ELECTRICITY AND YOUR RV
As RV’s become more complicated and has more electrical dependence it becomes apparent that an elementary knowledge of electricity can help an RVer enjoy the rig to the utmost. In this short article I am going to try to address some of the most common electrical problems I currently see in my shop. I also hope to give you some idea of how to prevent and /or detect them.
1.
Check the water level regularly and use only distilled water to fill it
up. Many
RVs when left plugged into 110V will overcharge the battery and boil it dry.
If you need to leave your unit plugged in, be aware you should keep an
even closer eye on your battery water.
2. While some converters will work fine when the battery is unhooked, for others it can cause problems. The factors involved in correct battery charging are too numerous to detail in this short article. I might also mention that maintenance free batteries are not recommended due to the inability to put distilled water in.
3. Make certain you keep the battery post clean. Keep the top of the battery clean. A battery can discharge itself across the top of dirty batteries.
Purchase and use a 12V voltmeter in your rig. Many of the control systems run off 12V. 12V can control your refrigerator and air-conditioner to name a couple. When the 12V gets low it cannot properly control other systems. You might think the system has failed while the real problem is low 12V. A voltmeter will help you detect this. 14.2V is generally about the maximum voltage while 11V is the minimum. Be certain your DC voltmeter is accurate.
If you have gel cell batteries you should be aware they charge at a different rate than regular wet cell batteries. Make certain your charger/converter has a gel cell setting and use it. I won’t go into great detail here but I would recommend gel cell users to do a little research. Also, be aware your alternator of your engine can over charge you gel cell batteries.
If
you are ever in a shop and they are going to weld on your rig, be certain they
unhook all the batteries if it is electric or arc welding.
This can be a major safety concern.
Remember: While battery gases can be explosive this is not the only reason to unhook before welding the batteries.
115V:
The major problem encountered with the 115V circuit in a rig is low
voltage. Often
when you pull into a park
in mid-afternoon the voltage is okay.
As the park fills up and more people start running their
air-conditioners, etc. the voltage can drop.
Most manufacturers of RV components have to fudge and say 105VAC.
I would further recommend that you be certain it is calibrated properly.
Another
115VAC problem I often see is extension cords.
Be certain your extension cord is 10 gauge (wire size runs opposite the
number, 10 gauge is larger than 12 gauge, etc. ) and not in excess of 25 feet
plus your shore line cord.
Here again use an accurate meter if in doubt.
amp
meter 
voltage
meter
Make
certain your shore line cord has the proper end as supplied by the manufacturer.
Those 15/30 adapters are handy sometimes but remember most
air-conditioners use almost 15 amps by themselves.
Be sure to keep your prongs on your shore cord end clean and bright.
I have often seen the positive side of these be so discolored and pitted
that up to 20 volts was lost at the connection.
You can tell which one it is if there is a problem.
It will be orange in color and ugly, not bright and shiny.
In a 50A connection you have two of these and they are parallel to each
other and across.
30/15 Adapter
Thank
you for reading this.
I have not even attempted to go into depth but just a brief overview.
I do believe if you will pay attention to these items I have mentioned
you will do away with many of the most common electrical problems in an RV
Happy
Rving!