If you've been RVing for any amount of time you are already aware that a good portion of the devices and accessories in your RV operate off of 12-volt DC power. 12-volt DC or Direct Current is electricity supplied by the RV batteries. DC electricity flows in one direction, from negative to positive. 12-VDC electricity is stored in the RV batteries and supplies power for components, devices and appliances that operate off of 12-volts.

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These 12-volt devices include overhead lights, the water pump, vent fans, furnace fan, range hood fan, LP gas leak detectors, stereos, 12-volt TVs and the refrigerator when it's operating in the LP gas mode. When you go camping you rely on these 12-volt items to operate properly, especially if you're dry camping without hook-ups. So what do you do when one of these 12-volt items quit working?

For the sake of an example let's say that we are dry camping and our 12-volt water pump quits working.

I am convinced that just about anybody is capable of troubleshooting a 12-VDC problem, and in many cases repairing the problem without it ruining your camping trip. For starters you will need a couple of simple tools to assist you in troubleshooting your RV's 12-volt electrical system.

1). An inexpensive 12-volt test light.

2). A multi-meter that can test for DC power.

Both of these are available at local auto parts stores. You should also keep some electrical tape, various size wire nuts, 12-volt light bulbs and 12-volt fuses on hand. Check the amperage of the fuses used in the power distribution box and keep an assortment. If you're aware of any inline fuses used on any of the 12-volt devices keep these on hand too.

Now, try to determine the last time the water pump actually worked. Did you leave the RV for a period of time with the pump on? Is there water in the fresh water holding tank? Were you working on or around something else that could have affected the operation of the water pump? Try to think of all possible scenarios. Something might jar your memory resulting in a quick fix to the problem.

If not, the first step is to verify that the coach battery or batteries are charged enough to supply power to these 12-volt items. There are a couple of ways to perform a quick test on the coach batteries. You can use the monitor panel to check the condition of the coach batteries. To get an accurate reading make sure the RV is not plugged into electricity and turn on a couple of overhead lights to place a small load on the battery. Check the reading at the monitor panel. (If you check the reading at the monitor panel when the RV is plugged in to electricity it will give you fully charged reading) A more accurate method is to test the battery with a multi-meter. Set the meter to read 12-VDC and place the negative test probe on the negative battery terminal and the positive test probe on the positive battery terminal. A fully charged battery will read in the range of 12.6 to 12.7 volts. If it reads less than 12-volts it is below a 50% state of charge and will need to be charged.

If the battery is fully charged, the next step is to make sure that any battery disconnect switch for the coach battery is turned on. If the battery disconnect switch is on, verify that other 12-volt devices in the RV are operating properly. If there is 12-volt power to the interior of the RV you need to check the fuse for the water pump in the power distribution center. Determine which fuse is for the water pump (fuses are normally labeled) and find a suitable ground for the 12-volt test light. Test both sides of the fuse for 12-volt power. If the test light only lights on one side of the fuse replace it with the proper size fuse and try the water pump again. If there was power at both sides of the fuse check for 12-volts at the water pump switch. If there is voltage, and the switch is operating properly check the water pump wiring for an inline fuse.

Find a good ground for the 12-volt test light and probe the wire on both sides of the fuse. If there is only power on one side of the fuse replace it with the proper size fuse and test the pump again. If there is power on both sides of the fuse check the water pump wiring connections at the wire nuts. It's possible for connections to come loose due to excessive vibration. Correct any loose connections and try the pump again. If the pump still doesn't work feel the motor to see if it is hot to the touch. If the motor is hot, a thermal breaker may have been triggered. Allow the pump time to cool off and see if it re-sets itself.

If you complete all of these tests and there is 12-volt DC power coming to the water pump motor, and it still doesn't come on, chances are the water pump is bad and it will need to be replaced.

Troubleshooting a 12-volt electrical problem in your RV is not that difficult. Follow the logical path of the device you are troubleshooting and see if you can determine where the problem is. It might be possible for you to save your well deserved vacation, some money and a trip to the RV dealership too.

Note: If you don't feel comfortable performing your own maintenance or troubleshooting the 12-volt electrical system, take your RV to a reputable repair center to have it checked out and repaired

Happy Camping!

Copyright 2006 by Mark J. Polk owner of RV Education 101

There is all different types of electrical wiring for different applications. We will break it down for you piece by piece. Most common terms for copper electrical wire would be building wire, THHN /THWN, Romex wire, UF-B Cable and Type SE (service entrance cable). All of these copper wires and cables have their own advantages and disadvantages based on the individual wiring application. Each one will be described in more detail below. Building Wire is just another broad term used in the same way as electrical wire. Since it's used mostly in the building / construction field its become a popular term.

