![]() ![]() They range in price from $10 for cheap (but perfectly functional) models, to over $100 for professional, heavy-duty models with many useful and nuanced features. That thing was a life saver.ĭigital multimeters can be easily purchased from your local hardware or electrical supply store. When I worked as an RV technician, I used my multimeter so frequently that it eventually had its own name, fictional backstory, and a special case in my toolbox. Voltage, wattage, electrical resistance, temperature, and continuity are all properties that can be measured and monitored with a multimeter. Digital multimeter can measure multiple electrical properties in an electrical system. The “multi” in multimeter stands for multiple. Electricians and RV technicians always have a multimeter close at hand and will often use them multiple times a day while working. Digital Multimetersĭigital multimeters are an incredibly useful tool for diagnosing electrical issues. To perform some of these tests, you will want to pick yourself up a digital multimeter and a one-handed circuit tester also known as a test light. If you do suspect that your RV converter has begun to fail, there are a number of at-home tests that can be performed in order to figure out if the converter is in fact the issue. If you experience either of these situations, immediately disconnect your RV from shore power and open up doors to allow fresh, cool air inside. Overheating and smelly batteries are a different case altogether. This examination should be done promptly, but these symptoms do not necessarily indicate an emergency situation. Flickering and dimming lights should indicate that the converter and batteries need to be checked out. Some of these warning signs are more serious than others. When connected to shore power, batteries overheat and/or begin producing a sulfuric smell.The converter’s cooling fan isn’t turning on when the electrical system is in use.Your refrigerator doesn’t maintain a consistent temperature and/or the display flickers.The RV’s interior lights begin to dim shortly after being turned on.If you suspect your RV converter is going bad, keep an eye out for these warning signs: Luckily, there are some common signs that many RVers have reported experiencing when an RV’s converter has begun to fail. Even trained electricians and RV technicians can end up pretty stumped over a failing system if the cause of the problem is resulting in unpredictable and uncommon symptoms. With electrical systems, there can oftentimes be many different signs that a component has begun to fail, some more obvious than others. This wiring ensures that all AC shore power has to pass through the converter before charging the batteries. The RV converter is wired into the electrical system midway between the shore power connection and the RV battery bank. Keep in mind that a converter and an RV’s inverter are similar, but not the same. ![]() This converting and charging action leads some RVers to refer to converters as “battery chargers”. This is where the converter comes into play.Īn RV converter takes in 120V AC power and alters the voltage, turning it into 12V DC power that can be stored in RV batteries. But, a shore power connection supplies the RV with 120-volt AC power, a voltage of power that won’t be able to be stored in the RV’s battery bank. When these batteries run low on charge, it is common practice that the RV is plugged into a shore power connection to recharge. ![]() These appliances all require significantly less voltage to function than the larger, more powerful appliances in an RV. Overhead lighting, USB chargers, water pumps and ventilation fans are usually operating off of 12V DC power. Direct current: 12-volt direct current (DC) power takes care of the remaining power needs in an RV.RV furnaces, air conditioners, microwaves and water heaters typically all require 120V AC power to function. Alternating current: The larger, more power-hungry appliances in an RV run off of 120-volt alternating current (AC) power.But what does this mean? What power is it converting and why?įirst, a quick review on the two types of power in an RV: Its primary function is to, big surprise, convert power. The power converter in an RV is a crucial component in its electrical system. Keep reading to learn how to tell if your RV converter has begun to fail. If your converter is bad, the whole system is bad. The first and primary suspect in this scenario is your RV converter. So what gives?What could be causing this failure in your power system? Not the end of the world, but also not ideal. ![]() Now you have to either rely on your noisy backup generator all weekend (if you have one), or just use your trailer as a spot to crash at night and not utilize any of its other features. But when you go to hitch up and roll out the following weekend, you find your batteries haven’t recharged from last weekend and your trailer is dead. ![]()
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