RV glossary · Electrical & power
Converter
Also called: Converter/charger
Changes 120-volt AC power from shore power or a generator into 12-volt DC to run lights, pumps and fans and charge the house batteries.
Most of an RV’s systems run on 12-volt DC power: lights, the water pump, vent fans, the furnace blower and control boards. When you’re plugged in or running a generator, the converter supplies that 12-volt power and charges the batteries.
Older converters may charge slowly or not fully, and lithium batteries need a converter or charger with a lithium charging profile. Some RVs combine the converter and inverter into a single inverter/charger.