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THHN / THWN Wire

THHN / THWN-2 copper electrical wire is the most basic form of electrical wire which is used in houses, buildings and control circuits not exceeding 600 Volts. All of our THHN electrical wire is dual rated with THWN-2 because the THWN is so popular that South Wire (Largest Electrical wire manufacturer in the USA) decided to put both ratings on all their THHN building wire. It's composed of soft drawn bare copper strands, covered with a PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) insulation and a nylon coating for easy installation in cable tray. The 18 awg through 10 awg come in stranded or solid copper. The stranded wire is more flexible, while the solid wire is easier to run / snake through tough areas.

More specifically, THHN wire is run through houses and buildings to light switches, electrical outlets and light fixtures. The smaller gauge sizes of THHN is most commonly sold in 500' spools which a lot of suppliers won't cut. WesBell Electronics will cut the #18 - #10 to 100' spools and cut the #8 - 1000 mcm per foot! That's right, you can buy 1 foot of wire if needed! WesBell understands that every application is different and doesn't want contractors to have to suffer excess copper wire. When adding that into the the resale price it could cost you the job! Buy exact lengths, get exact quotes and don't have any extra copper at the end of it! Copper has jumped back up to over .00/lb, so every foot of wire counts!

Romex Wire

Romex copper electrical wires and cables are made up of multiple THHN / THWN wires (conductors). Example; Romex 12/2 is 2 THHN wires and a bare uninsulated ground wire covered with an overall PVC jacket. This way electrical contractors only have to run one bulk wire instead of either running 3 separate wires or individually running each wire. Romex wire is ONLY used for indoor applications. It has NO protection against moisture, gas or solvents. It should NOT be used outdoors even if it's in cable tray.

UF-B Cable

UF-B (Underground Feeder) copper electrical wires and cables are a slight upgrade from Romex wiring. It has the same concept of THHN conductors wrapped with a jacket except it's a more complex jacket. The bonus to UF-B Cable is that it can go outdoors and even directly underground. There's no need for conduit or cable tray and the price difference isn't that significant. If you need the cable to go outdoors at all make sure you get UF-B instead of Romex because it's not worth the hassle of replacing the Romex down the road over something roughly 10-15% higher in cost.

Service Entrance Cable Type SE

Sometimes you will see an "R" (SER) or a "U" (SEU) after the Type SE. The R stands for round (more common) and the U stands for flat. Southwire Type SE electrical cable, service entrance cable is primarily used to convey power from the service drop to the meter base and from the meter base to the distribution panel board; however, the cable may be used in all applications where Type SE cable is permitted. SER may be used in wet or dry locations at temperatures not to exceed 90°C. Voltage rating is 600 volts. Southwire Type SE cable is constructed with sunlight resistant Type XHHW-2 conductors or Type THHN/THWN conductors.

Copper conductors are annealed (soft) copper. Cable assembly plus reinforcement tape are jacketed with sunlight resistant gray polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Available as 1 conductor with a concentric ground, 2 conductor with a round or concentric ground, or 3 conductor with a bare ground. SE cable is jacketed with gray sunlight resistant polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Fun facts on solar power include things such as the fact that, in a single hour, enough sunlight reaches the earth's surface to meet the entire world's energy needs for a full year. Imagine! That information comes from the American Solar Energy Society.

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Here are some more fun facts on solar power.

12 Fun Facts on Solar Power

* As early as 1921, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for experiments with solar power and photovoltaics. It was awarded to Albert Einstein.

* When silicon is taken from just one ton of sand, and used in photovoltaic solar power panels, that silicon can produce as much electricity as 500,000 tons of burning coal.

* In the U.S., there are more than 10,000 homes that get their energy entirely from solar power.

* Nearly 200 years ago, a British astronomer by the name of John Herschel cooked food with solar power during an journey to Africa.

* California opened its first large solar power plant in 1982.

* Solar power can cut water bills by more than 50 percent each year in a home where a solar model replaces the electric water heater.

* The price of photovoltaic (PV) solar power panels has dropped 200 percent over the last 30 years, according to the Department of Energy. Owners now pay between 10 and 40 cents per kilowatt-hour.

* A study by the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) showed that solar power conditions were close to perfect (99 percent) in San Francisco on June 14th, 2000. On that day, 100,000 customers in that area lost power. Solar power could have provided all they needed.

* Another USDOE study showed that the roofs of California's city and county buildings, if covered with solar PV panels, could generate 200 megawatts of clean electricity! Cover California's school roofs with solar power panels, and you add 1,500 megawatts more to the state's peak power supply.

* In California, covering every available commercial and industrial roof with solar power panels could generate all of the electricity needed in that state during the daytime.

* Germany is making the best use of solar power, even though its climate includes many cloudy days.

