Description
Price: $293.29 - $231.65
(as of Feb 27, 2025 18:33:33 UTC – Details)
All new 2019, 30 amp Power Watchdog Smart Surge Protector + EPO (emergency power off) Hardwired Version offers a powerful 2,400 Joules of advanced surge protection for your coach. Our Patent Pending Power Watchdog + EPO is the world’s first smart surge guard and surge protector with built-in Bluetooth connectivity so you can monitor live park power conditions on your smartphone in real time! Get text alerts of dangers before something catastrophic happens. The new EPO (emergency power off) units will automatically SHUT DOWN power if there are dangerous conditions of too high or low voltage, open ground or open neutral as well as more. Unit automatically shuts down power if voltage drops below 104 V or over 132 V. Once power conditions are good and stable for 90 seconds, the unit will turn back on automatically.
Offers 3,000 Joules of advanced surge protection for your coach. It features advanced circuit analysis to automatically shut off power in an emergency
Wirelessly Monitor voltage, amperage, and wattage on your smartphone in real time using our free mobile app! Oldest and most reliable phone app in the business!
Ensures a minimal 4-second power-on analysis to determine if power conditions are safe, while other brands can take up to two minutes.
Protect your applicances with a buil-in 90-second power-on delay after a fault is detected and resolved.
Complete LED Park Power Diagnostics with wireless fault alerts ensure you are aware of any hazardous park power conditions.
Hardwired – once installed, just plug your RV into any camp power pole as you normally would and you’ll automatically be protected. The unit can be installed anywhere in your RV, out of sight and securely attached to your RV to help avoid theft.
Customers say
Customers find the product functional and providing good value for money. They find it easy to install and set up, with no issues connecting via Bluetooth. The real-time monitoring of power consumption is a feature they appreciate. Many customers are satisfied with the build quality. However, some have mixed opinions on bluetooth connectivity, power level, and brightness.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Hooked on LaTeX –
A very effective protection for your RV
I like many things about the Power Watchdog, and the Bluetooth phone app works well (I use Android). The reason for only four installation stars is that there is an issue that Hughes needs to improve. My unit is the PWD50-EPO-H, i.e., the hardwired model. I followed the included wiring diagram, but with some trepidation because the bottom = input, top = output was opposite from the charts and documents on Hughes’ website (which last week when I looked had bottom = output, top = input). I emailed them but by the time I received a reply, I had posted this review.My email asked why such a change was not described in the materials I received or on their website. Adding to the confusion, my hardwired unit’s in/out polarity is opposite to the plugged units. While doing the installation, I noticed that ‘IN’ or ‘OUT’ is embossed in the black plastic of the wiring blocks; it is hard to see unless you shine a bright light on them. I was relieved that the embossed IN and OUT matched the wiring diagram supplied with the unit. Open and adequate documentation of significant changes, such as power polarity, will generally experience fewer customer returns! All good product manuals include a ‘change table’ to check the unit’s serial number. vs. any changes that the installer needs to know about. If I hear from Hughes that they have resolved this product changes/documentation problem, I will consider updating my review. Besides this, the product already saved my RV from a potentially harmful, albeit transient, situation in my shore power connection by shutting off the power and displaying an error code, power returning automatically once the PWD determined the problem had been resolved.Addendum:I heard back from Hughes. The company changed the IN/OUT orientation of the hardwired 50 A Power Watchdog (model PWD50-EPO-H) to IN=bottom and OUT=top due to popular demand! Moreover, wiring the unit ‘backwards’ would not usually damage it, but neither will it work unless wired correctly to shore power. The change to the new OUT=top orientation was beneficial for my setup. If that had not been the case, I would have needed a longer OUT power cable to the breaker panel, although I could have achieved the same by mounting the unit upside-down, albeit making the 7-segment LED error readout more challenging to read. The Hughes representative said the PWD50-EPO-H documents on the Hughes website should have been updated to reflect the IN/OUT change.Victron Compatibility:I asked the Hughes representative about the following cryptic comment on their website: ****[PWD50-EPO] May not be compatible with Victron Multiplus 2 invertersHe explained that if you use the PWD50-EPO between the Victron MultiPlus-II inverter & charger 3000 VA, 2×120 Volts AC, 70 Amp charger (3000/70-50 2x120V Multi-II) and an RV, the way that this inverter starts up is detected by the PWD50-EPO as a fault. The solution is to place the inverter after the PWD50-EPO. While this cannot protect your RV from abnormal inverter operation, such Victron behavior is unlikely because of the inverter’s protection circuits.
