What is a “converter”?

[HomeSlice]

I see it referenced a lot on RV sites and groups, in the context of an electrical system component. I have no idea what it refers to, however.

Is this a battery charger, inverter, charge controller, or something else?

[mkirsch]

valhalla360 wrote:
It's a battery charger. Never made sense why RVs use a different name.

Yes, you can draw off it directly but you can do that with a battery charger too.

That is not entirely correct. You cannot (safely) draw directly off of a battery charger because it is not regulated. A battery charger's output varies depending on load. It can start out at 19V or higher with a very light load (or on the high-Amp charge setting) and drop to below 11V with a heavy load.

IF what you are trying to run isn't terribly voltage-sensitive, then sure. However sensitive electronic devices looking for a 12V input are going to have problems on raw 19V+ from a battery charger.

A converter has a regulated voltage output. It is called a converter because it CONVERTS 120VAC to 12VDC, the opposite of an inverter which INVERTS 12VDC into 120VAC. Not all converters are battery chargers, as pointed out above.

[valhalla360]

It's a battery charger. Never made sense why RVs use a different name.

Yes, you can draw off it directly but you can do that with a battery charger too.

Newer/bigger RVs often upgrade to a combined inverter/charger, which can also take the 12vDC battery power and output 120vAC if not on shore power.

[wnjj]

CA Traveler wrote:
In RV speak converter and battery charger are the same.

Not always. Two different tent trailers I've been around in the past have had a converter that only provided 12V for accessories and did not charge the battery. They had a switch to pick battery or converter for the 12V supply source.

It wouldn't surprise me if older model truck campers were the same way.

[CA_Traveler]

In RV speak converter and battery charger are the same.

[HomeSlice]

Perfect, thanks

[toedtoes]

A converter converts 110/120v to 12v. It allows you to operate the 12v systems in the RV, such as lights, water pump, etc, while connected to shore power. Most all RVs come with a converter. It is usually a combination converter/charger so it can charge your batteries while hooked up to shore power.

An inverter inverts power from 12v to 110/120v. Allowing you to operate household electronics while NOT plugged into shore power. Very few RVs come standard with an inverter.