Easy Explaination

[mikeygesus]

Red apple was basically right EXCEPT for the part about the converter managing the incoming AC power. That is wrong. The AC power goes to the breaker box where individual breakers power AC items such as the microwave, air conditioners, AND the converter. When you crossed the battery cables you blew the converters fuses. You did not know it then, but you were running the 12 volt stuff with the TVs alternator and then stored battery power. At 3 AM you ran out of battery power. The Air conditioner quit then, as the thermostat runs off of 12 volts.

IOW: the air condtioner needs 120VAC to run, and 12 VDC for the themostat to control it

Note: In many RVs the 12 volt distribution (fuses) and 120 VAC distribution (breakers) are in the same box, but they are two seperate systems.

Sorry, I’m just not “getting it”.
If there’s only 12v available, then how are the 120v ac units running?


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[FT4NOW]

The third hobbit does is manage the incoming 120 volts from shore power and sends it to your 120 volt distribution panel (circuit breakers). If the converter is dead you will get no voltage to your distribution panel and no ac power.
.

This is not true, the converter does not manage 120v power. You can have the converter breaker off or a dead converter and still have 120v power.

Also, you can have blown converter fuses and still have 120v for the air conditioner and the 12v circuit for the air conditioner would run off the battery.

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[huntindog]

Sorry, I’m just not “getting it”.
If there’s only 12v available, then how are the 120v ac units running?


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You were plugged into shore power. So you had 120 from that source and 12 V from the battery for its Tstat. Remove either power source and the Air will not run.

[mikeygesus]

You were plugged into shore power. So you had 120 from that source and 12 V from the battery for its Tstat. Remove either power source and the Air will not run.

Now it’s sinking in.
Thanks everyone!


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[jkwilson]

I understand most of that on a basic level. What I still don’t get is how we were able to run the air conditioners for so long if the AC’s don’t run off of batteries?


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Your 12V system was running off batteries, but your air conditioner runs off the 120VAC shore power.

[mikeygesus]

Your 12V system was running off batteries, but your air conditioner runs off the 120VAC shore power.

Thanks.
My disconnect was that I didn’t realize the battery still supplied power while plugged into shore power. I thought everything switched over once you plug in.

Now, what I think to be true is:
One part of the RV is a/c power and one part is d/c power. When plugged in, shore power runs a/c appliances and charges the battery to continue to run its circuit.

Am I in the ball park, here?


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[jkwilson]

Thanks.
My disconnect was that I didn’t realize the battery still supplied power while plugged into shore power. I thought everything switched over once you plug in.

Now, what I think to be true is:
One part of the RV is a/c power and one part is d/c power. When plugged in, shore power runs a/c appliances and charges the battery to continue to run its circuit.

Am I in the ball park, here?


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Yes, but to make it a little more complicated some of the AC stuff uses the 12V system for controls. Microwave and TV are generally AC only. Furnace, air conditioning and water heater may need both depending on the particular units. Lights, DVD, jacks, pump(s), vent fans and alarms are 12V only.

[xrated]

Thanks.
My disconnect was that I didn’t realize the battery still supplied power while plugged into shore power. I thought everything switched over once you plug in.

Now, what I think to be true is:
One part of the RV is a/c power and one part is d/c power. When plugged in, shore power runs a/c appliances and charges the battery to continue to run its circuit.

Am I in the ball park, here?


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Think of it like this. Your truck needs gas...or diesel...so let's just say fuel to run. It also needs a 12 volt power source (the battery) to run. If you take either one of those two things (the fuel or the electrical power) away from the engine, it will not run. The A/C units are the same way way. 12 Volts Direct Current (12VDC)....And the "fuel"...which in the case of the A/C unit is 120VAC. Take either one away from it, and it will not run.

[Bookumdanno]

Yes, but to make it a little more complicated some of the AC stuff uses the 12V system for controls. Microwave and TV are generally AC only. Furnace, air conditioning and water heater may need both depending on the particular units. Lights, DVD, jacks, pump(s), vent fans and alarms are 12V only.

The furnace runs on 12 dc and propane. You don't need to be on shore power. But it will drain the battery faster. The Water Heater can run on propane and use 12 vdc for operation. This is for when Boon Docking with no shore power.

[tim-o-w4yn]

This is a wild guess, did your Reflection come with solar panels on roof. IF so and your inverter that supplies 120V has enough headromm ie 3000 or more watts, it could run one or both AC's for short period. The DC draw will be sky high and drain batteries quickly but it could run them. How do I know, I have large inverter and a bank of lithium batteries that I use for amateur radio contests from my 2670 MK and on occasion I will power the TT with 120 from inverter and recharge my TT battery run micro wave or coffee pot also. However the amp draw on DC is huge, I have batteries and inverter wired with welding cables! Lithium batteries can supply a lot of amps and not be hurt, I have used them in RC planes for years. Tim in NC