Hello, I have recently purchased a fixer-upper motorhome (major project, basically torn apart inside, had to rebuild everything) and am nearing completion on the electrical stage. It came with a power distribution box with breakers and fuses. Both the 12VDC and 120VAC circuits connect here. I am just wondering... what is the giant transformer for? It's on the bottom in the attached picture. Also there are what look like resistors near it. Can someone explain if this is for the 120v system and how it affects it? Thanks in advance.

The transformer makes 12V to power those types of items in the RV and charge the battery.BTW, you need to limit your pics to 640X480.Cheers,scott

Thanks Scott, and sorry about the picture size... I scaled it down a bit.I am thinking of wiring it up differently than it came originally. Is the transformer necessary if I just use a battery array instead? I'm trying to do away with a lot of old rusty obsolete stuff that came with the RV. I replaced all the lights with LEDs, got rid of 12v fridge, etc. The power demands should be much lower than the original 1983 equipment that was installed in it. I was thinking about just letting the batteries get charged with the alternator, solar panels, and/or a more modern power converter when hooked up to grid or generator to eliminate the bulky stock power box. I totally redesigned the interior and would like a nice compact, lighter distribution box to accommodate it

I would replace the whole box.http://www.bestconverter.com/PD4045-45-Amp-Inteli-Power-Mighty-Mini-Power-Center

Nice, thanks for the link. Yeah I like that box. The one I pulled out is really old, bulky, rusty, and weighs like 30 pounds

time2roll wrote:I would replace the whole box.http://www.bestconverter.com/PD4045-45-Amp-Inteli-Power-Mighty-Mini-Power-CenterX2!The reason to replace is the one you have is a much older technology charging system. In RVs that is called a "converter" but it is combined with 120V breakers on one side and 12V fuses on the other.120V and 12V sides are separated for safety.It is basically like the old school portable battery charger your Dad or Granddad would have used.It is unregulated and requires a battery to be connected to filter and regulate the output voltage.In addition, the output voltage tends to be a bit on the high side and will boil your battery dry.New converters are multi stage which helps to reduce water usage of the battery, much kinder way to take care of your battery!

Question about electrical box inside project RV

14 Replies

bmw1999m3
Explorer
Mar 15, 2018
Nice, thanks for the link. Yeah I like that box. The one I pulled out is really old, bulky, rusty, and weighs like 30 pounds
time2roll
Nomad
Mar 15, 2018
I would replace the whole box.

http://www.bestconverter.com/PD4045-45-Amp-Inteli-Power-Mighty-Mini-Power-Center
bmw1999m3
Explorer
Mar 15, 2018
Thanks Scott, and sorry about the picture size... I scaled it down a bit.

I am thinking of wiring it up differently than it came originally. Is the transformer necessary if I just use a battery array instead? I'm trying to do away with a lot of old rusty obsolete stuff that came with the RV. I replaced all the lights with LEDs, got rid of 12v fridge, etc. The power demands should be much lower than the original 1983 equipment that was installed in it. I was thinking about just letting the batteries get charged with the alternator, solar panels, and/or a more modern power converter when hooked up to grid or generator to eliminate the bulky stock power box. I totally redesigned the interior and would like a nice compact, lighter distribution box to accommodate it
ScottG
Nomad
Mar 15, 2018
The transformer makes 12V to power those types of items in the RV and charge the battery.
BTW, you need to limit your pics to 640X480.

Cheers,
scott

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Question about electrical box inside project RV

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