Popular RV Terms & Definitions

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Learning the most popular RV Terms & Definitions is a very good idea if you want to buy or use an RV in the near future. That being said, some definitions are harder than others, so understanding all of those can be a very good idea. Here are some of the things that you need to keep in mind.

4 Pin Electrical Connector

This connector is offering power from the vehicle to the RV, but it only covers the lights, and nothing more. The 7 Pin Electrical Connector gives power for the brakes as well.

A/C

A/C is short for air conditioning

Aluminum Exterior Sidewalls

These are related to the RV construction. Most of the time the RV will have wooden frames with baten insulation and an aluminum exterior.

Auxiliary Battery

If you have 12 volt equipment you will need an additional battery, so try to keep that in mind,

Back-up monitor

The Back-up monitor is needed because it allows you to monitor the RV from the back. You can see what’s on the back of your vehicle quickly and without worries.

Black Water Capacity

The Black Water Capacity is focused on just how much waste water from the toilet can the blackwater tank will be able to hold.

Brake Controller

As the name suggests, this is a device that will help you brake both the trailer and the tow vehicle at the same time without a problem.

Breakaway Switch

In case the trailer is separated from the vehicle, the Breakaway Switch will help activate the trailer brakes quickly and with great results.

BTU – British Thermal Unit

Your furnace and air conditioning unit will have BTU ratings, this covers just how much heat is needed to raise the temperature with 1 degree Fahrenheit, so this is an extremely important thing to keep in mind.

CCC – Cargo Carrying Capacity

You need to know the CCC because this shows how many items and how much weight will the RV be able to carry to begin with.

Chassis Battery

This battery is operating all the 12 volt components on the drive train, so it’s extremely important to think about this as it offers all the information that you need here.

Cockpit

The Cockpit is that place in the vehicle where you can find the driver and co-pilot seats.

Converter

Converters are units that convert the 120 volt AC power to the 12 volt DC power, then you can use this to charge the 12 volt battery naturally and as quickly as possible.

Diesel Puller – FRED

In this case the RV engine is located in the front. This basically shows you have a front engine design. In case the engine is on the back, then that will be the Diesel Pusher.

Dry Weight

The Dry Weight of your RV is the overall weight of the RV without adding in passengers, supplies, fuel and water. Just the vehicle weight as soon as it gets out of the factory basically.

DSI Ignition – Direct Spark Ignition

The method used to ignore the main burner on propane.

Ducted A/C

In the case of Ducted A/C, your AC is supplied via ducts and vents. If you think about Ducted Heat, then this is also delivered the same way.

Dump Station

Dump Stations are those concrete pads with tanks under the ground where you are able to dump the gray and black water.

Enclosed/Sealed Underbelly

When you hear this, it’s related to the bottom surface of the RV being closed shut. This helps against weather, and you actually need a reliable system like this to protect your RV underbelly against any water coming in.

Free Standing Dinette

Some RVs have a Free Standing Dinette, dining area with chairs and a table.

Front Galley

The Front Galley is when you have a kitchen in front of the RV. The front living is when you have a living room in the front and obviously the front sleeping is when you have a master bedroom in the front.

Fuel type

Fuel types differ based on the vehicle you purchased. Usually it’s either diesel or gas, depending on the situation.

Galley

The Galley is actually the kitchen in your Galley, so it’s important to know this distinction as it makes it quite unique and different.

GAWR – Gross Axle Weight Rating

The GAWR – Gross Axle Weight Rating is the maximum weight allowed per axle, here you will add the tire weight, brakes, wheels and the axle on its own. The GCWR – Gross Combination Weight Rating is adding in the total allowable weight for the tow vehicle, trailer, cargo, occupants, fluid and so on.

Generator

Generators are offering power to your RV. The Generator usually offers 120V AC power to the RV. There are multiple models, some run on propane, others on diesel and some on gas.

Holding Tanks

Holding Tanks are tanks that you can use for black water, gray water or fresh water.

House Battery

The House Battery is actually the battery that you will add to the RV. This is designed to power the RV basically, so it needs to be powerful but also compatible with the RV unit to begin with, just to be safe.

King Pin Weight

The King Pin Weight is that amount of weight that presses down on the 5th wheel of your tow vehicle. It can be up to 25% of the GVW.

Laminated Walls

Laminated Walls are referring to the outside wall construction of the RV. The Laminated Walls are created out of Styrofoam, aluminum frame, fiberglass sheeting with a bit of gel coating.

Leveling Jacks

The Leveling Jacks are designed to ensure that your RV is sitting evenly on the ground.

RV Solar

Solar power for your recreational vehicle so you can enjoy using power on the road when there is no hook ups or power to plug into. Looking for a RV Solar Installation company? RVMasterTechs can help.

As you can see, there are tons of RV terms that you can learn. Some are obvious, others less so. That’s why you need to make sure that you understand all the RV terms before you start using them. It really helps a lot and it just makes the process simpler and more convenient than you might imagine!

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