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02-07-2016, 11:01 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 39
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Red=Positive ???
I took the battery out for the winter and now that I'm ready to install it, not sure which wire is the positive. I have a red wire and a white going to the battery box I would think that the red would be positive?? am I right
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02-07-2016, 11:04 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Pleasant Gap, PA
Posts: 458
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Red should be positive.
__________________
2015 Solaire 201SS
2015 GMC 2500HD Duramax
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02-07-2016, 11:05 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
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What color is your RV because we dont know what kind or model it is?  Youroo!! 
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02-07-2016, 11:23 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Pfafftown NC
Posts: 2,353
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Yes, red is positive. If you have a multi-meter you can verify this. Measure on the ohms scale between the white wire and some part of the chassis of the trailer. (find some bare metal or a screw, bolt, or nut) It should measure 0 ohms or a dead short.
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02-07-2016, 11:34 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 981
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White is almost always neg.black or red is positive.Unfortuneatly there is no "code" for low voltage wireing,but what I stated above will cover 95% of any factory instalations.
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02-07-2016, 11:41 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 652
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Just make sure you are on the lowest ohms scale, especially if you are using an analog meter. On the higher ranges, your meter may measure full swing through internal circuits such as a light bulb. Also make certain the shorepower is unplugged first. Ohm meters don't like voltage/current.
Another test is to insulate the red and white cable ends, then plug the unit in and check polarity from your converter, but I would de power any other 12 volt appliances, like radios. Our 12 v batteries make better regulators than some converters.
__________________
2016 Ford F-350 Lariat CC, 4x4 SRW. B&W turnover with extender. 2015 CC Silverback 29RE, fitted with Reese Goose Box. Amateur Extra Class K5TS, 2016 nights camped 16
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02-08-2016, 09:33 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 39
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Thank you all good replies, I figured it was positive but was use to seeing black also.
youroo he TT is a Surveyor 220RBS
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02-08-2016, 11:47 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mountain Foothills of Southern Alberta
Posts: 2,005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by youroo
What color is your RV because we dont know what kind or model it is? Youroo!! |
It looks as though it is white and brown.
__________________
2007 Surveyor SV230 - 200 Watts Solar/MPPT Controller - 220 AH Battery Bank (Two-GC2) - 600 watt PSW Inverter - (2) 2000 watt Inverter Generators - LED Lighting
2009 F150 - 5.4 Litre with Tow Package
Boon Docking 99% of the time.
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02-09-2016, 12:06 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Weatherford, TX
Posts: 977
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Red is negative in the telecommunications world... and it's -48VDC. Everywhere else, red's positive... that I know of anyway.
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J & D in Lovely Weatherford, TX
2016 Jayco White Hawk 28DSBH TT
2014 Ram 2500 Crew Cab 4X4 6.7L Cummins
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02-09-2016, 09:21 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1,397
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Could there be a small wrap of black electrical tape on the white wire close to the lug that you overlooked?
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02-09-2016, 11:28 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
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On most RVs, the negative battery lead goes to the chassis ground and the positive goes to the battery controller. Follow your leads and find the chassis ground, it shouldn't go far.
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2015 335DS
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02-09-2016, 03:02 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,098
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Quote:
Originally Posted by trbomax
White is almost always neg.black or red is positive.Unfortuneatly there is no "code" for low voltage wireing,but what I stated above will cover 95% of any factory instalations.
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Where white is used, that is true (assuming wiring was coded to begin with).
Marine and automotive standard is red = positive, and black = negative.
House wiring (120V): Black = hot, white = neutral, green = ground, red = switched (for 3 way switches, ceiling fans, etc).
RV wiring: who knows? Depends on what the installer had handy. The entire back side of my converter/distribution panel is white. The white wires are connected to an array of red, black and white wires with crimp-on wire nuts. As an engineer (electrical), I am absolutely disgusted. And yet everything works!
just my experiences
Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122
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02-09-2016, 08:52 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 39
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What doesn't make any sense is if red = positive and white = ground, why is there no black wire for the negative... there are only 2 wires red and white on my trailer.
Rich
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02-09-2016, 09:04 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,098
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1oleman
What doesn't make any sense is if red = positive and white = ground, why is there no black wire for the negative... there are only 2 wires red and white on my trailer.
Rich
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Ground is the same as negative in 12V systems. Only exception I know of is electrics by Lucas aka Prince of Darkness. Early MGs used Lucas and had positive grounds.
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02-09-2016, 09:07 PM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phillyg
Could there be a small wrap of black electrical tape on the white wire close to the lug that you overlooked?
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Just went to look and there is a small wrap of electrical close to the end of the RED lug???
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02-09-2016, 09:14 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pgandw
Ground is the same as negative in 12V systems. Only exception I know of is electrics by Lucas aka Prince of Darkness. Early MGs used Lucas and had positive grounds.
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Thank you pgandw for setting me straight on that, thought I was loosing it.
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02-19-2016, 08:49 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 122
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At least you were smart enough to ask I blew fuses the first time I put battery back in wrong....
__________________
2015-26days, 2014-32days,
2013-33days, 2012-30days
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02-19-2016, 10:25 PM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 39
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brownie289 I bet you aren't the only one who has done that. However you might be the only one that's willing to admit your error.
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02-20-2016, 08:04 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 122
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1oleman
brownie289 I bet you aren't the only one who has done that. However you might be the only one that's willing to admit your error.
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Now clearly marked w a sharpie marker in the box 
__________________
2015-26days, 2014-32days,
2013-33days, 2012-30days
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02-21-2016, 09:09 AM
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#20
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1oleman
I took the battery out for the winter and now that I'm ready to install it, not sure which wire is the positive. I have a red wire and a white going to the battery box I would think that the red would be positive?? am I right
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The fastest way I know is to find the wire that goes to a bolt in the frame. THAT (regardless of color) is ground. The other one (regardless of color) is "hot".
While you are there, you might consider removing it; wire brush the rust; and reinstall it.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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