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Battery wires- black white and green

StarcraftNick
Explorer
Explorer
i bought a used 2015 starcraft ar-one and I go to install the battery and there are black, white, and green wires. I can see that white is the ground, so i hook that to the negative and from what i understand the black to the positive. The green wire has a fuse on it so i am under the impression that also goes on the positive. Can someone tell me what the green wire is for? what should all work with the battery hooked up? thanks.
17 REPLIES 17

bobndot
Explorer II
Explorer II
What kind of jack is on your TT ? If electric , its a 12v jack and uses a wire , a fused wire and it might be green.

Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
YC 1 wrote:
One has to be very careful assuming any color is positive or negative in an RV. Electrons are color blind and often RV builders think of the black wire as being the "hot" wire and continue with that into the 12 volt side of life.

Too many folks have smoked things making assumptions connecting up batteries on the fronts of their travel trailers.

Which brings us back to my previous post (#6 on page 1).

Bobbo wrote:
You REALLY REALLY need to trace the wires to see where they go. On 12v systems, black is USUALLY negative, and green is not usually used.
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB

YC_1
Nomad
Nomad
One has to be very careful assuming any color is positive or negative in an RV. Electrons are color blind and often RV builders think of the black wire as being the "hot" wire and continue with that into the 12 volt side of life.

Too many folks have smoked things making assumptions connecting up batteries on the fronts of their travel trailers.
H/R Endeavor 2008
Ford F150 toad >Full Timers
Certified Senior Electronic Technician, Telecommunications Engineer, Telecommunications repair Service Center Owner, Original owner HR 2008

LVJJJ
Explorer
Explorer
On RV's positive wires are usually red and black negative. Green would seem to me to be a ground, except for the fuse in this case, unless someone thot ground wires should be fused. Since the wire is fused, you could try and touch it to the positive battery terminal, if it's not supposed to go there it'll blow the fuse.
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time2roll
Explorer II
Explorer II
YC 1 wrote:
time2roll wrote:
Any color is probably connected to positive.
You can leave the green off until something does not work.
Could be a bad deal if it is the break-away cable.

It should be easy to follow the green wire to the break-away switch if that is it.
Yes very good point. Easy to check continuity on the brakes.

rrupert
Explorer
Explorer
The green wire may be for the fridge on twelve volt and/or the control board. I know tongue jacks have an inline fuse. I don't think breakaway switches are fused.
Rich and Joyce
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westend
Explorer
Explorer
StarcraftNick wrote:
should the microwave or the AC work on the battery? thanks.
12V powers lights, fans, water pump, etc. The microwave is 120V AC, so no. The 12V system and the 120V system are separate. Your Air Conditioner needs a 12V signal to turn on from the thermostat.
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton

GrandpaKip
Explorer
Explorer
StarcraftNick wrote:
should the microwave or the AC work on the battery? thanks.

Neither. Battery is 12v DC. Microwave and A/C are 120v AC.
Kip
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YC_1
Nomad
Nomad
time2roll wrote:
Any color is probably connected to positive.
You can leave the green off until something does not work.
Could be a bad deal if it is the break-away cable.

It should be easy to follow the green wire to the break-away switch if that is it.
H/R Endeavor 2008
Ford F150 toad >Full Timers
Certified Senior Electronic Technician, Telecommunications Engineer, Telecommunications repair Service Center Owner, Original owner HR 2008

StarcraftNick
Explorer
Explorer
should the microwave or the AC work on the battery? thanks.

time2roll
Explorer II
Explorer II
Any color is probably connected to positive.
You can leave the green off until something does not work.

wnjj
Explorer II
Explorer II
Bobbo wrote:
You REALLY REALLY need to trace the wires to see where they go. On 12v systems, black is USUALLY negative, and green is not usually used.


Except on RV's, where white is usually ground and black is hot, to match up with the 120V systems.

Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
You REALLY REALLY need to trace the wires to see where they go. On 12v systems, black is USUALLY negative, and green is not usually used.
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB

handye9
Explorer II
Explorer II
I would guess, the two wires from positive battery terminal are for 12 volt power supplied to the trailer, and power supplied to the break away switch.
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