Tv and coffee pot

[SunSport]

Do I need to be plugged in to operate this items. Just bought a used motorhome. Dont they operate off the batteries. Yes We are newbies. Please dont laugh!

[Chuck v]

SunSport,

In general the appliances listed on page 15 of the very generic "motorized owners manual" from Gulf Stream need to have 110 volt AC power to operate.

If you don't yet have this minimalistic manual it can be downloaded in PDF form at http://www.gulfstreamcoach.com/download ... Manual.pdf (http://www.gulfstreamcoach.com/downloads/MotorizedOwnersManual.pdf)
Although it is very non-specific regarding any particular model of moterhome, it still contains useful information...

110 volt appliances can be operated from shore power, your generator, and in the case of small appliances from the inverter if you have one.

My coach is substantially different from yours, and it has multiple TVs only one of which can operate from the house batteries.

A 10-cup domestic coffee maker is an electrical heating appliance that can consume from 1000 to 1500 watts and only operates on110 volt AC supply. A compact coffee maker (4-cup) is about half that wattage but still runs on AC.

Hope this helps...

Chuck

[03heritagerider]

First - nobody is laughing. We all asked these questions when we were new. This is the place to ask - ANYTHING!

Almost all electrical appliances can be run on (a) shore power(plugged in), (b) inverter (batteries), or (c) generator power.

Regarding using the inverter/battery as your power source:

Here's a good rule of thumb: Anything that produces heat needs much more power - microwaves, hair dryers, coffee makers, electric space heaters, electic blankets, etc. They will run your batteries down very quickly through the inverter. The water heater and refrigerator will be, or should be, running on propane.

Other things like a light, TV, or radio can run for longer periods.

When dry camping(camping without hook-ups), you will learn what drains your batteries and how fast. If you are in a location where operating a generator is not a problem, then you can run it when you need power. In many dry camping areas, like BLM areas, generators are not allowed between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Your furnace, is the most important thing to guage. In my rig, during the winter in the Arizona desert, around 10 P.M., I can have a light on, watch TV for about an hour, have the furnace on a moderate setting, and the batteries will make it to morning. At that point, I must run the generator to recharge. Keep in mind that the batteries run the furnace fan. The heat is produced by the propane burners. (If your rig has a heat pump, it is an electrical appliance and will run down the batteries very quickly, if it operates at all on battery power. I do not have a heat pump, so I can not give reliable info on their operation.)

A lot depends on what you are using and how new your coach batteries are.

Test your capacity or battery life at home before you hit the road.

Good luck!

[RayChez1]

First question would be: Do you have an inverter/charger in the Sunsport? If the answer is NO, then you have to be connected to shore power to operate appliances such as a coffee maker. I have a 3K watt inverter on mine and can do it, but it sure swollows them amps down and if you are not careful you could run your house batteries down.