FAQ: Electrical – Power Control System

Your Travato is equipped with a Precision Circuits Power Control System – PCS for short. It is a safety device installed so you can’t try to use more 120 volt power than is available in the van which would cause circuit breakers to trip. Here’s a simplified example of how it works: You tell it how much power is coming into the van.  (15/20, or 30 amps) – the size of the circuit you are plugged into. The PCS monitors how much of that power is being used by things inside of the van. If you try to use more than is coming in (let’s say by trying to use the air conditioner and then turn on a big hair dryer) the PCS will make note of that and “shed” the highest load (the A/C) until you turn the hair dryer off – because the combined load would trip a circuit breaker – and then the air conditioner turns itself back on when the PCS sends power to it again. See, it’s automatic – other than you telling it what sized circuit you are plugged into.