links are only provided as a quick reference to help our readers.
Links
Watchdog Power Center 50 amp with Wifi and Bluetooth
Watchdog Power Center 30 amp with WiFi and Bluetooth
Power Watchdog EMS w/ EPO 50 amp
Power Watchdog EMS w/ EPO 30 amp
About comments
We love seeing your comments, but please note that they are not automatically posted. I get about 20 spam comments every day, so I have to turn off automatic comments. I read and then personally publish every comment to protect the blog, keep it on topic, and maintain its authenticity. You will not see your comment right after you hit submit. Sorry for the delay in publishing your comments. Some comments come from personal emails and Facebook. Please know that we would love to hear from you.
Great article.
Great system, particularly for any full timer! I have a Surge Guard model 34850, which provides similar protection without as many recording and Bluetooth connections. Nice article!