How to Choose the Right Size Converter/Inverter for Your RV

by Kevin Smith Author

RVs are a great way to provide yourself with an instant vacation home whenever you want it. However, RVs do require some unique components and proper maintenance for those components, which aren’t always found in other types of vehicles. Understanding parts like converters and inverters takes some research, but it’s important to familiarize yourself with them and learn how to choose the right one for your RV. Keep reading to learn more about these parts and how to size one appropriately for your RV’s needs.

What Are Converters and Inverters?

Before you can understand how to choose these parts, you should first understand what they are. Converters are standard equipment on RVs. They allow you to charge your RV’s batteries using shore power, and prevent you from running down the batteries when using 12v DC devices like your lights and water pump.

Inverters, on the other hand, aren’t standard in all RVs. They’re most often seen in higher-end RVs built in the last few years. Inverters allow you to power devices that only run on AC power, such as the TV, microwave, refrigerator, and common electronics. Without an inverter, you can only run these devices when connected to shore power. So, an inverter can be a very convenient thing to have in your RV, regardless of when it was built.

What’s a Converter/Inverter?

As you can probably guess from the name, a converter/inverter performs the jobs of both pieces of equipment in one device. A converter/inverter is capable of changing DC to AC power and vice versa, ensuring that you can power all of your devices, regardless of your power source. These are extremely useful in RVs that have roof-mounted solar panels, so that you can have continuous energy wherever you are.

Sizing Your Device

So how do you know what size of converter/inverter you need? It all depends on your energy consumption. Converter/inverters have a wattage rating that shows the maximum amount of power it is capable of providing. To determine the size you need, you’ll need to add up the wattage of all the devices you want to use in your RV. You can usually find the wattage a device uses on a label somewhere on the device or its power supply. Then, you should add 10% to 20% on top of the total to ensure that you don’t encounter a power shortage. This will help you find the best RV converter/inverter for your needs.