Here’s a weird deal that I’ve never run across before. We brought our trailer home for the summer and are ready to go out on our first weekend voyage and the button actions are backwards. Slide in sends the slide out, retract extends the tongue jacks. We’ve fried two 40amp fuses, which leads me to believe that something’s crossed, so we have no fridge power or lights. Thoughts?

You got the battery hooked up correctly?

I agree. The battery is wired backward.

I think you’re exactly right, as when I disconnected the battery, replaced the fuses, and powered back up, all was good.Now to figure out how I messed that up. I’ve only done this how many times before…

could be a senior momment, we all have them .lucky you didn,t fry a lot of things.

So to clarify, I had the large wires correct-white on positive, black on negative. But what about the little wires? I had the white on positive and the red with the inline fuse on negative.

Backwards buttons | Good Sam Community

nickthehunter
Nomad II
May 12, 2023
You got the battery hooked up correctly?
Bobbo
Explorer II
May 12, 2023
I agree. The battery is wired backward.
rmnpcolorado
Explorer
May 12, 2023
I think you’re exactly right, as when I disconnected the battery, replaced the fuses, and powered back up, all was good.

Now to figure out how I messed that up. I’ve only done this how many times before…
midnightsadie
Explorer II
May 12, 2023
could be a senior momment, we all have them .lucky you didn,t fry a lot of things.
rmnpcolorado
Explorer
May 12, 2023
So to clarify, I had the large wires correct-white on positive, black on negative. But what about the little wires? I had the white on positive and the red with the inline fuse on negative.
BB_TX
Nomad
May 12, 2023
Can’t think of any possible reason to have a fused wire on the negative post.
Typically there is one large wire on the negative post going to your metal frame for all grounding. The positive post will typically have one large wire connected and possibly a couple or more smaller wires often with in-line fuses connected directly or indirectly to that positive post.
opnspaces
Navigator II
May 12, 2023
I think he's describing his mis wire. the red with the fuse is positive. In fact any wire with a fuse near the battery is positive.

All the white wires are negative. You'll have to trace the small wires. Could be positive for the tongue jack. Or could be positive for the emergency breakaway switch.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
May 12, 2023
OP What you have learned is that DC motors turn in the opposite direction when the polarity is reversed.

Check everything especially items you don't use often and have a great trip.
JRscooby
Explorer II
May 12, 2023
rmnpcolorado wrote:
So to clarify, I had the large wires correct-white on positive, black on negative. But what about the little wires? I had the white on positive and the red with the inline fuse on negative.

I think right here is the problem. On all RVs I have messed with white is ground for the house part.
Boomerweps
Explorer
May 12, 2023
Confusion sometimes occur from people working on house electric and mobile electric. House electric BLACK is hot, white is neutral or return, green is ground. Mobile 12vdc RED is hot/positive and black is return/negative/ground.