Nothing should stop you from having the experience of a lifetime when you’re on the road! However, difficulties such as regular RV electrical problems might emerge. Knowing how to correctly troubleshoot some electrical problems, even if you’ve leased RVs for years, might be complicated.
Gaining a broad grasp of the electrical systems that power your RV is the first step. This information will not only help you on the road, but it will also help you examine your RV before leaving. This guide will assist you whether you’re performing pre-trip research or need a solution to a current problem.
5 common problems in your RV:
When you try to operate many electrical appliances in your RV at the same time, the most typical RV electrical problem occurs! You may be using more amps than your RV service permits, which is usually 3,600 watts on 30-amp service and 12,000 watts on 50-amp service (2 circuits x 6,000 watts each).
Overloading:
Using many appliances at the same time might deplete your electrical supply, resulting in a blackout. The circuit breaker trips when there is a considerable quantity of current on demand. Make sure the hair dryer, microwave, air conditioner, and water heater are not all on at the same time.
Damaged fuse and breaks:
If you have a power outage, the first thing you should do is check the power breakers.
Unplug any systems connected to the power breaker and reset it to default if this is the source of the power outage. To avoid burning the system, replace the broken fuse with one that matches the amperage.
When a fuse blows, most RV fuses panels feature indicator lights beside the fuses that light up. This is an excellent method for quickly checking for blown fuses. If you suspect a fuse, however, you should always check it.
Test lights are a low-cost instrument that make this as simple as touching both sides of the fuse and waiting for the light to turn on. This eliminates the need to remove the fuse to inspect it.
Damaged lightbulb:
Blown lightbulbs are another regular RV electrical issue. Simply replace the bulb for a quick remedy.
In RVs, there are a few different types of lights. The push-in design, which simply pushes in and pulls out, and the round ends, which press and twist to lock in place, are the two most popular connectors.
Always use the right bulb when replacing a light bulb. On most bulbs, the kind and wattage are stamped. This is an excellent moment to switch to longer-lasting LED lights.
Check solar panels:
Due to the RV’s frequent mobility, solar panels are prone to damage. If you have an electrical problem, rule out all other possibilities before checking your solar system and its connections. You can hire an expert to inspect the solar panels’ power and connections to ensure they are as indicated in the handbook.
Check circuit boards:
Examine your circuit breaker panel, which is normally next to your 12V batteries. Close all of the smaller circuit breakers before turning off the main intake circuit breaker.
Look for symptoms of acid accumulation on the board. Clean it with a teaspoon of baking powder and 12 ounces (0.45 kg) of water. Acids include ions that can conduct electricity, resulting in a short circuit that might cause the breakers to blow up.
Things to remember while charging:
It is not a problem to leave your RV charging all the time; however, you must ensure that your RV is equipped with ‘Wet cell batteries,’ which are batteries that include various conductive acids that allow your batteries to be recharged without issue.
Make sure the charger you’re using to charge your battery doesn’t have a charge rate that’s too fast for your batteries. They will be harmed as a result of overcharging.
Even if the charger is the correct specification for your batteries, you must be careful not to keep it on for too long.
This is where smart chargers’ come in; they are chargers that automatically restrict or stop charging when your batteries reach maximum capacity.
Final thoughts:
Even the tiniest blunder may result in you being punished for the entire day. Check that your toolkit is completely working. Take a few fuses, additional connecting wires, and a voltmeter with you.
