RV Converter & Inverter Repair in Palm City

They do opposite jobs. A converter takes 120V AC shore power and converts it to 12V DC to run your lights, fans, and water pump while also charging your batteries. An inverter does the reverse: it takes 12V DC battery power and creates 120V AC so you can run outlets, TVs, and small appliances when you're not plugged in. Some RVs have both, some only have a converter.

The classic symptom is shore power working fine at your outlets but your 12V systems slowly getting weaker. Lights dim over a few days, the water pump gets sluggish, and eventually your batteries go dead even though you've been plugged in the whole time. Your converter should be putting out 13.2-14.4 volts to charge the batteries. If it's below 13 volts, it's failing.

Absolutely. Older single-stage converters just push a constant voltage, which slowly kills batteries over time. A multi-stage converter, like Progressive Dynamics' Inteli-Power series, adjusts the charge rate based on what the batteries actually need: bulk, absorption, and float stages. This extends battery life significantly. Upgrade cost is typically $275-500 installed.

A light hum under load is normal for most inverters. A loud buzzing or high-pitched whine usually means the inverter is working too hard, overheating, or has a failing internal component. It could also indicate low battery voltage forcing the inverter to work harder to maintain output. We'll check the battery voltage, load draw, and inverter condition to figure out the cause.

It depends on what you want to run off battery power. A 1,000-watt inverter handles a TV, laptop chargers, and phone chargers. A 2,000-watt unit can run a microwave or small coffee maker. If you want to run a rooftop AC unit, you'll need 3,000 watts or more. We look at your actual equipment and camping habits to recommend the right size without oversizing and wasting money.

A straightforward converter replacement takes about 2-3 hours. We disconnect the old unit, remove it, mount the new one, reconnect all the wiring, and then test the output under load. Inverter installations can take 3-5 hours because they require heavier gauge wiring from the battery bank and sometimes a dedicated breaker in the panel.