Electrical power systems in recreational vehicles (RVs) are getting very sophisticated these days. There was a time when if a caravan or a motorhome had a house battery at all, it relied on either a simple mains charger or, maybe in the case of a caravan, a 12V charging supply from the tow vehicle. Those times are long gone. Now an RV may well have two batteries, a roof plated with solar panels, a DC-to-DC charger, and an inverter. In some cases, with enough battery capacity to power an air conditioner or microwave oven.
Calculating what sort of battery and solar panel capacity will suit individual needs does require a little bit of electrical knowledge, but as long as the basics are understood, then all that’s required is a calculator. Taking a look at the basics first, it’s a good idea to understand all the components of an electrical system, starting with the essential item underpinning it all.
BATTERIES
For RV users, there are two basic types of batteries: those used for starting engines. and those used for everything else. Starter batteries are designed
