Battery/Local Power

[Flatlander in Vermont]

Trying to learn how the Battery and local Power works and Battery Charges Etc, tried to find the owners manual online, it wouldn't download couldn't find it in the manual, have owned several campers and they all worked different, this is my first 5th wheel a 2011 Montana High Country 343RL, we bought it last fall and just got it set up and even using power to put the slides out was confusing any help would be appreciated Thank you

[1retired06]

Recommend you cite some specific problems or issues you are having and would like addressed.

[dieselguy]

Sitting not hooked to shore power, you have 12 VDC available ... some lights, fridge, slides, landing gear, vent fan, furnace, TV amplifier, water pump. Plugged in to shore power you have 12 VDC and 120 VAC ... all lights, A/C, microwave, electric hot water heater, TV, power to converter to charge batteries plus all functions mentioned without shore power. It's not a wise thing to use the slides without a working battery installed ... the pump pulls way too many amps for your converter alone to accommodate.

[Flatlander in Vermont]

Thank You Diesel Guy, exactly what I wanted to know

[Eddy]

There are two separate but connected electrical systems – 12 volt and 120 volt. The 12 volt system is powered by a battery like the one in your car. The 120 volt system is like the power in your house and is powered by “shore power” – in other words the RV must be plugged in outside. Dieselguy mentioned some examples of what is powered by 12 volt and what is powered by 120 volt.

Both of these systems come together in the central power distribution center. Here you will have 120 volt circuit breakers like in your house and 12 volt fuses like in your vehicle. If you want to know exactly what is powered by 12 volt and what is powered by 120 volt take a look at the labels in your power distribution center.

The two systems can be interconnected two ways – a “converter” supplies power from 120 volt to 12 volt and an “inverter” which supplies power from 12 volt to 120 volt. Most everybody has a converter which is basically a battery charger - when you are connected to 120 volt shore power, the converter will keep your 12 volt battery charged. Some people have an inverter which allows you to run 120 volt equipment off of your 12 volt battery like a TV or coffee maker but this can be a heavy workload for a battery.

There are all kinds of combinations and permutations (generators, inverter/chargers, solar power, etc.) but I hope this helps.