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I have heard the batteries in my RV are important to almost everything in the RV, why?
What you have been told is spot on and there is no way I can overemphasize how important the batteries in your RV are. The house systems in every RV depend on 12-volt power and some systems will not work without a good battery (for example some slide-outs), even when plugged in to the shoreline. I have found many RVers have a difficult time understanding what components require battery power and which require the RV to be plugged in. It is perhaps easier to say the systems that do not require batteries.
As a rule, anything other than the entertainment system and the microwave, including any air conditioner with a thermostat on the wall, need the batteries. That is because the controls all work on 12 volts. When plugged in, the converter can handle most of the 12-volt loads, however, when loads peak the battery comes off the bench and provides the additional power.
Simply put, when things don't work, check the batteries and fuses first!
What do the terms Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Combined Vehicle Weight Rating Mean?
The gross vehicle weight rating is the amount of weight your vehicle can carry and safely stop. The rating applies only to the vehicle itself and can not be parceled out to anything that is being towed, unless that weight rests directly on the vehicle that is doing the towing. In other words, if your motor home or truck is not fully loaded, you can not apply the unused weight to calculate braking for the "toad". The tow vehicle is certified to stop its own weight and the same thing holds true for the toad e.g. if your state law says all trailers over 3,000 pounds must have a supplemental braking system, you must have a supplemental braking system in your trailer. The weight of your tow vehicle is irrelevant.
The combined vehicle weight simply spells out how much a tow vehicle is able to move down the road. It has nothing to do with braking ability. When towing, every component involved in the process has a rating including the hitch and each of its components, as well as the brake controller. You also can not arbitrarily put a hitch with a higher rating on a motor home or tow vehicle to increase its tow capacity. In some cases, particularly on class C motor homes where frames have been extended, a heavier load on the extension may cause damage. Just think 0f everything as part of a system and do your research before making changes!
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