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RvRVPowerFit

Safety

Safety: what RVPowerFit does and doesn't do

Short version: RVPowerFit compares published specifications and does energy arithmetic. It doesn't design, wire, or approve electrical systems. Lithium batteries, chargers, inverters, and the cables between them can cause fires, burns, and equipment damage if they are chosen, wired, fused, or charged incorrectly. Have a qualified RV electrician or installer design or check any change to your RV's electrical system, and follow each manufacturer's installation manual.

What our verdicts mean

  • "Spec-compatible" means the numbers the manufacturers publish line up. For example, a converter's published lithium charge voltage sits inside a battery maker's published charge range, or an inverter's maximum battery current is below a battery's published continuous-discharge limit. It doesn't mean a manufacturer has approved the combination, that it is safe in your rig, or that it will work with your wiring.
  • "Check with the maker" means a needed number isn't published, or the published numbers are ambiguous. Ask both manufacturers before buying.
  • "Not spec-compatible" means the published numbers conflict. Don't use that combination without the manufacturers' written guidance.
  • We have not tested any product. Every number is labeled as a manufacturer spec, our calculation from those specs (formula shown on the methodology page), or a third-party test we cite with its date and method.

What we never give

  • No wire-gauge, cable-length, fuse, breaker, or busbar sizing of our own. Where a manufacturer publishes a fuse or cable specification, we quote it word for word with a link to the source document and the date we read it. Use the manufacturer's current manual, not our copy.
  • No wiring diagrams or step-by-step installation instructions.
  • No alternator-charging how-to. If you want to charge a house battery from the tow vehicle or engine, use a DC-DC charger and follow the DC-DC charger maker's and the battery maker's instructions. We don't cover charging lithium directly through a 7-pin connector, isolators, or relays.
  • No advice on bypassing or modifying a battery's BMS, building packs from cells, or mixing battery models or ages in one bank.
  • 12 V systems only (for now). We don't cover 24 V or 48 V systems or conversions.

Lithium-specific risks we flag (from manufacturer documents)

  • Cold charging: most LiFePO4 batteries must not be charged below a minimum temperature that each maker publishes. Some batteries include heaters; many don't. The planner flags any charge source that could run below the published limit.
  • Charge voltage and profile: charging lithium with a lead-acid profile, or at voltages outside the maker's range, can damage the battery or trip its protection. The planner compares published voltages; it can't see your charger's actual settings.
  • Current limits: an inverter or charger that asks for more current than the battery's BMS allows can trip the BMS or overheat connections. Published continuous and peak limits are shown side by side.
  • Combined charging: solar, DC-DC, and shore charging running at the same time can exceed a battery's published maximum charge current.

Standards (named, not paraphrased)

RV electrical work in the US is covered by standards that include NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code), Article 551, and NFPA 1192 (Standard on Recreational Vehicles). These documents are maintained by their publishers and change over time. We don't summarize their requirements. A qualified installer will know which apply to your rig.

If something seems wrong

If a battery is hot, swelling, smells, hisses, or smokes, disconnect loads and chargers only if it's safe to do so, move people away, and call emergency services. Then contact the battery maker.

Found an error in our data or wording? Tell us on the corrections page. We fix sourced errors and note each fix in the changelog.