Thor Forums

[TurnerFam]

A) look at 'solar' as just another 'power source', or effectively, another method to help recharge the House batteries - the batteries that provide you 12v power to your lights, fans, water pump, furnace fan, slides, steps, levelers, etc., and even a 12v TV if your rig came with one. BUT, don't look at 'solar' as some magic pill that somehow relieves you of needing anything else to do all these things - as solar is way too dependent on one thing: Sun. It's not always there, it's not always 'out' when you need it, and your simple one or two batteries are not going to be able to 'hold' a lot of 'solar' for when you need it overnight, if you do. Solar is fine when the sun is out, not so much after dark.
And, solar doesn't 'power' anything in your rig directly, it simply helps to charge your House batteries - 'help' being the proverbial term...
Solar is also expensive for the little benefit you may ever actually realize from it...

B) You certainly have a CONVERTER, which provides you direct power to your 12volt items that are normally powered by the House batteries, when you are plugged into Shore Power. The converter also charges your House batteries during this time.

C) An inverter simply does the exact opposite of a Converter, it 'inverts' or 'changes' 12v battery power into 120volt Electricity for your devices and appliances and computers and things that 'plug in' to household outlets. Some of us may have 'whole house' Inverters that give us power to all outlets when we are off-grid, or traveling, even to the residential fridge, the microwave, etc., but the vast majority of RVs don't have this, if they have any Inverter at all - it is more of a 'new' option for many RVs, and mainly only those with the 120volt residential Fridge onboard.
Some of these inverters are smaller, and ONLY power the fridge.
Some are larger and might power the fridge as well as a TV and another outlet.
Some are very large, require many more batteries, and can power most everything that is 120v in the coach.
Chances are, for YOUR needs, you can easily purchase an Inverter, called a Power Inverter, off the shelf at w(mt and auto parts stores... anywhere from 120watts up to 1000watts, though a small simple one that plugs into your 12v outlet is probably very sufficient if you are simply wanting to watch a TV, and a DVD, or even satellite TV while you have no Shore Power or don't want to run the Generator. Some of the larger inverters you may find also can attach directly to your House batteries, just like jumper cables, if you'd rather.
I have the smallest power inverter w(mt sells, at 120watts, and plug it into my car's 12v power port and run my satellite receiver, TV, a small fan, and charge my phone all at the same time.

D) Your generator is your friend, use it, you paid for it! The generator is a magnificent machine, and very cost effective for the little gas it actually uses to provide you all the 120v power you need to run everything, even at the same time, in your rig - it's just like being plugged into shore power, except you can have 120v power ANYWHERE you go.


In essence, your rig already comes with so much of what you already need for successful and comfortable travel and camping - use what you have and get accustomed to your systems before you run out and spend MORE money on things that you may find were'nt the 'magic pill' you though everyone said they were. : ) Enjoy.