How Does Your RV Electrical System Work?

Understanding the electrical system in an RV is important. If you try to run too many items on a circuit it can ruin your day and your camping adventure! We will share some tips and ways to help you have a safe and exciting RV adventure!

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RV Power

Let’s begin by trying to understand the difference between RV power and the traditional power inside a sticks and bricks! Houses are run using only AC power which comes from the power lines. AC means alternating current or 2 way current. While RVs run on both AC power and DC power. DC power means direct current or one-way current and it comes from the batteries. Now that is just the basics!

Inside your RV, different components are designed to run off either 120 volt- AC or 12 volt- DC. When you plug your RV into a power pedestal, you will see what components are dependent on AC power. If you just think about all of the items that you would normally plug into an outlet, then that will help you visualize what needs AC power. The things that run off of DC power are your lights, water pump, and RV refrigerators. While hooked up to AC power, your batteries will continue to charge to support your DC-dependent items.

Off Grid Camping Power

So you are out camping somewhere without an external power source! What power source are you using now? The term dry camping is often used to describe camping without the luxury of power and water. While nothing changes for your DC-powered components, how are you going to support your AC-dependent components? Your AC components are left with no power because your batteries only produce DC power. This is when your RV uses an inverter. An inverter turns DC power back to AC power and a converter changes AC power to DC power. The converter charges your batteries while plugged into power. If you are camping only using batteries as your power source, remember that they need a source to charge them. Be aware of how much power is left on your batteries. Your AEG batteries cannot go below 51% without causing damage to the batteries.

Other Power Sources

One source of power often used by RVers is a generator. Generators are like being hooked up to a power pedestal. If the generator is large enough it will run most of your components inside the RV. Generators are often loud and require gas or propane to keep them running.

Another source of power is to use solar panels to charge the batteries. If you have a nice sunny day you can use many of your components, but the solar panels have to keep up with how much power you are using.

30 amp vs 50 amp

Knowing what service your RV uses and which one you are plugged into will help you prevent tripping a breaker or even blowing a fuse! RVs are built either to 30 amps or 50 amps. A standard house has 200 amp service just to help you see the difference. 30 amps gives you up to 3,600 watts and 50 amps gives you up to 12,000 watts.

How many amps do you need to run your favorite appliances? An air conditioner can pull on average 15 amps. Remember everything you plug in is drawing amps. If the item has any heating elements then it will consume more power and you will need to shut off something in order to use them safely.

Looking at the chart above you can see that getting to the 30 amp service and the 3,600 watts can happen very quickly and cause you to overload a circuit. If you are plugged into 30 amp service, then you are only getting up to 3,600 watts even if your RV is built for 50 amp. So, yes, you have to do a little math when you are camping!

Protecting Your RV

There are a few ways to protect your RV as you travel! Investing in a surge protector is a great way to make sure the power you are plugging into at a pedestal is safe. You cannot assume that the wiring is done correctly at every campground. The surge protector will detect voltage surges and changes to ensure that your RV is safe from them. Before you plug in your surge protector, make sure that the power breaker is set to off at the pedestal. Also, before you unplug your RV make sure you turn the breaker off.

Another way to protect the electrical systems in your RV is to inspect all of your outlets and plugs for damage. Check your power cord/dog bones for any damage. Look at the prongs to make sure there is no corrosion or damage. Check the condition of the pedestal before plugging it in to make sure that it does not have damage.

Make sure that you are not overloading your RV electrical systems. Pay attention to what you are running. Using items that have high wattage together can cause wires to overheat and start a fire.

Respect electricity and know your numbers!

Watch to learn more about the importance of a surge protector!