| 120 AC/12 DC/LP-gas |
 |
| The power sources on which RV
refrigerators operate; 120 AC is 120-volt alternating current (same as
in houses); 12 DC is 12-volt direct current (same as in motor vehicles);
LP-gas. Some RV refrigerators can operate on two of the three sources,
others on all three. |
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| Axle ratio |
|
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| Ratio between pinion and ring gears in
the differential that multiply torque provided by the engine. It
describes the number of driveline revolutions required to turn the axle
one time. With a 4.10:1 axle, the driveline turns 4.1 times for each
full axle revolution. Higher numbers mean more torque and less road
speed for a given engine speed; i.e., a 4.10:1 ratio provides more
torque than a 3.73:1. |
| |
| British thermal unit (BTU) |
|
|
| A measurement of heat that is the
quantity required to raise the temperature of one pound of water 1
degree F. RV air-conditioners and furnaces are BTU-rated. |
| |
| Converter |
|
|
| A device for changing 120-volt AC into
12-volt DC electrical power. |
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| Gross axle weight rating (gawr) |
|
|
| Maximum to which the axle can be loaded,
according to the manufacturer; includes all weight placed on all tires
on a given axle. |
| |
| Gross combination weight rating (gcwr) |
|
|
| Maximum allowable combined weight of the
tow vehicle and the trailer, according to the vehicle manufacturer;
includes the weight of both vehicles plus all fuel, water, supplies and
passengers. |
| |
| Gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr) |
|
|
| Maximum to which a vehicle can be
loaded, according to the manufacturer; includes dry weight of the
vehicle plus all fuel, water, supplies and passengers. |
| |
| Hitch weight |
|
|
| Amount of a trailer's weight that rests
on the tow vehicle; should be 10 to 15 percent with conventional
trailers, 15 to 20 percent for fifth-wheels. |
| |
| Holding tanks |
|
|
| Tanks that hold the black (toilet) and
gray (sink, shower, lavatory) water. Their capacity determines how long
an RV can be used without hookups. |
| |
| Hookups |
|
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| Campground facilities for connecting an
RV to 120-volt AC "shore power," water, sewer, cable TV and telephone
service. |
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| Inverter |
|
|
| A device for changing 12-volt DC into
120-volt AC power. |
| |
| Kilowatt (kW) |
|
|
| A measurement of electrical power; each
kilowatt equals 1,000 watts. |
| |
| Laminate |
|
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| A sandwich of structural frame members,
wall paneling, insulation and exterior covering, adhesive-bonded under
pressure and/or heat to form the RV's walls, floor and/or roof. |
| |
| LP-gas |
|
|
| Liquefied petroleum gas; propane is one
formulation and butane is the other. Propane fuels RV appliances, such
as the stove and refrigerator. |
| |
| Net carrying capacity (NCC) or
payload capacity |
|
|
| The amount of cargo, passenger and fluid
weight that can be added to an RV without exceeding its gvwr. The NCC
label in an RV may not include the weight of dealer- or
factory-installed options already on the vehicle. |
| |
| Underbelly |
|
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| The RV's underfloor surface, which is
protected by a weatherproofed material. |
| |
| Unloaded vehicle weight (uvw) or dry
weight |
|
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| Weight of the vehicle without
manufacturer's or dealer-installed options and before adding fuel, water
or supplies. |
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| Wet weight |
|
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| Weight of a vehicle with full fuel and
freshwater tanks. |
| |
| Wheelbase |
|
|
| Distance between center lines of the
primary axles of a vehicle. If a motorhome includes a tag axle, the
distance is measured from the front axle to the center point between the
drive and tag axles. |
