A Complete Guide To Using An RV Inverter

What is an Inverter for an RV?

First, let us recall what we once learned about electric current in school. Electric current is divided into two types:

1. Direct current
2. Alternating current

Direct current is mainly found in some battery-powered personal electronic devices, car batteries, and solar panels.
Alternating current is the electrical current generated by the electrical grid, which usually comes from the sockets in our walls. In addition, the alternator can also produce alternating current.

The AC power on the RV generally comes from the generator on the vehicle. Once the generator stops working or the RV is not equipped with a generator, it will not generate AC power. However, the electrical appliances we use every day need AC power to drive, so we need to reverse the RV. An inverter is used to convert the DC power stored in the battery in the RV into AC power that can be used by electrical appliances.
As a professional inverter manufacturer, JCPOWER has a variety of inverters designed for different uses and industries. If you are looking for an inverter suitable for RVs, you can contact us.

Types of RV Inverters

Pure Sine Wave Inverter:
A pure sine wave inverter produces an output waveform that is consistent and of high quality, very close to the sinusoidal waveform of the main grid. Pure sine wave inverters are capable of driving all devices, especially those that are sensitive to power quality, such as medical equipment, audio equipment, microwave ovens, etc. The disadvantage of a pure sine wave inverter is that the price is higher than that of an ordinary inverter.

Modified sine wave inverter (or approximate sine wave inverter):
The voltage transformation is not continuously smooth. Its advantages are its simple structure and low price, and it can meet the needs of non-sensitive electrical equipment such as electric heaters, electric fans, and lights. However, for those that require precision power supply, such as computers and certain types of TV or audio equipment, using a modified wave inverter to drive may produce noise or even damage the equipment.

How Do RV Inverters Work?

1. First, you need to provide a stable DC power supply for the inverter, which may come from the portable battery you carry, the RV’s battery (which cannot be used for a long time to avoid the vehicle being unable to ignite), or the RV’s solar panels.
2. The inverter converts DC power into AC power that can be used by household appliances.
3. What you need to note is that the AC power provided by the inverter depends on the capacity of your battery or solar panel, which affects how many devices you can run on the inverter at the same time and whether the inverter will be overloaded. Therefore, you must control the power of the appliances using the inverter and cannot exceed the rated power of the inverter.

Factors to consider when choosing an RV inverter

When you choose an RV inverter, here are some questions to consider:

1. How many appliances do you have on your RV that require AC power to operate?
2. How many devices will you be running simultaneously?
3. Are the current quality requirements for your equipment higher or lower?
4. DC power supply model and capacity

The answer to the above question can be derived in the following ways:

1. Check the operating power (in watts) and surge of the electrical equipment on your RV that requires an inverter.
2. Add the operating power and surge power required by each device to obtain the total power.
3. Multiply this total by 1.2 and add an additional 20% of capacity to account for some unpredictable changes in operation.
4. If the equipment you need to power includes audio, computers, medical equipment, and other electrical appliances that require high power quality, JCPOWER recommends that you use a pure sine wave inverter.
5. Check the output voltage of your DC power supply and the voltage and frequency at which your equipment works normally, and buy an inverter that matches them.

Installing an Inverter in Your RV

After you have the inverter in your RV, it’s time to install the inverter.
You will get the following things after unpacking the inverter:

1. RV inverter
2. Red and black connecting cable
3. Fuse
4. Wrench
5. Fastening nut

The following is the RV inverter distribution installation process:
Step 1: Fix the red and black wires to the positive and negative terminals of the battery or solar panel, respectively. Be careful not to touch the two wires together!

Step 2: Connect the positive and negative poles of the red and black wires to the input terminal of the inverter correspondingly. And fix it with a fixing nut.

Step 3: Turn on the inverter switch and check whether the inverter is working normally.
Yes, it’s that simple.

Do I have to buy an inverter for my RV?

Your RV needs an inverter if any of the following apply to your situation:

If you want to enjoy the convenience brought by various electronic devices while driving your RV away from the hustle and bustle of the city,.

If you want to turn your RV into a safer, more comfortable, and more convenient mobile home,.

If you’ve had enough of the noise from your generator and want a cleaner, cheaper, and quieter generator alternative,.

On the other hand, if your life does not depend on household appliances, it will not affect your normal life in an environment without AC power. Then you don’t need to buy an inverter.

We need to remind you that some RVs now come with inverters pre-installed. If the outlets in your RV only work when the generator is running and stop working once the generator stops, you do not have an inverter in your RV.

Can an inverter power an entire RV?

The power rating of your inverter should be at least 20% greater than the total power required by all the equipment in your RV. Only in this way can the power requirements of the entire RV be met, and your DC power supply capacity must be sufficient to meet the use of the entire vehicle equipment.
If the inverter power is too small, your equipment will not be able to operate, and the inverter will stop working due to overload.
If the power of the inverter is too large, it will waste a lot of electricity. Remember, the most important thing is to be suitable.

Can I use multiple inverters at the same time?

Yes, you can simply connect them in parallel to create a higher power capacity and connect more devices. But be aware that this will drain the battery faster. This is like a glass of water. Originally, there was only one straw for drinking water, but now there are two or more straws for drinking water together, so the water will be finished in a while.

Conclusion

The RV inverter can provide a reliable power guarantee for your RV life and enhance your safety, comfort, and convenience in your RV life. All you need to do is choose an RV inverter that works for you, plus a battery or solar panel of sufficient capacity, and you can provide AC power to your electronic devices on the go.