RV 12v and 110...

Okay tech wizards - I can plumb or carpentry pretty near anything -- but electrical and electronics are completely out of my experience, at least pretty much ... but I'm learning as I need it.

So, tell me where I'm off-base ...

We have power that goes into a 'inverter/charger' panel in my Camper.

We have 12v lights and pump that are powered by the battery when no HU, and battery charges through the panel as we use lights/pump when we do have HU.

We have 110v curcuits that run directly from the HU and need no "inverter panel" -- can't use these plugs when no HU.

IF we use TV/CPU when no HU, we need a separate line directly off the battery, and then an in-line inverter (or is it converter) to change 12v DC battery to 110v AC power so TV/CPU will operate on 110v AC from the battery when no HU.

Am I understanding the process so far??

If so, then what do I buy that changes the 12v DC to 110v AC so I can use TV/CPU when no HU? And once I buy this unit and hook the lines up to a DC plug-in (similar to lighter?) and what size wire does this need to be effective?

And, how much drain do we have on the 12v DC camper battery with this converting unit (and this is separate from truck battery, so it won't drain truck battery)

As an aside: My laptop CPU says 19v ... why is that?? Because it seems to me that would eliminate any chance that you could run laptop directly off the 12v DC battery ... because if I'm correct, the CPU electrical connection lines with the little in-line box take 110v AC from wall plug and convert it to 19v DC to operate the laptop?

Is anyone as confused as I am here? thanks 2 anyone that can explain this ... M44

You need an inverter. And it needs to be of enough wattage to handle what your going to run off of it, such as the TV/CPU example say a 3000 Watt. Ok most any one you buy will have the paper work with it telling you how thick of wiring you need to run and in some cases you will need to run direct off the batteries and will not be able to use a cigarette lighter. That is usually made for smaller 100 to 300 watt units.
When I had my TT I had one hooked directly to the batteries 4000 watt that I just plugged the TT HU cable into and ran the trailer and could run up to three or four hours usually. Only thing I could not run was my air conditioner. I presently have a motor home that come with one already installed. Size I dont know and it only runs the tv and our dvd player.

I know AC takes too much ---

but I'm only interested mainly in the CPU (laptop) so I can use it when I have no HU ... either use it for CPU stuff, or DVD, etc. And I assume can use the web with not HU if you can run the CPU and have a internet service .. But don't want to spend all this $$$ (whatever it costs) and then find I can't do what I want -- and I won't listen to salesman no matter what -- they always sell what they have, not always what you need.

M44> If I understand you correctly, you do not have an inverter in your rig that converts DC voltage(battery) to AC voltage for use with appliances. If that is a true statement and you wish to operate those appliances, then utmtman is correct. You need an inverter. They ain't cheap.

Now if you just want to run a laptop or small tv, then you can purchase a small mobile inverter. I use the PowerLine model at a cost of about $25. It's good for 200 watts, but I only use it for the laptop or recharging batteries. Plugs into any cigarette lighter socket. It has two regular ac sockets and a USB socket. There are other manufacturers of these devices and you can get ones with larger wattage capacity.

As far as the 19V issue with the laptop, most are and may or may not run only on 12V, but they'll run on the 16V that my portable inverter supplies. I'd suspect the manufacturers made it an odd voltage so we'd have to by an expensive ac/dc converter that they sell.

QUOTE... "M44> If I understand you correctly, you do not have an inverter in your rig that converts DC voltage(battery) to AC voltage for use with appliances."

That is correct. I have the regular panel that runs the battery charger and has fuses, and a couple breakers for the 110v plugs in the wall. I'm not real sure even how to descibe it... but I have no way to plug in toaster, microwave, TV, CPU ... none of that stuff unless I'm shore-power.

And iI only have ONE battery in the unit -- it's heavy duty marine battery, but still only one and no room realistically for more -- and plan on upgrading soon enough to a larger more effective rig, but for now this is it until my stick home sells.

That's because I have a small rig -- a Truck Camper on my pick-up. But my real interest is just for the CPU (laptop) more than anything else ... and so if a small inverter that plugs in to the lighter socket will work and not burn up my CPU -- and that's because I want to use it longer than the CPU battery will run, and I also have to re-charge it anyway. SO, dual purpose for this inverter ... run it and charge it. Otherwise, everything I have is dual -- propane or 110v...

Like Skyking, I have a small 200 watt inverter. It plugs into the cigarette lighter and my 110v cord from the laptop plugs into it. I suffer with using WiFi when getting online when we travel. More and more places are offering WiFi but sometimes you have to work at it. Many RV parks offer WiFi but you must be parked very close to the office to pick it up. In those cases I find myself sitting in my car, outside the office, using the laptop and my mini inverter. Once while staying in a state park we didn't have WiFi, TV or Cell Phone coverage. By driving into town, a small college town, I found the whole main street was one big WiFi hotspot. Just parked on mainstreet and set up my mini inverter.