Many people do not understand that an RV has more than just one electrical system!  I always thought there were two electrical systems in an RV: the 12 volt and the 120 volt.  But I missed the fact that there are really two 12 volt systems.  This was one of the first lessons, one of many in my RV life, that taught me when RV electrical problems arise, I needed a basic understanding of RV electrical systems! Imagine you are enjoying a nice evening in the RV: the AC unit is cranking, the convection oven is cooking the evening meal, the electric water heater element just kicked on because the wife is in the shower, and all of the sudden it gets awfully quiet in the RV.RV electrical problems may have popped up because of these possible situations: did the water heater kick on and send the electrical system into overload?  Did the RV park’s power cut out?  Did your EMS unit shut the power down because it detected a problem?  Did the AC unit and the convection oven restart together?  

What should you do?  Here comes the purple monkey! What is a purple monkey?  According to the Texas RV Professor, Terry Cooper, it’s a big hairy problem that does not seem to have an immediate answer due to a distortion of the facts.  And it climbs on your back and laughs at you while you panic!  If you don’t have at least a basic understanding of how RV electrical problems can arise, then the purple money may visit you quite often! The best way to avoid RV electrical problems is to understand the three electrical systems that you have in your RV, and to be able to diagnose a problem by learning how they work together to keep you comfortable in your home on wheels. The 3 Electrical Systems in Your RV Most electrical products have labels on them to tell you what kind of electrical requirements they need and use: volts, amps and watts.  Do you know what these are, and how to figure out what your maximum usage is in your RV?  If you don’t, the big purple monkey may visit you!  

So, let me get the monkey off your back! What are Volts, Amps, and Watts? Most RV Electrical Problems occur because RVers don’t understand the relationship between volts, amps, and watts!  It is very easy to overload an RV such that you are tripping the breaker in the main panel, or even for the appliance itself. So what is a Volt?  Very simply it is the push that electricity has through the wires of your 12 volt or 120 volt RV electrical system.  In comparison, it is like water pressure to a water system. So how about an Amp?  Amperage is the flow of electricity.  Amperage is the same to electricity as gallons of water flow is to a water system.  The size and length of the wire determines how much amperage there can be. If you try to flow too many amps through a small, or under rated wire, what happens?  It gets hot, right?  The resistance to flow equals restriction, and therefore heat builds up.  The wire will overheat and melt it’s casing, possibly causing a fire.

Then, what are Watts?  A watt is the power the electricity has.  If you know that you have 120 volts going into your RV, and you have 30 amp main service inside that RV, then if you multiply the 120 volts times the 30 amps, you get 3600 watts.  So what does that mean to you? Mr. and Mrs Smith, and the kids, hookup their travel trailer and head out for the weekend.  average price of new ac unitThey had it plugged in at home and had all the electrical items running before they left.  how long do outside ac units lastThey unplugged the RV and hit the road. ac unit house sizeThe electric water heater was on, the air conditioner unit was running, the converter was charging the batteries, and the fridge was set to be on electric when plugged in.  

Oh, and this is a 120 volt – 30 amp electrical system. So what happened when Mr. and Mrs. Smith get to their destination and plugged in their RV?  Remember, everything was left on!  Lets examine the load on the system: for a Grand Total of 5,160 watts All those appliances were still switched on and were calling for power, because the RV was hot inside, the hot water had cooled off, the fridge needed to keep cooling and was switching from propane, and the batteries needed charging.  After a few minutes of being plugged in, the Smith’s were sitting without AC, hot water, and ice cold beer because the breaker tripped. Perhaps it was the main breaker in the RV, or perhaps the breaker at the electrical pedestal. They only had 3,600 watts available to use, at most!  And when an air condition first kicks on, it requires approximately another 500 watts. How could this have been avoided? Don’t plug into an RV park electrical pedestal without checking the power source.  

If you don’t know how to use a volt meter, either learn, or get an electrical management device.  These are designed to plug into the RV park’s electrical pedestal and detect any electrical issues before you plug in. Would you like to know more about solving electrical issues?  How about all the other issues that come up in your RV?  Would you like to be able to fix 80% of the RV issues that are easy to find, and easy to fix, by yourself? Would you like to save yourself thousands of dollars from the many repairs that will be needed over the years?  What about time off the road because you are waiting for someone else to solve your problem? Jump over to my page on an RV technician course that could help you get the purple monkey off your back!  You can learn how to handle issues similar to these, like a pro! Here’s wishing you happy adventures as you enjoy the RV lifestyle!1.  Filters must be checked monthly.  A clogged filter will affect the airflow, efficiency, and the life of your furnace. 

