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Old 03-08-2015, 07:20 PM   #1
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Battery question

I went to dig my Viking 17BH out of the snow and ice at the storage lot in preparation for a trip to warmer climates.

An hour of shoveling and 2 bags of salt later I was able to get to the battery box and realized that I forgot how the battery was wired. I have a white wire and a black wire which is connected to a red wire and a 20 amp fuse.

Which is positive and which is negative? They aren't marked.

Thanks in advance for your help.
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Old 03-08-2015, 07:37 PM   #2
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Black should be negative/ground.. red/white, positive.
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Old 03-08-2015, 07:54 PM   #3
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Can you meter to your disconnect switch easily? Turn the switch off, and meter continuity and that should have it.. Or to the resetable fuse ahead of it?
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Old 03-08-2015, 08:12 PM   #4
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You said your black was connected to the Red? Correct? The Red should be positive.
And usually, the fuse is on the positive, hot, side.
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Old 03-09-2015, 05:49 AM   #5
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From your statement " I have a white wire and a black wire which is connected to a red wire and a 20 amp fuse ".......The white wire would be negative (ground) and black wire would be positive.....post a picture if you can.

Also follow white wire and it should be connected to the frame of the trailer.
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Old 03-09-2015, 06:50 AM   #6
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As others have stated if you follow the white and it's connected to the
frame- that will be your negative lead.

Another way to be sure is to plug your trailer into your truck and use
a meter to test the white and black wire.
When the meter reads 12v PLUS the red meter lead is the positive trailer
wire.
Another way is to plug in the trailer to shore power and read voltage
across the battery leads. AS above- when you see a plus reading, the
meter red lead is on the positive trailer wire.

IF you have some red paint or red fingernail polish you can mark the plus
wire once you figure it out.

They make red electrical tape (which I have) and it's very handy to wrap
the plus wire and avoid any confusion from then on.
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Old 03-09-2015, 06:50 AM   #7
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It is not unusual to see trailers wired to the colors used in buildings, Black HOT (+) and White Neutral (-).
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Old 03-09-2015, 03:33 PM   #8
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Be sure you test before you hook. Make dang sure. A co-worker fried his trailer hooking it up backwards.
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Old 03-09-2015, 03:43 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Happy Vibe View Post
It is not unusual to see trailers wired to the colors used in buildings, Black HOT (+) and White Neutral (-).
That's exactly how my travel trailer is.

You don't want to hook them up backwards, even for a sec. If so, you will most likely blow the reverse polarity fuse(s) to your converter.....then will be having to replace them.

These reverse polarity fuses can be in your fuse panel, or can be on the face of the converter itself.
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Old 03-09-2015, 03:46 PM   #10
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These recent forums may help:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...d-76093-2.html

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...vac-75089.html
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