Getting power to my overhead compartment.

[kyidletime]

Hi again, still tinkering with my newly acquired 1995 Chinook Concourse. I would like to add a receptacle in the overhead compartment to power the tv and other components. Is there any easy way to pick up the electrical system in that area? The guy that I purchased my rv from said something about needing a converter. There is a pair of 12ga wires, orange and white, connected to a plug that is not connected to anything, would it have been connected to a converter that would provide my power to the compartment. If I do need a converter, any tips on what I need? Could it possibly be an "inverter" that I need?
By the way my email address is kyidletimeusa@hotmail.com if anyone would like to contact me.

Thanks again, Alan

[Blue~Go]

Hi again, still tinkering with my newly acquired 1995 Chinook Concourse. I would like to add a receptacle in the overhead compartment to power the tv and other components. Is there any easy way to pick up the electrical system in that area?

Yes, and it should be relatively easy. But, are you looking for 12 volt DC power or 110 AC power?

The guy that I purchased my rv from said something about needing a converter.

I am not sure what he means, but for starters there are two systems in the rig, AC/110 and DC/12.
You don't need a "converter" for either of these, necessarily, but let's find out what you are asking about before going into detail.

I've just been deep into all the wiring in my rig (have cabinets down, pillars out, etc.), both AC and DC, so I have information - just let me know what you are trying to do.

There is a pair of 12ga wires, orange and white, connected to a plug that is not connected to anything,

Presuming your rig is wired similarly to later ones (mine is a '99), the orange would be a 12 gauge wire used to power the TV in the driver's side overcab. The white would be the negative wire. These are part of the 12-volt system.

Can you explain what you would like to do/power, and we can go from there?

BG

[kyidletime]

The previous owner powered the tv and other components with an extension cord from a receptacle on one of the other cabinets. I want to be able to power them from inside of the overhead that they are in. I'm new to all of this so I'm not sure how the electrical setup or conversion works,

[kyidletime]

what I would like to do is to have them powered from either an outside ac circuit, like my home, or by the generator.

[Blue~Go]

Hi there,

From what you have written, it sounds like the TV you have now is a 110 volt TV. In other words, it runs from 110 volt, AC, "household" electricity. I think the original TV in the Chinook ran on 12-volt DC electricity. This explains the comments about the "converter." Edited to add: Another thought is if the TV is more than around 5 years old, it may be analog, and may thus need a converter to receive today's digital broadcasts - this is different from the electrical power, and seems less likely as why would he not have left it in place. So he probably meant an inverter.

So the short story is that your current TV is (very likely) an AC TV, and thus you need to plug it in to an AC outlet. To have power in your AC outlet, you need to either run the generator (creates AC power), plug in to "shore power" via the shore power cord, or run an inverter (not a converter). An inverter takes DC power and turns it into AC power (albeit inefficiently, so it's not something to strive for unless you need it). (Reason I say that is you then need the DC capacity - and recharging capacity - to power the inverter via DC, which you may not have in a stock rig; and if you are plugged in that is all unnecessary.)

The orange and white wires are DC wires, so they won't power your current TV.

On my rig there is an AC outlet on the other side, where the VCR was. You could plug it in there. However the AC outlets won't be "live" unless one of the three conditions above are met.

(You could also wire an AC outlet in the TV compartment without too much trouble, but let's not go there yet.)

I'd be happy to get into it further, but first would like to ask you this:

1) What is your typical use of the rig? Plugged in? Boondocking?

2) If you want to use the TV away from shore power plug-in, and presuming you don't want to run the generator the whole time, then (if it were me) the next step would be to assess your DC power system, see what your capacities are vs. your needs, etc.

If you typically plug in, then running an AC TV is no biggie, and it's just a matter of either running an extension cord to the nearest AC outlet, or putting a new outlet in the TV area. The outlets Chinook used are still available and pretty easy to wire (I just removed a couple, moved a couple, and added a couple). You could come over from the VCR area (if you have one there - it would be inside the cupboard on the "back" of the spine that runs between the VCR area and the central cabinet door), or from the forward end of the cabinet over the couch. Those are both "end of the line" outlets that you could add one more to.