A very plugged filter can “starve” the furnace for air and cause it to shut down. 2.  Some furnaces have blower motors that require annual lubrication with a few drops of non-detergent motor oil. 3.  Heat registers and return air grills should not be blocked by furniture as this will inhibit the proper air movement during the heating cycle. 4.  If you have a 90% (High-Efficiency) furnace check the fresh air intake and the exhaust for blockage prior to each heating season and occasionally during the season.  Dirt, snow, ice, leaves, or other material blocking these will cause the furnace to shut down.  Also note that the condensate drain line, which drains off the water produced as a by-product of the furnace operation, must be kept clear and free of kinks.  Be sure no heavy object is set on it. 5.  If you have an 80% furnace occasionally check the fresh air intake outside to be sure that there is no debris plugging it. 1.  Filters must be checked monthly to protect your blower motor and evaporating coil.

2.  Keep the outdoor condensing unit free of grass clippings, cottonwood seeds, and dirt buildup.  Air cannot pass over the outdoor coil for proper cooling operation if it is plugged.  This can be easily washed down with a garden hose, but shut off power to the unit before you do so. 3.  Severe electrical storms can cause the outdoor fuses or breaker to blow.  These are located in the disconnect box outside, directly behind your air conditioner.  If you must replace the fuse, BE SURE TO SHUT OFF INSIDE POWER TO THE UNIT FIRST.  The fuse must be replaced with a time delay type with the same amp rating. 4.  As the air conditioner runs, it also dehumidifies your home.  The water produced by this process drains from the unit through a condensate line on the outside of your furnace.  It is important that this water drain freely to prevent a backup of water into your furnace.  If no water is draining when the unit is running, remove the line at the furnace and attempt to dislodge any dirt which may be clogging the outlet.

5.  Your air conditioner is built to withstand the weather, but if you want to cover it in the winter it is best to use canvas, which will allow air through.  Do not wrap the air conditioner in plastic. 6.  Air conditioners are most effective when the desired temperature is set on the thermostat and they are left alone, not constantly turned on and off.  If the air conditioner is not turned on until the warmest part of the day, it will need to run for quite some time to “catch up” with the heat inside your home.  It normally takes as long to cool a house down as it did to heat it up. 7.  If your house has two floors in addition to the basement, you may need to partially close the supply air registers on the main floor in order to force the air to the upper level.  (Then reverse this during the heating season).  In all homes, close any basement registers or you will lose cooling efficiency. 1.  Wash the cells monthly.  If this is done in a dishwasher, use the “no heat” drying cycle.

2.  Be sure the cells are completely dry before turning power on to the unit again. 3.  The cells must be handled with care to avoid bending or damaging the fins or breaking the ionizing wires. 1.  Humidity comfort level is a very individual matter.  Set your humidistat to the level that seems to keep your home the most comfortable for you.  It may take you a couple tries with different settings to find your own personal preference. 2.  The unit contains a water panel located just inside the cover.  This needs to be changed approximately once a year, depending on your water.  The panel has a natural whitish coating which aids water distribution.  Through use, minerals will be deposited on it.  It can be rinsed off occasionally to remove some of the residue, but do not soak the panel in any strong cleaning solution. 3.  Check the water drain line to make sure that it is draining freely and that water is not leaking into your furnace.  If no water is coming through even though the unit is running, remove the drain tube at the unit and attempt to dislodge any sediment which might be plugging the outlet.

4.  At the end of the heating season, turn off your humidifier as indicated in your owner’s manual. 1.  Set your thermostat to “heat” or “cool” and your fan switch to automatic.  Dial to the desired temperature or set your programmable thermostat to give the desired heating or cooling schedule. 2.  Your fan switch may be set to either “on” or “auto.”  In the “auto” mode, the fan will only come on when the furnace or air conditioner is operating.  In the “on” mode, the fan will run constantly. 3.  Please be aware that having fan set to “on” may give the feeling of draft in some homes in the winter, as air constantly circulating even though it is not being continuously heated. Should you ever need warranty service:  Warranty work is scheduled during our normal workday hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday and Saturday, and 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, Tuesday through Friday. “No Heat” emergency service is available 24 hours a day. 

To contact anyone about service just call our number, 651.770.0603, any day of the week. Troubleshooting Before You Call For Service 1.  Is there power to the furnace?  Check the switch on the furnace and your circuit breaker or fuse.  Also check the door panel to the blower compartment. If that is not properly closed, the safety switch may not allow the furnace to come on. 2.  Is the thermostat turned to “heat” and set to a temperature above the present room temperature? 3.  Is the furnace filter clogged, thereby starving the furnace for air? 4. Has the gas valve been turned off? 5.  If you have LP gas, is that tank empty? 6.  If you have a 90 percent, high-efficiency furnace, is something plugging the air intake or the exhaust? 1.  Is there power to the air conditioner?  Check the indoor circuit breaker or the fuse inside and also check the disconnect box fuse outside. BE SURE TO TURN OFF YOUR INSIDE CIRCUIT BREAKER BEFORE CHECKING THE OUTSIDE FUSE!