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Section 6: Electrical System
Turn off the load center main 120-volt circuit breaker.
1.
2.
Carefully extend the entire length of the power cord (approximately 25'-35') from the
electric cable hatch to the external power source.
3.
Plug the power cord into the receptacle. Be sure all the power cord prongs are properly
plugged into the receptacle.
4.
Return to your RV and turn on the load center main circuit breaker.
The shore power cord should be unplugged when the recreation vehicle is left unat-
tended
When you are ready to leave, reverse the power cord connection process. Use care to pre-
vent damaging the power cord electrical connection pins when connecting or disconnecting
the shore power cord. Grasp the plug to remove the power cord from the outlet; do not
unplug it by pulling on the cord.
Maintenance
Inspect the power cord for cuts, cracks and worn insulation. Have the power cord replaced
immediately if these symptoms are noticed.
Power Converter
The power converter converts 120-volt AC power to useable 12-volt DC power when the
shore power cord is connected to an external power source.
The converter has a built-in protective thermal breaker that will shut it down should over-
heating occur. Overheating can be caused by operating the converter above its maximum
power output for an extended period of time, or by an obstruction to its ventilation air flow.
To reduce converter heat build keep unnecessary 12-volt lights and motors turned off. Keep
the converters cooling fins and fan clear of obstructions.
USE ONLY A DEEP CYCLE BATTERY FOR RV USE. Car batteries (CCA
rating) are not designed for RV applications.
If using multiple batteries they must be the same brand and type. Adding more
batteries will provide longer use of DC appliances when not on shore power but
may reduce charging efficiency.
The battery works in conjunction with the converter to supply DC power to the
RV. A battery is typically only necessary if you do a lot of dry camping or have
slideouts and/or a leveling system.
Reverse polarity fuse provides protection for the converter when a battery is used.
If the battery is connected backwards to the fuse board this fuse would blow pre-
venting damage to the converter.
Dimming or flickering lights usually indicates an overloaded converter. Remove
some of the load by turning off DC lights or appliances.
Fan is controlled by load. It will begin running at 3 to 6 amp DC draw. It increases
in speed with a higher load until 14 to 15 amps. Fan is at maximum speed and
stays there even with more load. If load drops below 6 amps DC, the fan shuts off.
It is important that the fluid level of any connected batteries be checked on a
regular basis. All batteries will "gas" and lose some fluid when continuously
connected to any charging source (does not apply to "gel-cell" batteries).
Before checking for converter output voltage, the battery cables must be disconnected at the
battery. Make sure the converter is plugged into an AC source (105-132 AC volts). Check
the converter output voltage at the battery with a voltmeter. Place the voltmeter probes on
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