RV Electrical – OSI Mobile Technologies

The electrical system is a key part to the comfort and livability of a modern RV. Modern motorhomes have all the features and conveniences of a traditional house including air conditioning, microwave, refrigerator, lighting, televisions, sound systems and sometimes even a washer/dryer. All these appliances and more are powered by electricity. The proper configuration of the electrical system not only guarantees that all electrical appliances work together properly but also ensures safety against fire or shocks to the occupants.

Recreational vehicles have 2 electrical systems: The 12 volt DC system is powered by house batteries when not running from the AC converter and the 120 volts AC system is powered from a pedestal box at the campground or alternatively from a generator or inverter. Technically, there are actually 3 independent electrical systems if you count the vehicle engine system’s 12 volt system as separate from the house 12 volt system. These 12 volt systems are isolated when not charging so the house power demand (typically from lighting) does not deplete the engine starting battery.

When analyzing the multiple electrical systems found in a typical motorohome, it can be seen that there is greater complexity and more circuits per unit area than found in a stationary house. There are also several important differences in how the power connections are made to a RV compared to the power inlet to a house. For details on the various power systems and more, use the pull down menus to navigate to specific topics.