![]() ![]() Both will also charge your RV’s batteries, and power 12V accessories and appliances. Both will convert AC power (shore power) to DC power. What’s the Difference Between an RV Power Converter and RV Battery Charger?Īt their most basic, there’s no functional difference between an RV power converter and an RV battery charger. So, if you’re planning on camping at a park with full hookups, you’d better have a working power converter or your coach batteries will drain and could be damaged in addition to not being able to power your DC components when you need them. From here, power is supplied to all 12V amenities and accessories throughout the RV. When you plug your RV into any 120V AC electrical source (either shore power or a generator), the converter reduces the 120V AC power supply down to 12V… AND converts it from AC to DC power (hence the name of “converter”). ![]() ![]() In addition, even when you’re connected to another power source, your RV power converter is required to power all of the DC components throughout the RV. Your batteries power the lights, vents, fans, and some other accessories whenever you’re off the grid, so it’s important to keep those batteries charged.īut, even if your rig is connected to shore power (or to a generator), you still need a converter for a couple of reasons.Įven if you’re connected to shore power, you need a working power converter to power the 12V (DC) components in your RV, and to allow your batteries to charge!įirst, the converter is still needed to recharge your coach battery(ies). This accomplishes a couple of goals.įirst, it allows your 12V RV batteries to be charged when plugged into shore power. 9) How Do I Know What Size RV Power Converter My RV Needs?Īn RV power converter takes the 120V AC power in your RV and converts it to 12V DC power.8) How Much Does an RV Power Converter Cost?.7) I Have an Older RV – Should I Upgrade My Converter?.6) Do I Need an RV Power Converter Even When Connected to Shore Power?.4) What’s the Difference Between an RV Power Converter and an RV Inverter?.2) What’s the Difference Between an RV Power Converter and RV Battery Charger?.Some units can be upgraded with a smart controller or charge wizard while others may require the replacement of converter charger itself to maintain good battery health. It is important to note that some lower end converter chargers can overcharge your batteries if the RV is plugged into a power source for an extended period of time. During this time the charger is keeping your batteries fully charged. At this point it is passed through a diode rectified circuit a second time converting the AC to 13.6 Volts DC and finally smoothed out a capacitor.Ī converter/charger allows you to use all of your 12 volt DC accessories while plugged into a campgrounds power post without discharging your batteries. This high frequency AC voltage is now fed to a step-down transformer where the voltage is reduced to approximately 13.6 volts AC. ![]() This 120 volt DC voltage is then fed to an Switching Circuit that converts it to back to AC voltage and increases the frequency from the original 60 Hz to 3,500 HZ. A capacitor then filters the ripple voltage smoothing it out. The way the converter/chargers works is by first converting the 120 volts AC from the power source to 120 volts DC after passing through a Diode Rectified circuit. When you are not plugged into a power source your RV battery(s) supply the power to all of the 12 volt components in the RV. While plugged in the charger portion of the converter charges the RV's batteries. This allows the unit to power all of the 12 volt components such as lighting, furnace, water pump, powered vents and the like in the RV. When your RV is plugged into an power source or your using the onboard generator, the converter is designed to reduce the incoming 120 volts AC power down to 12 volt DC. What is an RV Converter/Charger and why do you need one. ![]()
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