RV Power Basics

The first thing you should know is if your RV is a 30 amp or 50 amp coach.  You can find out if you RV is a 30 or 50 amp by checking your power cord. All current model RV’s have power cords for plugging into an outside campground outlet. A three prong cord is a 30 amp and a four prong cord is a 50 amp. The receptacles at your campground will show 3 or 4 prong outlets (They should be labeled as well).

With 50 amps you can run almost everything in your RV which may include two air conditioners. With 30 you will need to be a little more selective on what you run and when. The key is that anything that heats or cools will run with a higher output and therefore take more power. Examples are air conditioners, heaters, toasters, microwaves etc. 

For safety, make sure all breakers are in the "off" position before plugging in and unplugging. Its a good rule to make sure all your appliances are off as well before plugging in.

The campground receptacles have outlets that are labeled 50, 30 etc. Just plug the right plug into the right socket and flip the appropriate breaker switch to on position. Now you have power and can run your appliances.
Its always a smart idea not to plug into a receptacle that is rated higher than your RV.

The pedestal picture below is just one example of how the receptacles look. They look different at different campgrounds.

If you are a part time RV'er you will probably do fine with a 30 amp RV, but if you want go full-time you're going to want 50 amps to be able run multiple appliance at the same time.

Must have’s

A good rule is to make sure your RV has a good surge protector to safeguard your appliances from electrical surges or bad wiring. Sometimes campground wiring can be bad or the power can drop to low levels so it is very important to use a surge protector.

                                  

               

Available at Valley RV Supercenter Parts & Accessories counter

Another important item to have handy is a voltage tester. With a tester you can test the campground outlet for any unregulated current before plugging in. This will let you know if there may be bad wiring, surges or low voltage. If the tester finds a problem you should let the campground Steward know right away.

                                          

                                     

Available at Valley RV Supercenter Parts & Accessories counter

Sometimes you can end up at a campground that has only 30 amp or only 50 amp. It is smart to keep these electrical adapters with your rig. *Electrical adapter 30 to 50 or 50 to 30*

  

                        50-30 A                                         30-50 A

Available at Valley RV Supercenter Parts & Accessories counter

Below is an important measurement to help calculate the wattage of your appliances and figure how many you can run according to the amp of your rig.

1 amp = 12 W


Batteries 101
Most RV's come with "house" batteries. House batteries do need a little maintenance and to be recharged when needed. You don't need to worry about recharging so much, if you are plugged in most of the time.

 Your RV usually includes a battery charger that uses campground power to charge the batteries. This charge happens automatically.

In a motor home, the vehicle's alternator charges your batteries while the engine is running.

In a tow-able, the tow vehicle must be plugged into the trailer so the brakes and lights on the trailer are working. In addition, the tow vehicle's alternator is charging the house battery in the trailer while you are driving down the road.

Battery Maintenance
keep the battery terminals clean and make sure the water levels are full (Use only distilled water in your batteries).