RV (outlets are the electrical system installed in a vehicle; It is convenient for those who love to travel from one place to another without worrying about where to look for electricity. Correlation of RV outlets is home outlets that are the main electricity supply in all your home equipment in your built-in house.
RV outlets power themselves with the vehicle’s battery’s help, whereas home outlets rely on their power supply through power lines. Thus, RV outlets and home outlets are analogous, but both outlets’ electrical systems differ on their internal measures.
Let’s weigh the critical differences between RV outlets and Home outlets by knowing the precautions to consider.
Which is Better For You: RV Outlet vs. Home Outlet
RV Outlet and Home Outlet are pretty similar in installing their wirings and electrical system. They need an electrical source to produce a power supply, whether from a power line or power from the battery. However, they differ in their installation structure. Both outlets come off in a box, the home outlet is installed in the wall of the house with a screw; it becomes a built-in outlet; While RV Outlet is installed against a wall made of plywood with a clamp and can be placed from one place to another.
Prevent Inconvenience, Be Informed about RV Outlets
Installing RV electrical outlets is one of the primary things you need to know. It is vital to know the electrical attributes in maintaining your vehicle’s needed power supply in achieving a great vacation or good camping and, at the same time, being prompt whenever difficulties occur.
How Does the Electrical System of RV Work?
The RV electrical system enables you to appropriate many of the modern conveniences you’ve grown habitual. In addition, fundamental knowledge of RV wiring and power roots can help you educate yourself and other campers in deciding about where to draw power and help you troubleshoot if something performs incorrectly. Your trailer should have three electrical systems. The electrical system includes a 12 Volt DC (Direct Current) Automotive Electrical System, a 12 Volt DC (Direct Current) Camper system, and a 120 or 240 Volt AC (Alternating Current) Camper Electrical System.
12 Volt DC (Direct Current) Automotive Electrical System
The 12 Volt DC (Direct Current) automotive system begins with trailers, or the case in class A or C units. The vehicle/chassis battery is 12 volts and needed to be provided with the necessary power to start the vehicle. The 12 Volt DC system controls everything outside your camper that deals when driving along the roads.
The alternator of the 12 Volt DC electrical system chargers it when your vehicle’s engine is running. This electrical system provides the energy required to power all the light in your RV, like the headlight, marker lights, etc. This system is filled to the camper via cable attachment. Smaller RVs have a four-wire connection, and larger capacity RVs will have a 6 to 7 wire attachment.
12 Volt DC (Direct Current) Camper System
The 12 Volt DC (Direct Current) camper electrical system supplies power in an RV, including interior and exterior lighting, RV water pumps, some USB outlets, your refrigerator and other essential pieces of equipment, and even emergency warning devices. Thus, this begins with the battery that is installed in the vehicle.
Your necessary equipment is typically charged from the vehicle electrical system. Still, the batteries of your RV should be primarily maintained by a charger attached to the camper’s AC (Alternating Current) electrical system. The 12 Volt DC camper electrical system is broken up into paths fed from the fuse block in the trailer. It is crucial to find the panel’s location and any maintenance that may need to be done by checking the operator’s manual.
120 or 240 Volt AC (Alternating Current) Camper Electrical System
The 120 volt AC (Alternating Current) camper electrical system is similar to the electrical system in your built-in house. It supplies power to all of the outlets that are found in your RV. Examples of your essential equipment are the microwave oven, the TV, the water heater, and for your washers and dryers.
A 20-ampere provides the 120 volt AC power in the camper to a 30-ampere cord that you plug in at the site. If you got a 50-ampere hookup, you are connected to 240 volts. 120 or 240 volts AC camper electrical systems are no different from your house electricity, but only limited to the total amount of power available to you.
5 Steps to Install Your RV Outlet Properly
Bring out the service box with the outlet purchased from your hardware store. Assuming that you already set up the power supply that is needed. Include the breaker inside the service box by providing electrical connections. It is also possible to improvise another existing supply outlet in your service box by customization.
Choose the area where an electric supplier should install the service box. After, check the current connection. Note that the location must match the length of the wiring. Also, be secured with the chosen area. It shouldn’t have a conflict with other installments.
Switch off the main breaker for safety purposes. Monitor the inside of your power supply box to insert your wirings and create a junction outward carefully.
Position your complementary breaker to the power supply set-up by connecting the wirings of your fixed outlet into the wires and cable. Coiling around, it connects internal wires to your outlet breaker.
To finish installing, turn on the main breaker and test the voltage capacity. Position the probes on the outlet ports, and read the voltage readings over the screen. If the voltage supply has been satisfactorily completed, then you can connect your plugs to your news outlets.
Campground Safety Measures
The majority of the Campgrounds offer 120-volt electric sources to supply power onto the RV; With the standard electrical system of an RV, the 120-volt power supply could accommodate microwave, refrigerator, and some appliances that require a load of power supply. Meanwhile, the 12-volt supplies items such as overhead lights, furnace fan, stereo, and other things that only consume a small amount of current.
Consider the following in charging your RV in Campgrounds:
Before plugging in the cord from the Campgrounds (which provides a power supply for the RV), it is necessary to conduct a polarity test. The polarity test ensures that all power-consuming items are connected to the main power supply.
Before plugging in the power cord, switch off every item connected to the power supply and with them on when the power cord is firmly plugged into the RV.
It is recommended to use Power Surge— a device to protect your electrical appliances and items from electrical damage due to unpredicted power surge to protect the RV from unexpected surge which could lead to electrical damage such as setting the RV on fire and explosions from the appliances.
Know Your Outlets in Your Built-In Home
In a different case, home outlets have a lot of types with other characteristics. You might be surprised with how many regular outlets you can buy for your house, and each outlet is equipped in the right place. It is significant to identify which one is best for a specific area in your home, but every outlet has its perfect place to be; that is why recognizing certain parts and understanding is also essential, not just identifying.
Examples of Home Outlets are:
- GFCI Outlets
- AFCI Outlets
- Switch Outlets
- USB Outlets
- Smart Outlets
You Should Know Better Now
It is crucial to know whether to use an RV Outlet or a Home Outlet to ensure safety. These outlets may have a similar purpose: to supply power, but they differ on the mechanisms, rules, and procedures performed by these outlets. For example, they differ on the Ampere— the measurement of an electric current— and volts needed to supply power to the vehicle or the house.
