Compared to brick-and-mortar houses, an RV electrical system can be much more complex and diverse. Up front, you should know that that increases the importance of regular checks and maintenance by you the owner. And frankly, that can feel like a lot if you’re not naturally mechanically minded.
The good news is that you don’t have to be an electrician or engineer to do these checks. You just need to master a few basics and be diligent with your maintenance. And to help you do that, we’ll walk through this step by step.
The Basic Elements of an RV Electrical System
RVs will have a 12- or 24-volt DC system. This system powers ceiling vents, water pumps, some lighting, sensors and gauges for water tanks, some small appliances, and your RV starting system. Also, your RV has a 120-volt AC system to provide power for major appliances. (Think of things like refrigerators, televisions, microwaves, air conditioners and coffee machines.) Your electrical system could also be supplemented by solar power through an inverter and batteries and your RV may also be equipped with an onboard generator.
Getting Started: Inspecting Your AC System
The main component of the RV electrical system is the 120-volt AC system. This system, as mentioned, provides power for your larger appliances. Periodically, if possible, you should start your checks with the outlets where your appliances plug-in.
First, checking for previous evidence of arcing and discoloration of the plugs. The AC system also drives the DC system through a converter charger that keeps your 12/24-volt DC direct current system functioning. Therefore, periodic inspection of the converter charger and the wires that go to and exit the component is recommended. Depending upon the total AC requirements of your RV, you will experience between a 30-amp or 50-amp power cord, an external receptacle or your power cord (that could be hardwired), and an internal breaker panel with matching rated breakers appropriate for your system requirements.
Personal maintenance and checking of the AC system involves inspecting and checking certain items. These include the power pedestal or other outlet, your shore power cord, and the point at which the cord makes its connection to your RV for previous evidence of arcing. This point of inspection for your power cord and adapters is important prior to going to a new site. That’s because you want to ensure that you have the proper cable or adapter. (A quick phone call to the facility where you’ll be staying is recommended.)
Also, periodically, you should inspect your breaker panel and breakers for any damage to the breakers. Damage can be indicated by previous evidence of arcing here, along with the wires that connect to them. Look also at your transfer switch that switches between your sources of power: shore power, generator, or batteries through an inverter. Other items to consider when conducting your electrical system inspection are your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and your GFCI outlets.
Backup Checkup: Checking the On-Board Generator
Besides shore power, another way to power your RV’s AC electrical system is through an on-board generator. RVs with this capability are able to provide their own power. On-board generators can generate AC power. They come in a variety of models. They can run on anything from gasoline to diesel to propane depending upon the manufacturer.
Personal maintenance on this subcomponent of your RV electrical system first includes the batteries. During this inspection, you are looking for corrosion around the battery terminals, loose connections for evidence of arcing and any loss of battery cable insulation.
The next item you should check is your air filter to check for any debris and to make sure it has not met its life expectancy. You also want to go ahead and check the levels of each battery, the condition of the oil. Also check the coolant level, the hoses, lines, and radiator, if it has one. Regarding its electrical output, you will want to visually inspect the cord which provides the current from the generator and is attached to the power transfer switch. As mentioned, this switch will automatically select between power sources such as the generator, shore power, or DC to AC inverter.
DC Power: Assessing Fuses, Corrosion, and More
As we had already discussed, your RV will obtain power by either plugging into an external source such as a house receptacle or a campsite power pedestal, or from a generator. From one these sources, DC voltage is created via a converter charger hooked into the battery bank. The charger converter could have its own set of fuses usually mounted on the outside of the unit. From there, voltage will flow into a centralized fuse box where voltage is distributed throughout the RV to all the DC run items.
When experiencing any fault at a part of your DC system, always check the fuses first. As a note, many modern RVs have a power control center which houses both DC fuses and AC breakers. Where DC direct current is concerned and depending on the size and class of your RV), you could have either a 12-volt DC or a 24-volt DC system. (The latter can be more efficient than a 12-volt DC system.)
During an inspection, you are looking for corrosion around the battery terminals, previous evidence of arcing, loose connections, and any loss of battery cable insulation. (As well as the fuses in the fuse block.) In either system, your DC systems will draw power from a bank of 12-volt and or 6-volt, deep-cell batteries that provide a sustained discharge. As mentioned, they will either be charged by a solar power system or a DC charger converter or your vehicles alternator in some applications.
Just like many other things, no one thinks about the RV electrical system until it breaks down at the most inconvenient time. A good rule of thumb where checking your DC system is concerned is to go ahead and plan it for the same time your oil change.
Next: Evaluating the Solar Power System
If you have an solar RV electrical system, you have the ability to generate electricity to be stored in a bank of batteries. The basic system has the following components: panels, controllers, batteries, inverters, battery isolators, busbars, shunts, and fuses. When checking this part of your RV electrical system, you want to conduct a visual inspection of the panels themselves, the wiring harness, and connections to the charge controller before and after each trip.
The charge controller regulates the flow of electricity preventing overcharging and ensuring an efficient energy transfer. Next on the list to inspect is the inverter. (That is, if you have not already inspected it in a previous part of your inspection. It will be probably installed near the charger.) The reason we want to check this part of our system more often is because these systems are very expensive and are always exposed to the elements.
Additional Solar Items to Inspect
The remaining parts of this system to be inspected are battery isolators, busbars, shunts, and fuses. You should inspect each connection at each isolator on a regular basis. An evergreen example is during the time you change your oil. The battery isolators separate batteries in multi battery applications. This allows each battery to charge alone. What this does for the system is that it protects each battery from discharging into another battery in the bank. You should inspect each connection at each isolator on a regular basis. (Wanna guess my recommendation when that should be? When you change your oil. No surprise there.)
Another part of your solar system are busbars. These are metal strips that allow multiple wires of the same charge to be connected to a central point. The shunt allows you to measure the amount of electrical current in your circuits. This is installed after your bank of batteries before your charge controller, which monitors your batteries charge and capacity.
Next in your system, you have fuses. These are tiny but necessary circuitry insurance made up of small pieces of wire that are designed to break the circuit when reaching a level beyond its capacity — circuit rating. Even though these are typically the smallest as part of your system, you should check your fuses first. It could be the simplest cause of an electrical breakdown.
Regularizing Your RV Electrical System Checks
Whatever type of RV that you have, you should develop a maintenance checklist. This is always good to break out you before and after your trips. (Also, you know, when you get your oil checked.) The reality is that electrical issues can be very frustrating. However, with a little bit of preventive maintenance and checks, you can avoid many issues. And issue avoidance is key to enjoy your time in your RV.
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