* It takes only about 8 minutes for solar energy to travel from the sun to the earth.

Suggestion for school teachers: Have a contest to see which group of students can unearth the most fun facts on solar power.

They are also a lot smaller so you can carry in one hand what you would have needed to roll along before. This allows you to move faster and get into smaller places where your normal welder would never have easily fit.

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The downsides are that inverter welders do this magic with more high tech electronic components than you find in conventional welders. This means that they cost a bit more for the same power, and need to be treated a bit more carefully since they will not be as rugged as the welder you are used to.

Finally, they use a lot less power so if power bills are an issue for your shop or manufacturing facility, just changing to inverter welders can save you a lot of money on power bills over time. They won't be right for every job, so perhaps the best combination is to keep your traditional welder and I'm sure you will find situations to use both. You can find them being sold at most any welding supply store or retailer.

The electrician can be employed as a solo staff or part of a team assigned to ensure that the power and electrical system is working perfectly and to troubleshoot whenever electrical-related problems occur. These types of jobs, for the electrician, lean toward installation and system set-up and may also include maintenance and repair.

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Some electrician jobs require a professional license as a prerequisite for application and promotion. There are differences in the electrician licensing requirements mandated by each state. The core requirement is a certification test that covers theories and regulations indicated in the National Electrical Code. The Code is updated every 3 years to incorporate new regulations passed during the previous timeframe.

Also emphasized in the exam are the state and local laws pertaining to the installation and maintenance of electrical and power systems in different practical applications. An applicant working to achieve a journeyman or master electrician credential needs to apply and pass these licensure examinations. Information about the journeyman and master electrician exams can be obtained from the local building department. The examinations are usually conducted in designated testing centers all over the country.

Before applying for licensure, a potential journeyman electrician has to complete an apprenticeship program by clocking in from 2000 to 8000 hours of on the job experience. The figures vary with each state and type of responsibilities. A general electrician is usually required to complete 8000 hours before signing up. Those who work as residential, safety and other specialized functions may require less hours.

Electrical contractors employing a staff of electricians for public projects require a separate license. Again, the set of rules about the licensure prerequisites vary from state to state, in some instances, the applicant may be required to seek master electrician certification.

After obtaining a professional license, the electrician has the responsibility to renew the license in accordance with state regulations. Some states require the licensee to submit proof of continuing education to indicate updated training in a particular electrical specialization.

A licensed electrician targeting admission into a company has an advantage over other candidates. A lot of electrician jobs are specialized; having a certification evidences a degree of mastery and skill over the discipline. The licensing requirement ensures that electricians working in the field are truly qualified to practice the profession.

How Do You Create Free Energy for Your Home?

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1. Harness Wind Power

You can build a wind turbine and let it collect free wind energy. To obtain electricity using this method, the turbine needs to turn with the energy of blowing wind. When the blades of the turbine rotate, it will spin a shaft that runs to the rotor of a generator inside.

This generator will rotate and create a direct current. Before this current is transferred into your house, it needs to be converted into an alternating current by an inverter since most home appliances run on AC.

2. Harness Solar Power

The sun is another source of free energy which you can harness by building solar power systems. This is usually in the form of solar panels that are installed on top of roofs to capture the sun's energy.

The semiconductors inside the solar panels will collect energy, break electrons and make them flow freely when sunlight touches the panels. The electrons are forced to flow in one direction by an electrical field in the panels, thus creating a direct current. Like the wind system, it also goes through an inverter to get converted into alternating current.

Thousands of people have already eliminated their own home electricity bills with the free energy system. They learned how to build it by downloading a step-by-step guide online. You can find out more about how to build this homemade power system at the website link below.

Most types of electronic devices will run at acceptable levels of performance on modified sine waves. Simple devices such as electric razors, cell phone chargers, and toasters will work with absolutely no problem on a modified AC signal. However, some high performance electronics such as certain laptops, computer monitors, and high end televisions may need a pure sine wave to operate at a stable and acceptable level.

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For example, high end electronics with screens will commonly experience flickering or not be able to turn on at all when powered by a modified sine wave inverter. These devices must use a pure AC source to function correctly. Unfortunately true sine wave power inverters are much more expensive than their modified counterparts.

There are several ways to find out if your electronic device needs a true wave. First, read the products manual to see the power specifications. If power source information is listed, it will have other metrics that will be useful to select one of the many power inverters for sale. Second, if the manual does not list the product's requirements, you can directly contact the manufacturer and ask. Usually they will be pretty helpful with giving you specifications if you explain why you need them. Sometimes, it is hard or otherwise impossible to find contact information for the manufacturer.

