RV Electrical for Beginners

Some simple info can make RV Electrical for beginners easy to handle. An RV is a home on wheels. And being such, it has all of the amenities and features that make it feel like a house. Your RV most likely has one or more of these common appliances: a fridge, a microwave, an oven, lights, and running water. One thing these all have in common, aside from being necessary elements of modern life, are that they all run on electricity. Any RV has a full set up of electrical wiring strung throughout the vehicle that powers all of these appliances and keeps them running as they should. A failure in your electrical system can lead to a dark night or a cold dinner, so it’s good to at least know the basics of the electrical system in your RV. A few easy tips can keep the lights on if a problem occurs and you’ll be happy to gain the knowledge below, just in case.

Safety First, Second, and Third

Electricity is downright dangerous, and any work done in or around your RVs electrical systems should be undertaken with extreme caution. A strong electrical shock can be deadly, and it is nothing to take lightly. Always be careful when working with electricity in any situation, including on your RV. If you are not comfortable working with electricity or do not know the basics of electrical safety, take your RV to someone who is, your life could depend on it.

A Basic Electrical Equation

A good place to start with any electrical system is to know a little equation that can help you understand how much power you have to run any electrical devices you may want to operate. At home, this is rarely a concern as your house will most likely be attached to a larger power grid that supplies a seemingly endless amount of electricity to the house. In an RV, you do not have the luxury of this unlimited power and need to take how much you use into consideration in order to not go past your available supply and trip a breaker.

A basic electrical equation for all of you RV owners out there who are not electrical engineers is this:

Watts = Amps X Volts

What? How does that help me, you ask? Well, if you know the total available wattage in your RV (which is information available in your RV manual or listed near the main circuit to the vehicles power grid) you can figure out how many electrical appliances you are able to run at one time while staying under the available wattage. Each electrical device you have will have the amps listed somewhere on it, add these all up to get the total wattage expended and you have a rough outline of how much electricity you can use in your RV.

Related Read: Make Sure the Park Electricity is Safe

Amps

All of us RVers have seen the signs and electrical plugins at RV resorts and campgrounds everywhere that typically offer 30 amp of 50 amp hookups. But what are these hookups and what are the difference between the two? In a very basic sense, 30 amp hookups have a 3 prong outlet and 50 amp hookups have a 4 prong outlet. Obviously with more amps, you have more power and can run more electricity. Sometimes campgrounds will only offer 30 amps, in which case it is good to have a 50 to 30 amp adapter cord to accommodate this drop in voltage.

Your RVs Different Electrical Systems.

Any RV equipped with electrical capabilities (and all gasoline engines have an electrical system) have two different electrical systems. The 12-volt electrical system is what comes off of the battery that operates your engine and other common appliances in the rig. Larger RVs will typically have multiple batteries and will power devices that might need to be in operation while the RV is in motion. The 120-volt system is the other electrical system on an RV and will only be active when the system is plugged into a hookup at the campground or a generator. This larger electrical system will power larger devices within your RV such as the larger kitchen appliances, TV, larger air conditioning units, etc.

The 12-volt system that the batteries maintain are powered by the alternator in the engine and commonly by solar panels on board the vehicle. When in motion or when the sun is shining, these batteries stay charged and are capable of keeping things powered for long periods of time. When the vehicle is shut off or it is dark or cloudy, these batteries will continue to operate but will eventually begin to drain and some point will run out of enough power to operate electrical devices. Most RVs have some sort of status equipment that will let you know how much of a charge is left in the batteries and it is important to note this and keep an eye on your electrical use. When your 120-volt system is plugged in to a hookup you will have constant power up to however many amps are available on the vehicle. If you are running the 120-volt system off of the generator, you will have power as long as there is gas in the tank.

Alternative Electrical Options

The electrical systems described above are the most commonly found systems and account for a vast majority of RVs out there. New alternative power sources are becoming popular and offer a good option for anyone who likes to boondock or RV in locations where power and electricity are not always available. Solar power is the most common variety of alternative power for RVs. In fact, most RVs incorporate some level of solar power into their electrical systems. It is possible to run your RV exclusively off of solar power and it can be rewarding and exciting to do so. Just note that you will typically have less power available overall and will need to keep a close eye on the charge of your batteries to limit power outages and the steady operation of your appliances.