Outlets & Receptacles

Picking switches, outlets, and receptacles

The first thing to sort out is which system you're wiring. An RV's lights, fans, and pumps almost all run on 12-volt DC, switched by the rocker and toggle switches that make up most of this category. Wall receptacles that look like the ones at home are 120-volt AC and only have power when you're on shore power, a generator, or an inverter.

• Switch style. Contura-style rockers are the modern RV standard and snap into ganged panels, while round toggles are common on older rigs and control boards. Match momentary (spring-back, for slide-outs and awnings) versus maintained (stays where you flip it) to the job.
• Amp rating. A switch has to carry the load it controls. A 15-amp rocker is fine for lights, but a motor or a bank of accessories may need a heavier switch or a relay.
• 12V and USB outlets. Combination units add USB-A and USB-C charging without tapping a 120-volt circuit — worth adding near the bed and dinette where devices pile up.
• GFCI receptacles. Code calls for GFCI protection near the sink, in the bath, and outside. A GFCI receptacle protects everything downstream of it, so one in the right spot can cover several plain outlets.

If a switch is dead but the circuit is live, the fault is often upstream at a fuse or breaker. If you're running a new circuit, the wire, connectors, and switch harnesses are in the next category over.