2010 Rockwood 1640 electrical panel

[DaveN.SoCal]

Hey guys I just finished my second trial run on the used rockwood 1640 I purchased. I'm a little confused

[pacin]

about what

[DaveN.SoCal]

Sorry I sent before I was done writing.
Anyhow I'm confused when to use which power source.
I have an exterior control panel with controls for propane, 120v, and 12v.
Inside the camper I have a fridge with no inside controls.
A sink with a 10g tank which can run using the tank or from hook ups.
A furnace.
A stove which runs on propane.
A couple of lights on the ceiling.
Electrical outlets inside the camper.

Does the control panel outside the camper control the whole camper, or just the fridge?

[bikendan]

Just the fridge.
Use the 120AC when you have hookups.
use the propane when dry camping or boondocking.
use the 12vDC while traveling.

[DaveN.SoCal]

So no problem leaving the battery charging the fridge while driving.
Does the trailer battery get charged by the car battery while driving?
I have a 7pin hook up on my truck and trailer.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by DaveN.SoCal

So no problem leaving the battery charging the fridge while driving.
Does the trailer battery get charged by the car battery while driving?
I have a 7pin hook up on my truck and trailer.

That battery doesn't "charge" the fridge, it runs the cooling process.
most tow vehicle will only trickle charge the battery while traveling and if you run the fridge on 12vDC, your vehicle will probably only be to stay with the drain.

[f5moab]

Check your vehicle's owner manuals in regard go the charging of the batteries.

Some models come from the factory without the charge wire hooked up at the fuse panel (under the hood); mine didn't and the dealer did not hook up even though they said they did (and I didn't check) so a big surprise when I got to Glacier. (Two days of thinking I was running the fridge but the fridge was draining the batteries.)

Also, on GM trucks, they advise to run with the lights on or in tow haul mode. (Daylight running lamps do not count.)

Reason is the computer looks at the vehicle's battery state of charge, ONLY, and if it is fully charged it will drop the charge rate to just keep the vehicle running. If the lights are on, the computer will keep the generator at a higher charge rate, thus supplying a higher charge rate to the trailer's battery(ies).
Tow haul does the same thing; however, tow haul is not recommended for a small trailer.