Forum Discussion

rmnpcolorado's avatar
rmnpcolorado
Explorer
May 11, 2023

Backwards buttons

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?
  • Boomerweps's avatar
    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.
  • JRscooby's avatar
    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.
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    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.
  • opnspaces's avatar
    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.
  • BB_TX's avatar
    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.
  • rmnpcolorado's avatar
    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.
  • midnightsadie's avatar
    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's avatar
    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…

About Travel Trailer Group

44,025 PostsLatest Activity: Feb 18, 2025