Battery hot wire

[snowpeke]

I just replaced my battery on my 2014 26.5 RLS Jayco and when going back to hook it up there is a black wire and a white wire which one is hot? I was looking for a red wire but the only ones to pick is white and black.

[Tom_M1]

Get some red electrical tape and wrap a piece around the end of wires that connect to positive.

[kerrlakeRoo]

MrWizard wrote:
this is why, you whip out the phone and take pictures of wiring
BEFORE you remove any wires

i really think they should be renamed "digital Communicators"
or
"All In One" device etc..

its no longer just a phone

More like,,,,
"Brains in your back pocket"
And to think, Ive been laughing at politicians for their heads in their butts. Now it's all of us.

[Bobbo]

K Charles wrote:
The ground wire hooks to the frame, follow them and see where they go.

THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^!

Follow the wires. The one that goes to the frame is the ground wire.

[DrewE]

If you aren't sure, always check where the wire goes before hooking up. There are too many variables especially on an old RV where stuff may have been replaced. If, for instance, the ground wire broke and the nearest store only had red battery cables of a suitable gauge and length, red could very well be ground. It's not standard, and not recommended, but sometimes you (or a previous owner) may have to do what it takes to get things done.

[Wild_Card]

Use a ohm meter. 1 wire to ground(trailer frame). The one that tones is your ground

[snowpeke]

Wa8yxm you are right there is no standard after looking at the inverter the hot is black. Yes take a photo.

[MrWizard]

this is why, you whip out the phone and take pictures of wiring
BEFORE you remove any wires

i really think they should be renamed "digital Communicators"
or
"All In One" device etc..

its no longer just a phone

[RoyB]

Thats what I do is to look on the BATTERY CASE and find the STAMPED word NEG or SYMBOL '-'. Then make sure the cable wire that runs from FRAME GROUND that should be just inches away from the battery goes to the NEG battery connection. In your case it should be the WHITE ONE but need to check to be sure...

I'm like you on not knowing which colors work anymore... In the RV WORLD POSITIVE is suppose to be a BLACK COLORED WIRE and the NEGATIVE is suppose to be the WHITE WIRE.

But we all have grown up with the automotive BATTERY colors where RED is POSITIVE and BLACK is FRAME GROUND.... So you can see how easy it is to do it wrong hehe...

If you have already done it wrong and it sparked then you will have to look for two REVERSE POLARITY PROTECTION fuses in the 12VDC Distribution panel and also an IN-LINE FUSE in the Battery Cables that will be very close to the battery connection. All three of the fuses will blow immediately when you spark it. The newer trailers are starting to use a resetable Circuit BREAKER now in place of the IN-LINE FUSE that is close to the battery connection.

NO HARM DONE except looking for the fuses...

Roy Ken

[wa8yxm]

As someone said TYPICALLY... the problem is there is no standard.

In "Automotive" black is often ground. IN House electrical HOT. so it all depends on if the wires were instaleld by an Auto person, ELectroncs tech like me (Black = ground) or an Electrician Black = hot.

HOW TO FIGURE IT OUT METHOD ONE and Two and 3

Method one. Using an automotive test light.

Both wires, Insulate from metal body parts
Ground clip on test light to unpainted metal

Plug in and see which wire lights the light... That's hot

2: Use a volt meter. it will show you if it is hooked up forward or backward if digital. if analog well it slams left if hooked up backward.

3: Look for a fuse or breaker. that's usually the hot lead.

[K_Charles]

The ground wire hooks to the frame, follow them and see where they go.

[jerryjay11]

Typically when you have a black and white wire the black will be the positive.