If you’re the owner of an RV, then alongside making sure that you’re regularly carrying out maintenance checks and keeping your RV’s electrical system in tip-top condition, one of the biggest issues that you might face is whether or not you should keep your inverter turned on or not.
Generally speaking, even though it is generally considered that you should keep your inverter turned off whenever you don’t need it, there are some instances where keeping an inverter on can be a good thing - and this is where we come in to lend a helping hand.
Below, we’re going to be talking you through some of the main instances in which you should consider keeping your inverter turned on all the time, as well as some reasons why you should consider keeping your inverter turned off whenever you don’t need it.
So, without further ado, keep reading to learn a little more about RV inverters, and whether or not they should be left on or not.
Why Should You Leave Your Inverter On?
There are a variety of reasons why you may wish to leave your inverter turned on, and it’s important to be aware of them so that you aren’t using up energy in your RV unnecessarily.
Below, let’s take a look at them:
To Keep The AC Running
One of the main reasons you may find yourself leaving your inverter running in your RV is simply due to the fact that you want to run your AC and stay cool While this may not be necessary while you are driving your RV, you may find that it is necessary to leave your inverter turned on while you are stationary so that you and your family can stay cool and comfortable inside the RV.
If You’re Experiencing A Power Outage
Another reason why it might be a good idea to keep your inverter running is if you are currently experiencing (or planning on experiencing) a power outage or loss of access from the shore power.
By keeping your inverter up and running during this time, it will ensure that you’re able to keep all of your appliances on.
Similarly, it may also be a good idea to keep your inverter turned on if you are planning on leaving your campsite and disconnecting from the shore power.
By keeping your inverter turned on during this transition, it will ensure that your appliances stay turned on and you won’t have to deal with any disconnection.
To Charge Your Electrical Devices While On The Road
Even though the main shore power will be able to fuel all of your appliances and electrical devices while at the campsite or RV park, keeping your inverter turned on while you’re actually traveling will ensure that you’re able to keep all of your electrical devices charged up, such as your cell phone.
If Your Inverter Is A Dual-Unit Design
If you happen to have an inverter that consists of a dual-unit design (which means that it consists of both an inverter and converter) then you’re going to want to make sure that your leaving your inverter turned on at all times, otherwise, your converter won’t be able to serve its purpose and keep house batteries charged up.
To Ensure That You Don’t Lose Any Settings On Your Appliances
Even though most devices are built to retain their manual settings in the event of a power shortage, some appliances such as alarm clocks and microwave ovens can sometimes be reset if they suddenly get cut off from power.
For this reason, by keeping your inverter switched on and running at all times, you will help to ensure that none of your appliances get reset to factory settings.
Why Should You Leave Your Inverter Off?
Even though there are a variety of reasons why it can sometimes be a good idea to keep your inverter running, there are also some reasons why it might be a better choice to keep it switched off. Let’s take a look at them below:
If The Manufacturers Recommend That You Do So
While some inverters are designed to be left on, there are some inverters that are specifically designed to be turned off when they’re not in use.
For this reason, leaving an inverter on if it’s not supposed to be might cause your inverter to become damaged or to stop working properly.
In order to double-check whether or not your inverter should be turned off when not in use, then we recommend that you refer to your owner’s manual (which would have come in the box upon purchasing) in order to determine whether or not you should leave it off.
To Reduce The Chances Of Your RV’s Battery Becoming Drained
As we’re sure you might already be aware, inverters eat a lot of power, which means that you might be at risk of your RV’s battery becoming drained and flat.
On average, an inverter usually requires at least ten times as much battery amperage than other types of appliances, which can be that if you leave it on for prolonged periods of time - there’s a strong chance that your RV is going to become flat.
To Extend The Life Of Your Inverter
Another big reason why you should consider keeping your inverter turned off when it is not needed is so that you can prolong the life of your inverter.
If you make sure that you turn your inverter off whenever you do not need it, you’ll not only be helping to increase the lifespan of your inverter, but you will also be able to avoid general wear and tear that might come along with leaving your inverter on continuously.
Instead, you might want to consider running a generator whenever you need to keep your AC running or to charge up your appliances while on the road, as a generator uses far less energy than an inverter and will help to keep your inverter in tip-top condition.
Jeremiah Pike
I'm an environment and energy blogger who teaches outdoor and energy enthusiasts how to be better informed when it comes to purchasing or maintaining a generator, solar panel system, or anything else related to your energy needs.