There are 5 electrical power sources in most Safari Motor Homes; engine alternator power, solar power, shore power(120v plug-in), generator power and the battery banks with an inverter.

The engine when running will charge both the battery and house banks through a diode isolator or equivalent circuit. Solar power charges the house or chassis batteries or both depending on the size of the panels and wiring. The transfer switch selects between shore power and generator power and transfers the source to the output which is connected to the inverter input. The shore power runs through a 120v external cable through the transfer switch to the inverter, the generator runs to the transfer switch and the transfer switch determines the path based on the inputs. Usually the shore power when plugged in runs to the inverter if the generator is running it has priority through the transfer switch to the inverter.

The projects found in this section deal with problems in the shore power connection through the power reel and work done on the inverter. Not all coaches have a slip ring reel to pass the shore power to the transfer switch, but all will have a cable and the basics apply to both types of systems.