Backwards battery hook-up..no thermostat - Page 2

**Lloyd** · 07-22-2015, 10:04 AM

To my knowledge, there is no red side on an RV battery hook up.
Unless it has been done by the owner.
It's always black for positive.

coastn · 07-22-2015, 10:40 AM

My 2016 Fox Mountain is Red for positive, White for negative in parallel. Just sayin'...

**Lloyd** · 07-22-2015, 11:27 AM

I guess I should have stated -- Cross Roads.

shoe2728 · 07-22-2015, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r2millers

Yes. That's correct. If you have enough resistance to complete the circuit, the light will go on. You have the positive side of circuit still "live" throughout your RV.
Once the circuit is complete with an "earth ground" the light will come on.
Hence, the reason we all have gfci's in our rv's. The gfci senses more then usual resistance in the line and "interrupts" or shuts off the flow of electricity before it completes the circuit (gets to your feet). If it didn't do it extremely quick, you would feel the shock.

https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_circuit

I need to contact my rv mfg. They did not install any 12v gfci in my rv. They only put ones in for the 115vac.
Tried your idea on my car battery, disconnected the ground cable from the battery, held onto the end of the cable, grabbed hold of the frame, had wife hit the starter, car started right up. Guess I can just cut off the battery neg. post not needed

Bowler304 · 07-22-2015, 12:28 PM

I know but, I out a trickle charger on it I the black has a red connection on it. This way my simple mind could keep the square. I will put the cut off on that side.

Sent from my LG-H810 using Tapatalk

**Lloyd** · 07-22-2015, 12:41 PM

[QUOTE=shoe2728;99675]I need to contact my rv mfg. They did not install any 12v gfci in my rv. They only put ones in for the 115vac.

There isn't any 12V plugins on your RV. or mine either.
What would you plug into them? If you have something that's 12V you want to operate in your rig, you will have to run it off of an inverter.

**mark5w** · 07-22-2015, 01:09 PM

I have 12 volt cigarette lighter plugs, but they are not GFCI protected. You can buy them, but I don't know of a rv with them installed from factory.

shoe2728 · 07-22-2015, 01:34 PM

I was responding to R2Miller, he was talking about 12v always being hot even with ground disconnected from battery and that is why they put in ground fault interrupts, I think he was confusing dc and ac. I was being facetious about the 12v
GFCI

**mark5w** · 07-22-2015, 01:55 PM

U got me.

**Lloyd** · 07-22-2015, 02:16 PM

I think maybe there is two different things being talked about at the same time, and getting mixed up.

Tim D · 07-22-2015, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark5w

I have 12 volt cigarette lighter plugs, but they are not GFCI protected. You can buy them, but I don't know of a rv with them installed from factory.

I have one installed in the basement as well as one in bottom cabinet of entertainment center installed by the factory.

Tim D · 07-22-2015, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lloyd

I think maybe there is two different things being talked about at the same time, and getting mixed up.

I think your right.

jakesz28 · 07-22-2015, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r2millers

If you disconnect the grounded side, every circuit within the trailer is possibly Hot, if grounded Anyplace within the coach, not just the battery ground.

You simply have to complete the circuit.

Ground yourself well and touch the hot side of a circuit when the ground side switch is off, then tell me everything is grounded. YOU become the ground.

Not quite right. If you break the negative battery post/cable all 12 volt connections all positive to to ground side of the battery. But since the ground side of the battery is floating and not connected to earth, an earth ground will not complete the circuit.

MartyinSC · 07-22-2015, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r2millers

Yes. That's correct. If you have enough resistance to complete the circuit, the light will go on. You have the positive side of circuit still "live" throughout your RV.
Once the circuit is complete with an "earth ground" the light will come on.
Hence, the reason we all have gfci's in our rv's. The gfci senses more then usual resistance in the line and "interrupts" or shuts off the flow of electricity before it completes the circuit (gets to your feet). If it didn't do it extremely quick, you would feel the shock.

https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_circuit

NO WAY! Yes, an AC circuit and a hot lead can find its way to earth ground because all consumer AC circuits have their return (neutral) tied to ground (earth). No doubt about that on an AC circuit, this is the old "radio in the bath of water" killer, where AC, in the radio, finds its way to ground through the water and piping.

BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE on a 12Volt, DC, battery-supplied circuit. If the negative terminal of the battery is truly disconnected, then there is no completion of the circuit to ground. The circuit has to be complete unto itself. Try this. 12VDC battery sits by itself. Connect a lead only to the positive side, and to a 12 volt light bulb. Connect the other side of the bulb to a long wire, and probe. Go around touching that probe to anything. The dirt, the pipes, ground wires, your bathtub. It will not light. Not unless you touch it to the negative terminal of the same battery.

**Lloyd** · 07-23-2015, 10:31 AM

What do you guys think----------
Should we break both sides on the battery?

jakesz28 · 07-23-2015, 10:45 AM

I only break one side. Car dealerships only break one side during service.

**mark5w** · 07-23-2015, 04:01 PM

After reading all this I will not put any battery disconnect on the rv.

shoe2728 · 07-23-2015, 04:49 PM

After all this I will put helium in my tires so the RV does not touch the ground.

Hey new discussions, would that make the RV lighter :-)

Tim D · 07-23-2015, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shoe2728

Hey new discussions, would that make the RV lighter :-)

I guess technically it would offset the weight by the amount of lift provided by the helium? Probably take a very sensitive scale.

r2millers · 07-23-2015, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartyinSC

NO WAY!

BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE on a 12Volt, DC, battery-supplied circuit. If the negative terminal of the battery is truly disconnected, then there is no completion of the circuit to ground. The circuit has to be complete unto itself. Try this. 12VDC battery sits by itself. Connect a lead only to the positive side, and to a 12 volt light bulb. Connect the other side of the bulb to a long wire, and probe. Go around touching that probe to anything. The dirt, the pipes, ground wires, your bathtub. It will not light. Not unless you touch it to the negative terminal of the same battery.

Marty,
Electricity doesn't decide when it works and when it doesn't work, whether 110v or 12v. I did say if the resistance is satisfactory, yes, electricity works the same, regardless of voltage.
You might review Ohm's Law as noted below.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohm%27s_law

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