Bruce Bernhart Websites

Bruce Bernhart WebsitesBruce Bernhart WebsitesBruce Bernhart Websites
  • Bernhart Home
  • Onboard Power
  • Seattle
  • Colorado
    • Bernhart Home
    • Onboard Power
    • Seattle
    • Colorado

Bruce Bernhart Websites

Bruce Bernhart WebsitesBruce Bernhart WebsitesBruce Bernhart Websites
  • Bernhart Home
  • Onboard Power
  • Seattle
  • Colorado

Bruce Bernhart's Campig bear

Bruce Bernhart RV Care and Maintenance

Updated!

Original articles plus the "best of the web" on beginning and advanced RV care and maintenance by RV writer and enthusiast Bruce Bernhart

New! RV Destination Reviews

Seattle
Colorado
Door County and Dells


Updated January 4, 2021

Bruce bernhart tips: Selecting the Right Power Inverter for Your Rig

RV Electrical Basics

Mark Polk at rvservices.koa.com offers this useful, easy-to-understand summary of the workings of the RV electrical system:

One of the most common questions and concerns I receive is about the RV electrical system. Most people ask if I can explain the RV electrical system in simple to understand terms. The electrical system in your RV can seem complex and confusing until you have a basic understanding of how it works. Your RV actually has three separate electrical systems. It has a 12-volt DC automotive system, a 12-volt DC coach system, and a 120 volt AC coach system. We are primarily concerned with the 12-volt DC and 120 volt AC coach systems.


The majority of campgrounds you go to will provide you with an external 120 volt electric source to plug into. Your RV has a heavy-duty power cord that is normally about 25 feet long. Depending on the type of RV you have, or purchase, it will either be a 30 Amp or 50 Amp system. When you plug into the proper campground electrical source it will supply power throughout your RV. You must have a 120 Volt AC power source if you are going to use the microwave, roof air conditioner, the refrigerator in the electric mode and the 120 Volt electrical outlets.  For the most part everything else in the camper works off of 12-volt DC power. When you are plugged in at the campground a portion of the 120 volt AC current is converted to 12-volt DC current for the items in the RV that work off of 12 volts. Some of these items are the overhead lights, the furnace fan, and the fan over the range, the vent fan in the bathroom, the water pump, LP gas leak detector, stereo, and the refrigerator when it’s in the LP gas mode. If you look at the RV’s power distribution panel you will see circuit breakers like you have in your house for the 120-volt AC side, and automotive style blade fuses for the 12-volt DC side.


If you are not plugged into an external power source you can still use the 12-volt DC system if you have a 12-volt deep cycle marine battery on your unit. As long as the battery or batteries are charged you can use everything in the RV except the microwave, roof air conditioner, the refrigerator in the electric mode and the electrical outlets. If you have a motorhome, or you’re going to purchase a motorhome, it will have a battery for the automotive system and an auxiliary battery for the coach system. The coach battery is charged whenever the motorhome is running; the generator is running, or when it’s plugged into an external electrical source.

Thank you for visiting the Bruce Bernhart RV Websites!

Check out the other Bruce Bernhart RV Websites and Blogs:


Solar power for your RV

The care and feeding of your RV battery

The sport of "geocaching" and RV refrigeration basics

The basics of RV power inversion

RV travel tips and tire care
Advanced discussion on power inversion

Tips on buying a house battery and cold weather maintenance

RV insurance basics

Buying the right generator for your RV and portable power

RV television reception options

Care and maintenance of the RV air conditioner

Top RV destinations

RV long-term supplies and weight considerations

RV insurance- Road protection and bodily injury coverage

RV battery types and winter charging considerations

Deep cycle battery basics

Also, be sure to check out the Bruce Bernhart Mandolin Websites:

Bruce Bernhart mandolin rock tabs

Bruce Bernhart mandolin lessons- common scales

Bruce Bernhart on buying and setting up your new mandolin

Bruce Bernhart mandolin lessons- tuning

Bruce Bernhart mandolin lessons- chord patterns

Bruce Bernhart on mandolin history and basic chord structures

Bruce Bernhart on string and saddle adjustment

Bruce Bernhart more tuning tips and whole/half steps
Bruce Bernhart on more chord patterns

Bruce Bernhart on the mandolin family
Bruce Bernhart on mandolin bluegrass chords and patterns

Bruce Bernhart on temperature considerations
Bruce Bernhart lessson on mandolin flats and sharps
Bruce Bernhart lesson on scales, circle of 5ths and meter

Bruce Bernhart on triads, gears

Bruce Bernhart mandolin chord diagrams

Bruce Bernhart on modern emergence of the mandolin

Bruce Bernhart on simple chords

Bruce Bernhart on whole and half-note steps on the mandolin

Bruce Bernhart mandolin practice excercises
Bruce Bernhart on playing waltzes
Bruce Bernhart on majors, minors and sevenths

Look for other Bruce Bernhart RV care and maintenance topics on Articlesbase and Ezinearticles plus


Copyright © 2020 Bruce Bernhart Websites - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by GoDaddy

  • Bernhart Home
  • Onboard Power
  • Seattle
  • Colorado