Battery Connections

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llevesque

New member
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
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1
Location
MA
I'm old but new to the forum, new to tent trailers, and haven't got a clue on making battery connections.  I bought a pristine 2004 Rockwood Premier 2576G E-Z Glide that had no battery.  I bought a deep cycle battery to power the interior lights, water pump, gas detector, and furnace but haven't the faintest idea which wire connects to each of the terminals.  All systems work fine on shore power.  I have four wires to connect to the battery terminals.

1) Heavy gauge white wire with no color at the crimped connector
2) Heavy gauge red wire with red crimped connector (this first connects to an approximately 1.5" x 1.5" x .75" box with 4 screw studs on it that then connects to the battery)
3) Heavy gauge black wire with red crimped connector
4) Light gauge black wire with blue crimped connector

Could someone please help me.  Which wire(s) goes to the + and which to the -?  Additionally, what is that little box on # 2?  If you can help I don't fry myself and I be camping without shore power.  Thanks much for saving my life!

 
There's no way to tell for sure without tracing the wires and seeing where they connect.
 
The large negative wire (and possibly the small negative wire) should be grounded to the trailer frame, so if you have a multimeter, you should be able to set it on ohms (or continuity if it has that setting) and put one meter lead on the cable end, and the other on the trailer frame and see if there is 0 resistance. If there is no resistance, that lead would attach to the battery negative terminal. Typically red is used for positive, and black for negative in 12 volt systems, but I would check all wires to be safe. The little box you refered to could be a fuse block, but without seeing it, don't know for sure. Can you post a picture of what you have?
 
You will need.. A test light.. this is nothing more than a 12 volt light with leads you can hook to stuff,  you can buy one (looks like an ice pick with a plastic handle and a wire coming out of the handle) or make one I used a license plate light socket and bulb)

First, find the ground wire, this one will likely be fairly short and run to the frame somewhere nearby, It may (but no guarantee here) be black.

Hook the clip on the light to it.. (If you can not find it hook the clip to any handy exposed metal part)

Touch the other wires while plugged in.. The one that lights up your life is the POSITIVE wire to the house.. that was easy wasn'it it.

If you have a six or seven pin trailer connector plug in to the tow vehicle, engine running.. You will now have another one that lights up you rlife,, again that's positive

We are down to two wires.

If you have identivied the negative (Ground) wire, hook it up, else, use a jumper cable to hook the battery to the frame.

Now hook the lead on the test lamp to the POSITIVE terminal.

Check for light on either of the remaining two wires.. NONE good, one lit, Well we are going to have to trace that one....

Pull the break-a-way plug for the brakes.. You now have another wire that lights up, that is a positive.

Do you have an electric jack.. If so see if it works, I'm guessing it wont but if your partner presses the switch.... the remaining wire will light up your life

Else, the remaining wire is likely teh propane detector.

IF you have issues identifying the ground

First ID the hot wire by connecting the probe to the chassi and finding the wire that lights up your life when plugged in.

NOW touch each of the other wires, One may give you dim bulb, or cause the propane detetcor to beep. (that is a positive)

One will give you a BRIGHT light.. that one is negative.
 
John, you picking up the tab from the burn unit at the hospital?

Edit: Removed excessive/unnecessary quote.
 
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