Community Forums

Pgustaf249 · 04-23-2014, 08:00 PM

I completely new to RVs, so help me with some terminology. I've seen the term converter and inverter with respect to the electrical system. What's the difference. Why would you want one over the other?

Elf111 · 04-23-2014, 08:42 PM

A converter changes 120 volt shore power or generator power into 12 volt to charge house batteries and run 12 volt systems. A inverter changes 12 volt power into 120 volt power to run 120 volt systems when shore power is not available. Inverter power is limited by the amount of battery storage you have so in most cases it's not possible to run heavy draw appliances like air conditioners and microwaves.
Elmer

JFXG · 04-23-2014, 11:03 PM

Pgustaf...... Welcome! Nothing wrong with a question.

Just to clarify a bit on what Elf111 said.....

A "converter" changes 120 volt AC power-- from the campground plug in or your generator-- into 12 volt DC power primarily to charge your batteries, but also to run other DC stuff on your coach. This other stuff, like some lights, water pump, etc, always runs off your batteries, but when you're plugged in the converter recharges the batteries even as they're being used.

An "inverter", on the other hand, changes 12 volt DC power (from those same batteries) into 120 volt AC power, so you can still run some AC stuff, like your TV, radio, coffee maker, toaster, etc, when you're not plugged in. It sounds complicated and a lot like overkill, but its just what you need to do if you want to be able to run most of your stuff all the time!

"007" · 04-24-2014, 05:20 AM

Welcome to irv2.
If you look at tops of forums you will see stickies, within these stickies you will find much information that you may want to know here for instance is one of them which should help you understand a little about your RV.

If you need further help down in my signature below are four links that follow me all over the forums that I use for answers of peoples questions, that will give some answers for you also, QT's 1 & 2 & the new number ##3 plus RV SYSTEMS & APPLIANCES & RECALLS. ----- Tech Information

IF YOU LIKE TO DO MOD'S TO YOUR COACH CHECK THIS OUT.

Enjoy the reading you will not be a newbie for long.

homeless · 04-24-2014, 05:24 AM

howdy

wa8yxm · 04-24-2014, 07:08 AM

As someone said CONVERTER converts shore power to battery power
INVERTER does the INVerse.. (Battery to 120vac for stuff that eats it).

I have over 500 amp hours (C/20) of battery in this house, one pair of GC-2's (Deka six volt G-20 as I recall) 230 amp hour, 3 assorted Group 29's at around 100 amp hour each (Slightly rounded) for over 500 amp hours.

If I am on a 30 amp site and turn too much cooking, along with the water heater, CLICK goes the Q@#$*!)@#(*$U Breaker, but I have been known to finish dinner before I noticed the light out.

All the TV's. Microwave, kitchen (Bath, Dining room and patio) Outlets, the power to all the computers. All run on the inverter.

The power to my Wi-Fi Modem (Think of a cable modem, Hooks to cable, and has a LAN port to connect to your house router.. Well this "Modem" (Wireless game adapter) Hooks to Wi-Fi, and has a LAN port that connects to my home router.. JUST like that cable modem).

IT is not connected to the inverter so often the first thing I notice is loss if internet connectivity.

Of course today Im on a 50 amp site, Good 120vac, but alas, no Wi-Fi, so I am "Connected" to my cell phone,, It has a nice new battery too.

tagcat · 07-17-2014, 05:38 AM

Welcome to the site.My wife and i are new (5 months now full time) to R Ving. There is a lot to learn and this forum is really great place,the members are wonderful about helping. What help us the most was reading the owners manual then looking up stuff on the internet about things we did not understand.
What do you have motor home, 5th wheel? Not sure were you live,but there is a Rally in Myrtle Beach next month.That would be a great place to learn a lot.We are in Bath Maine now and working our way down to the Rally. We do a lot of dry camping,so we added 500 watts of solar and 6 new agm batteries so this is when a inverter goes to work.We switched all lights to LED, energy saving T.V.s we have a residential frig that is the biggest draw .Do not use the ac while dry camping (dry camping is with no hook ups) but every thing else seams to work fine as long as the sun is out,if not run the generator to charge batteries.
Good luck.There are no dumb questions,i know i have posted some real good ones,but got good answers