The last choice is to plug your device into a modified sine wave inverter to see if it functions. This can be a risky move if your device is not capable of running on this type of source. It is possible to damage electronics by doing such testing, so do this with the utmost caution. If all of the above discovery methods fail and you don't want to risk damage to the device, the best choice is to just go ahead and purchase a pure sine wave power inverter.

Basically, if all all else fails and you can cover the cost, a pure sine wave power inverter will work with every device.

If you want your panel to simply collect energy from the sun, you need a solar panel. These are made of cells and the power generated by them is measured in watts. If you purchase your panels, you will probably pay roughly .30 per watt. So for a 50 watt solar panel, your total cost will be about 5. Keep this in mind when assessing the cost and purchasing solar cells and panels. Be aware of the fact that a 50 watt panel won't power much. A total of six 80 watt panels can run a refrigerator, computer, 27 inch color tv, microwave, some lights and maybe even an air conditioner in the summer.

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What if you want to save some of the solar energy for use at night or on a cloudy day? You will need a storage device. As for many other familiar purposes, you will need a battery. A solar storage battery costs anywhere from about 0 to over 00.

The energy your solar panels will collect is in the form of direct current. If you want to power your household appliances and/or lights, you need to convert the direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). This is accomplished by an inverter. Sine wave inverters cause the least amount of electrical interference with radios, telephones and televisions and cost anywhere from 0 to over 00.

What if you collect and store more energy than you can use? Would you like to be able to sell any extra power you collect to your electric company? The electric company will take the extra power you generate and give you credit in return. That means, in winter or during very cloudy periods, you can get that energy back from the electric company. But here's the catch. To be able to get your extra power into the electric grid, you have to have a special kind of inverter called a synchronous solar power inverter or grid-tie inverter. Good ones are pricey at over 00.

So, there you have it. Solar panels, batteries, inverters and synchronous inverters. And installation. That is the real cost of a solar energy system. Some components are optional and money can be saved by eliminating those.

Of course, the benefits of solar energy are not all measured in dollars. But you can decrease the dollar cost in a very satisfying way. You can build small solar panels yourself.

In order to build the bicycle generator you will need the following items: bicycle, bicycle training stand, DC permanent magnet generator, and a DC to AC inverter. This will allow you to generate AC power with your bike generator but if you would like to store this power and power electronics that take more than the 150-300 watts an average person can generate on a bike then you'll need more. The additional items are: a charge controller, a 12V Deep Cycle battery.

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The setup is rather simple but first let me explain what each of the items is for. The bicycle is obvious. The training stand will allow you to raise the back wheel of the bicycle off the ground and supply a mount for the generator to attach to the wheel. A DC permanent magnet generator will attach directly to the wheel and as you pedal will generate electricity. The DC to AC inverter will change the power generated by the generator from DC to AC which is what household electronics use. These items alone will allow you to generate AC power as I said before. In addition to this the charge controller will protect your batteries from being over or undercharged and the 12V Deep Cycle battery will allow you to store the energy you have generated until you want to use it. Also, this battery or batteries will allow you to draw higher wattage than you can generate simply from pedaling.

Now for the actual setup. The bicycle needs to be placed into the training stand which should be straightforward. Next you'll need to mount the DC permanent magnet generator onto the training stand with the rotor resting against the bicycle wheel. The wires from the generator attach to the charge controller in order to protect the rest of the circuit. The charge controller connects to the 12V Deep Cycle battery for you to store your energy. Then the battery connects to the DC to AC inverter in order to convert to a usable power for your household electronics. The inverter will also have a standard plug which you can use to plug in whatever you want to power.

A power inverter works by converting the DC charge in a battery into AC energy that you can use for other applications. You'll be able to plug your electronic devices into a standard outlet, and a good power inverter will also feature a USB port for charging up your favorite gadgets and gizmos. The inverters are sold according to their wattage capacity and the larger the wattage the more items or larger sized items it can handle. To figure out your wattage needs you need only multiply your items' total combine amperage needs by 120. This gives you the overall watts your modified sine wave inverter will need.

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A power inverter is different from a pure sine converter because of the signal clarity it delivers. Using a modified inverter will create a less stable current that features spikes and dips in the signal. This can cause some sensitive equipment to work improperly or not at all, which is why those with very specific needs will likely want to consider a true sine wave unit. But a modified sine wave inverter is much cheaper than its counterpart and is usually all that most people require to run most of the devices they plan on using with it.

If you're looking for a way to add a radio to your campsite or keep the kids happy on a long drive, a power inverter is the certainly the best way to go about doing so. You'll be able to find a modified sine wave inverter with a wattage requirement of whatever you might require, and the smallest units are so portable and lightweight they can plug directly into your car's cigarette lighter. From one hundred watts to eight thousand, a power inverter is the best way to take electricity with you wherever you roam.