Battery Polarity

[Jammar9082]

I have a 1990 Carri-lite fifth wheel. The battery wires as connected have a single BLACK wire (guessing # 10) connected to the Positive terminal and three WHITE wires one # 10 and two # 12"s) connected to the NEGITIVE terminal. Is this a normal configuration? I expected Red for the positive and black for the negative.



Do you think the manufacture would provide a wiring diagram or schematic? Or is there anoither possible source? Thanks.

 

[SRehberg]

The colors you are seeing are pretty much the standard in the trailers that I have seen. If you are lucky enough to have the original trailer owner's handbook, the wiring diagrams are usually included for various sizes and floor plans. If not, contact the manufacturer, who will probably xerox a copy for you.

 

[B.G. Smith]

poplarity

Ours (95 Carri-Lite) has black wire for + and white wire for -. They are about #6 wire, also have two smaller wire coming to the + terminal but none to the -. Also two smaller wires, about #12 on each. bg

 

[Dane]

Remember - Black is Devil! (Positive... )



They are wiring them using color code like ac in houses, why I dunno What's wrong with red and black like we've been taught?

 

[Jammar9082]

Thank you, all, for replying.



This is a great site for all the help and advice. No wiring diagrams in the original paper work that I received. I think the wiring and plumbing schematics should be required inclusion in the trailer Info. It would be a help to anyone working on the RV including the RV businesses if such information were made available.

 

[klenger]

I think that wire colors in trailers are kind of arbitrary. I never trust the color to tell me anything.

 

[dewdo]

I just went through the job of replacing the batteries on my slide in. I didn't pay much attention to the wires when I removed them thinking it was similar to the ones on the truck batteries. (not!) When I installed the new batteries I connected them up with the idea that the black was negative. (not!) I have two batteries in the rig.



I ended up reversing them and created one big expensive mess! I quickly discovered my mistake when I called the factory to find out why none of my 12v appliances worked, including my generator.



I ended up having to drive to the factory to have a few wires replaced. I got back home and discovered the generator still wouldn't work. Took it to the local dealer who is in the process of replacing the computer board on the generator as well as the converter. DON'T REVERSE THE POLARITY!

 

[Jammar9082]

Dewdo, that is very bad news!!! If there had been no battery installed in our RV I would have went the conventional color code and had problems like you did. It just happened that when I took the battery out for the winter I noted the way it was connected by the previous owner. This is just another example of sloppy engineering that seems to be so prevalent in the RV industry.



I am in the process of correcting the existing problems in our RV with the window screens. The inside trim on most of the windows was not made large enough to permit the screens to be removed. The fix is to remove the trim and route out to the necessary clearances. That, of course, requires refinishing but the refinishing will also cover up the damage where the factory screws were too large for the wood thickness and split the corners that needed to be glued and nailed.