Converter (AC to DC)

A converter is the device that turns 120 V AC shore power (or generator power) into 12 V DC for the RV's house electrical system: lights, water pump, vent fans, and simultaneous charging of the 12 V house batteries. Not to be confused with an inverter, which does the opposite (DC → AC).

Typical RV converter output: 30–80 A at 12 V (360–960 W). Cheap units hold a fixed 13.6 V; "smart" units (WFCO, Progressive Dynamics, Power Max) provide a 3-stage bulk/absorb/float charge profile plus an equalize mode. With LiFePO4 batteries, most builders replace the stock converter with a DC-DC charger plus inverter-charger combo. A single device that does both DC↔AC and battery charging is called an inverter charger.