If you only camp in full hookup sites, why do you need a house battery? If the power goes out in the park, we have battery powered lanterns. The only reason I can think of, is to run the frig and maybe the furnace, but the power usually isn't out long enough to affect the frig and we do no cold weather camping. Your tow vehicle provides the power while towing for the running lights. A couple of things that might pop up would be if you needed to roll in the awing or slide. Anything else? What am I not thinking about?

Your lights and slide outs are run on 12V power, so is your propane detector and some other things. A good way to test whether you need one or not is to unhook your battery the next time you're at a full hook up park and see what stops working. Then decide if you want to eliminate the battery. My guess is you'll want a battery.

I'm not getting the reluctance to have a battery.Having shore power, doesn't mean you don't need a battery, you still need 12v to run the fridge.

So you're going down the highway and your hitch fails and your 5th wheel detaches from your truck. The breakaway switch tries to engage the trailer's brakes but you took out the battery. Now what?

You absolutely need a battery! For both the trailer brakes and smoke detectors for starters. Plus the long wire run from the alternator to the house w/o a battery may cause unacceptabe voltage variations etc. Why would you not have one?

Your converter will run all the 12 volt stuff in your RV with or without a battery. The ONLY negative side is the converter will be on 24/7, thinking your battery needs charging.

do you really need a battery? | Good Sam Community

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Sep 05, 2020
You absolutely need a battery! For both the trailer brakes and smoke detectors for starters. Plus the long wire run from the alternator to the house w/o a battery may cause unacceptabe voltage variations etc.

Why would you not have one?
azdryheat
Explorer
Sep 05, 2020
So you're going down the highway and your hitch fails and your 5th wheel detaches from your truck. The breakaway switch tries to engage the trailer's brakes but you took out the battery. Now what?
bukhrn
Explorer III
Sep 05, 2020
I'm not getting the reluctance to have a battery.
Having shore power, doesn't mean you don't need a battery, you still need 12v to run the fridge.
RobWNY
Explorer
Sep 05, 2020
Your lights and slide outs are run on 12V power, so is your propane detector and some other things. A good way to test whether you need one or not is to unhook your battery the next time you're at a full hook up park and see what stops working. Then decide if you want to eliminate the battery. My guess is you'll want a battery.

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do you really need a battery?

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