Victron is a forward-thinking energy company based in The Netherlands. We used Victron components throughout the Design / Build of our "Non-RV". Their devices have communication interfaces with excellent integration, specializing in Off-Grid and Solar. Components have typically robust construction and Smart Design.

We used Blue Sea products throughout our "Non-RV" build project. Great company from Bellingham, WA. Top quality, well designed and crafted components, superb customer support. Primarily Designed for the Marine Industry. Suitable for harsh environments and long-term and consistent use.

We used 3 x 200Ah of the DLB-GC12-12V Lithium Marine Blue from Discover Batteries of Vancouver, BC. These have a smart design with smart component type removable BMS, which has a metal heat sump surface at the top, Gore vents, terminal fuses and covers, carry handles and tabs at the bottom to screw the batteries down, etc... Not the cheapest, but if you look closely, you get what you pay for. They also have clear and concise specification and system setup information in their on-line literature. Discover batteries also have an excellent warranty program.

Power Watchdog 30 Amp Surge protector with EPO
(Emergency Power Off)
Product No. PWD30-EPO

Upon initial inspection, this unit looks and feels very robust and user-friendly. That is to say that the interface is quite simple and easy to read and monitor via Bluetooth via iPhone or Mobile Device. In our trailer / Non-RV with all the Solar equipment, etc., we are used to a complex array of information to absorb on a daily basis. I can imagine for many RV (or even boat) owners, it would be literally a breath of fresh air to have a Power Surge protector that does its job without being too complex on the outside. Kind of like a nice simple but ultra functional dashboard of a modern and well thought out EV vehicle.
The Power Watchdog, with its strong and well lit branding icon, seems to do just that. It remains quiet and peaceful, until there is trouble, and then it quickly bounds to alarm its owner that there is trouble.
In our case we plugged into some shore power that was untested, and within a few minutes the unit gave an "E7"  notification on my smart phone. This indicated that there was a missing, intermittent or weak ground present in the AC source on this particular outlet, and that it could be dangerous and should be checked and repaired. The "Power-Off" function wouldn't let any charging happen until things were good. We immediately switched to another AC outlet and the Dog logo lit up white to indicate all good. He laid down and remained peaceful from then on.
In many cases, you could be plugged in to a non-familiar or possibly even a familiar AC Shore power outlet, and have a condition such as this and not be aware of it. You and your loved ones could potentially be subject to dangerous and potentially life-threatening stray electrical current, not to mention your electrical system.
The PWD30-EPO does seem very simple on the outside, but don't let that fool you. There is plenty of tech on the inside in order to generate the various error codes (E1 to E9).

We will be testing this unit on an ongoing basis to see how it performs over time. Meanwhile, stay tuned for a report on what our electrical technician finds upon closer inspection of the offending shore power outlet...

We did discover, (after the Watchdog found it) that the particular AC outlet that our rig was plugged into, had a missing or intermittent ground. We would have never suspected this condition, as our Victron system showed consistent AC current coming in. The only issue that I can see, is that if you need power, even if there is a condition such as an intermittent ground, you have no way of shutting the EPO function off on the Power Watchdog unit. My sense is that this is by design for ultimate safety. So the only way around that would be to unplug the Surge protector unit completely.  So far, and given this instance, we would highly recommend the Power Watchdog to use on a regular basis for safety and peace of mind.

Installation .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   4.9
Ease of Use .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   4.7
Hardware Quality  .   .   .   .   .   .   4.9
Cost Competitiveness   .   .   .   .  4.2
Performance   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .  4.7
Customer Support.    .   .   .   .   .  4.9


https://hughesautoformers.com/