How Do We Bypass Our RV's 12 Volt Electrical Converter

by Sandy
(San Diego)

We have a 5th wheel RV plugged into a 30 amp circuit. Since doing so our electric bill has skyrocketed. How can we bypass the 12 volt electric converter-which we feel is the cause of the increase of our electric bill-and run the RV on a 110 volt circuit.

ANSWER Hi Sandy, unfortunately I may not be much help on telling you how to bypass your RV's Converter. Modifying or bypassing electrical systems on an RV is not advisable. These systems have safety systems built into them such as breakers, fuses, etc. When you bypass these systems, you are creating a situation where a fire could occur or creating a situation where you might damage some of the electrical components of your RV.

That being said there are some steps you can take to determine if the high power usage is due to your RV being plugged into a 30 amp circuit in your home. You could have appliances in the RV that are causing the drain. Some appliances use electricity even when they are in the off position, such as TVs, VCRs, DVD Players, etc. Even though they are off they could be in a standby mode pulling some electric.


Please take a look at the answer to this question that was asked by one our visitors, some of the tips might be helpful in determining what is causing the high power usage: How Many Watts Is My RV Using When It Is Plugged Into An Outlet In My House?

If you have determined that there are no appliances in the RV that are causing this problem, then I suggest very strongly that you have the electrical system in your RV checked out by a qualified RV Technician. Yes, this is going to cost you some money to get this problem diagnosed and repaired. At least if you have a qualified person repair the problem, you won't end up spending more money trying to repair the damage that may be caused by tampering with or modifying the electrical system on your RV.

Over 1,500,000 successful roadside rescues—Good Sam RV Emergency Road Service

If any of our visitors have suggestions for you, they can add their comments by clicking on the add comments link near the bottom of this page.

Happy RVing

RVing Al

Click here to post comments

Return to Ask an RV Question.

LEARN HOW TO RUN 2 RV A/Cs ON A 30 AMP CONNECTION