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Topic: do ceiling lights run on DV or AC when plugged into shore power? (Read 154 times) previous topic - next topic
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do ceiling lights run on DV or AC when plugged into shore power?
When plugged into shore power, are the ceiling lights running on DC or AC power? I saw something on youtube that says they always run on DC power. However, was curious if that's the case, then how do they get their power? Are the house batteries constantly being charged to run them?
1989 TK
Re: do ceiling lights run on DV or AC when plugged into shore power?
Reply #1 –
The lights are all 12VDC, connected to your house batteries.  When on shore power your converter takes the 120VAC and converts it to 12VDC to charge the house batteries and feed devices on the 12V system.  When not on shore power, the 12 Volt system will draw from your batteries, unless you have enough solar to satisfy the load.

Art
Art and Barbara
Settled in Atterdag Village of Solvang
2015-2022 fulltime in a 2016 Tiffin Allegro Bus 37AP
2002-2015 2002 LD MB
Art's blog
Re: do ceiling lights run on DV or AC when plugged into shore power?
Reply #2 –
Jacob to put what Art said in other words: In your power center is a charger/converter (all LDS come with one).

Your lights (and some other appliances like your water pump) always run on 12v DC.

When you are on shore power the charger/converter will convert from 120v to 12v to run those devices even if you don't have a good battery installed. The charger/converter also charges batteries when you are on shore power. Things alao work this way if you are running the generator.

When you are not on shore power (or running the generator) the dc12v devices run off the battery.

A surprise to us was that the water heater and refrigerator also use 12v for their circuit boards, even though their main energy source is propane (or for the fridge it could be using primarily 120v electricity).

Jane

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Jane & Scott
Currently have a 1989 TK  LD we did a lot of upgrades on.
Bigfoot 25RQ Twin on order with early summer 2024 ETA

Our smartphone autocorrects into very poor English.
 We disclaim the illusion of ignorance this creates as we have enough ignorance we rightly claim.
Re: do ceiling lights run on DV or AC when plugged into shore power?
Reply #3 –
"...are the ceiling lights running on DC or AC power?"

Fluorescent tubes need Alternating Current (AC) to operate regardless of the source. The OEM LD ceiling lights are designed to operate that way. The fixture is wired into DC power and the internal ballast changes it to AC to operate the bulbs.

However, if you convert the fluorescent fixtures to LED you will need to rewire them, removing the internal ballast (or isolating it but leaving it in place) and connect the negative wire to one end of the new tubes and the positive wire to the other end because LEDs must utilize Direct Current (DC) to operate.   ::)
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
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