RVs do not need to be plugged in but they can be. In fact, an RV can be plugged into many different sources and a plugged-in RV offers a lot of additional functionality. So most RVers prefer to be plugged into the electrical grid and a water hose when possible.

How does an RV work without electricity?

Most RVs have one or more batteries. The batteries provide your RV with a source of power when no external power is available. The amount of power the batteries can provide on their own is fairly low — they can run the lights, water pump, and small appliances for the better part of the day, but that is about it.

Should my inverter be on when plugged into shore power?

While actively traveling youll want to leave an inverter running in order to be able to use AC appliances in the RV. If youre expecting to lose access to shore power but want to keep using your appliances, youll need to leave your inverter on.