Random customer –
Works great to ensure generator inlet box connection is secure
I use a 50 amp Nature’s Generator transfer switch with their provided inlet box, but then the connection from my Ecoflow Ultra to the inlet receptacle was finicky and actually burned transformers on our furnace, microwave, several light bulbs, and caused a kitchen outlet to catch on fire. When we switched to generator power, the symptoms were flickering lights and sounds of outlets popping. It turns out we have to push the connection *completely* in before twisting to lock, otherwise it might cause an open neutral causing 240V to run across our appliances. I didn’t want to take the risk of someone accidentally knocking the cable loose and causing the same issue, so I bought a bunch of plug in low/high voltage detectors for every major appliance and this device as well for two layers of safety.When I called the manufacturer’s number to ask device could be used for residential purposes, both times the sales people said this couldn’t be used for 240V since it was designed for 220V. That sounded off though because surely 220V was a vestigial term since almost all grids (including RV pedestals I presume) in the US use either 120/240v instead of 110/220V like in the past. Also, most screenshots of the app I saw 120V across both legs. Still doubtful of their claim, I called their technical support line and the guy on the line quickly confirmed that it could be used for 240V.Anyways, I got the device, bought some 3/4 inch conduit and 4x 6 gauge wire and then I wired it all up where my existing inlet box was. I used male adapters at the end of the conduit so that it could fit into the plastic covers of the terminals. I removed the rubber bushings (?) to allow it to fit. Note that power goes from the bottom (input) and then out to the top (output). I quickly got an E7 error (missing ground), which my electrician neighbor quickly fixed by using a small wire to bond neutral and ground in the inlet box. This is because my Ecoflow system is a floating neutral system. I also bought an actual neutral/ground bonding plug to plug into my Ecoflow Ultra inverter as well. After that, it worked great! I tried shaking the connection loose and you can hear a pop as the connection got shut off immediately once it detected a fault and the watchdog face turning red.I’m uploading a photo of the setup here because there was literally no images/videos of the Gen2 bluetooth + wifi 50 amp hardwire version anywhere online. I like the Gen2 because it actually has plastic covers of the terminals, which makes it a bit safer and more professional looking. Hopefully this helps others as well!
Jonathan W Plumley –
Great surge protector – Peace of mind for the less than stellar RV sites
After reading all the reviews I decided to go with the hard wired version of the Watchdog. I wanted to be able to pull into a site, plug in, and know I’m protected. It also keeps the process of set-up easier for the family to help with by not adding another step in the process.I didn’t experience any of the issues most were in the hardwired Watchdog(a loud hum). I did alter my install with those reviews in mind. When installing mine I noticed that one of the install brackets had a little amount of movement. Anyone that spends time around transformers, welders, and other electrical equipment know that electrical components hum along with the AC oscillation. It shouldn’t be noticeable on such low current as a 30a or 50a surge protector, but I could see how a loose bracket inside a closed compartment could make it sound worse. I solved the loose bracket issue with wrapping the steel bracket with electrical tape. I experience no hum and mine is completely enclosed within the electrical chord compartment. I hope this helps others that experience this issue.There are 2 possible CONS to the unitFirst possible CON to the unit is when you completely enclose the unit it makes it impossible for you to read the error codes without opening the compartment or using the app. Familiarizing yourself with the app and if possible installing it within a compartment that is easier to access then mine would solve the issue.Second possible CON is the light on the unit is super bright if you mount this unit in the open area of the RV/Trailer it will definitely be a large light source. Not an issue with mine as its completely closed off
Jason Cleave –
Replaced a other brand non-Bluetooth surge protector. I like that it doesnât take 128 seconds to engage.Fairly large, but works well and no humming contactor.
Nathanial Wheeler –
Great upgrade, easy install and gives great piece of mind with both the surge protection and power monitoring via the app. Wish it was wifi as well as Bluetooth.
Mathieu B. –
Happy with my purchase. The unit works as advertised. Customer service has outstanding response time, which I found great. Had no clue low voltage was an issue in campgrounds before installing this unit. Worth the investment to protect the RV.
Tracy Woods –
Very easy to install, a little big but not that much of an issue.
Client d’Amazon –
Parfait