BG

[kyidletime]

Thanks for you thoughts and information. Actually, I'm too new to owning an RV to know for sure how I will be using it. Right now I have it plugged in to my house, and have tinkering, getting it ready to make a short run probably down to the Gatlinburg, Tn area. You are correct in thinking that my tv and dvr are ac powered. I would like to be able to operate them from shore power, and maybe occasionally from my generator. I do have an inverter available and though about connecting it to provide power to my tv and dvr. My Chinook does have a vcr so I will see if I can pick up power there. Like I said, I know just enough on electricity to be dangerous.
Thank you for what you have already told me.

[Blue~Go]

No worries on not being an expert. It can be confusing!

Basically the typical RV has multiple systems, and multiple ways to run those systems. So there's a lot to it. This applies to more than just power too. Water can come from onboard tank, from "city water," etc.

Let me know if this is too easy, too boring, or too complicated, but....

Basically the typical "native" power of a US RV is 12 volt DC power. You have to get the power, (usually) store the power, use the power, and replace the power. This is fairly easy if you are either driving a lot or plugged in to shore power. If you are "off the grid" and not driving a lot, then you have to do it some other way. Typically either the generator (but that's not something most people can live with for long term daily use - usually more supplemental), or solar panels.

So for DC power, you can "get it" from shore power (via charger, which some people call a converter), from the generator (via the charger again), from the alternator when driving, or from solar panels.

You can store it in a battery bank (house batteries).

You distribute it via the DC wiring in the coach.

You put it back in the same ways you "get it" above.

Most RV's as purchased are not really set up for "off grid" usage, but rather for being plugged in or driving, with brief periods off grid. Setting it up well for off grid is a bit of work and money, so no need if you aren't going to use it that way. I boondock almost exclusively, so I have set up my rig that way.

Then there is 110 volt power, which is not something you can really "store" aboard. You can get it from shore power (easy), generator (easy but loud, and it stops working when you turn off the generator vs. being stored in batteries like DC power), or inverter (but that's coming from DC batteries, so no free lunch there).

I can see your plan since the rig is new to you. Might as well use it for awhile to see how you want to use it longer term before committing to any big projects.

You may just want to use a power strip from the VCR outlet if you have one. No problem running the AC TV off shorepower - those outlets will be activated "for free" when you are plugged in (and when running generator). An inverter would be extra steps for no reason when you are plugged in. No need to involve the DC system.

Exciting times just getting going in a new rig!

[kyidletime]

Thank you again for your thoughts and for the useful information. You're probably right, I need to get a little experience RV'ing to figure out how I will be using my Chinook. For the time being it's most likely that my boondocking will be limited to Walmart parking lots for overnight stays. I'm looking forward to making my first little jaunt,

[Blue~Go]

For the time being it's most likely that my boondocking will be limited to Walmart parking lots for overnight stays. I'm looking forward to making my first little jaunt,

Excellent. It's not a primo spot in a National Park, but on the other hand it's kind of fun to be sitting comfortably in your cozy little "house" knowing that just outside is a mundane parking lot

The more you know about how you specifically like to use the rig, the better you can target your upgrades to accomplish it. (And of course like in boats or other things, the more you want to be able to do "everything," the slightly less you can target to perfection in one area.)

Be fun to hear how your first jaunt goes!

[kyidletime]

Thanks again for your help. I do like the idea of boondocking in a remote area, but I too would hate to ruin the peace and quiet of a pristine location by running a generator. I know from what you have said that you have your rig set up to be off the grid and sans generator, and would like to know what you have done to accomplish this. You have touched upon it, but when you have time, would like to hear more.
Oh, and by the way, my vcr is a 12volt dc model. I plan to get rid of it and modify the opening to mount my dvd player.