masthead image
 
Best RV Tips Book Ad
 

RV Electrical System Basics for Motorhomes, Fifth Wheels & Travel Trailers

The electrical system in motorhome, fifth wheel and travel trailer recreational vehicles is really two electrical systems: 120 volt alternating current and 12 volt direct current.

The 120 volt system is generally used to run the microwave oven, TV and RV air conditioner. Some lighting may also be 120 volts. To use the 120 volt appliances in your RV you'll need an external power source (campground or home outlet) a RV generator or inverter.

The power for the 12v system is supplied by an onboard RV battery or batteries. The RV's 12v system provides power for most of the lights, the water pump, furnace, radios, vent fans, power jacks and stabilizers, and sometimes the refrigerator. The 12v system is a big part of what makes your RV 'self-contained'.

Your RV will most likely have a combination converter/ battery charger.

When hooked-up to outside 120 volt power a converter changes or converts 120 volts AC to 12 volts DC to operate the 12 volt system. It also charges the 12v RV battery or batteries which operate the 12 volt system when not on external power.

Generally you should not operate the converter without batteries connected because the RV batteries act as a filter of sorts and provides a more stable voltage to the electronic circuits of modern RV appliances.

 

Get tips on the RV lifestyle, RV equipment, campgrounds, sights and attractions, safety and just about anything else useful RVers.

RVTipOfTheDay.com

Stay Up to Date - Follow Us
on Facebook

We let our Facebook followers know when we post a new article or news story to our websites.


Fans of RVbasics.com on Facebook

Join Our FREE RVBasics Email Discussion Group

Get current information about the RVing lifestyle, and the RV industry from your fellow RVers. You can also post your own questions. We never share your email address with anyone.

Get more information and Join

Follow Links Below to Featured Pages
and Our Other Sites

RVing Videos
from YouTube

load('http://rvingvideos.com/feed/'); $feed = array(); foreach ($rss->getElementsByTagName('item') as $node) { $item = array ( 'title' => $node->getElementsByTagName('title')->item(0)->nodeValue, 'desc' => $node->getElementsByTagName('description')->item(0)->nodeValue, 'link' => $node->getElementsByTagName('link')->item(0)->nodeValue, 'date' => $node->getElementsByTagName('pubDate')->item(0)->nodeValue, ); array_push($feed, $item); } $limit = 1; for($x=0;$x<$limit;$x++) { $title = str_replace(' & ', ' & ', $feed[$x]['title']); $link = $feed[$x]['link']; $description = $feed[$x]['desc']; $date = date('l F d, Y', strtotime($feed[$x]['date'])); echo '

'.$title.'
'; echo 'Posted on '.$date.'

'; echo '

'.$description.'

'; } ?>

RV Tip of the Day

load('http://rvtipoftheday.com/feed/'); $feed = array(); foreach ($rss->getElementsByTagName('item') as $node) { $item = array ( 'title' => $node->getElementsByTagName('title')->item(0)->nodeValue, 'desc' => $node->getElementsByTagName('description')->item(0)->nodeValue, 'link' => $node->getElementsByTagName('link')->item(0)->nodeValue, 'date' => $node->getElementsByTagName('pubDate')->item(0)->nodeValue, ); array_push($feed, $item); } $limit = 1; for($x=0;$x<$limit;$x++) { $title = str_replace(' & ', ' & ', $feed[$x]['title']); $link = $feed[$x]['link']; $description = $feed[$x]['desc']; $date = date('l F d, Y', strtotime($feed[$x]['date'])); echo '

'.$title.'
'; echo 'Posted on '.$date.'

'; echo '

'.$description.'

'; } ?>

Search or Site
This Site is Produced by Steven Fletcher & Fran Crawford - Contact Us - All RIghts Reserved - Copyright 1999 - 2013
>>