Hi getting into camping this year. Hooking up battery and their are 4 wires. Red and black in the same conduit. And two different shades of white in another conduit. Camper is a 93 salem by cobra. Im assuming red is positive whites are negative. Should both wires be hooked up to their respectice sides? Why is their 2 on each side? Any answers would be great

Follow the wires to see which ones are grounded to the frame, that would be negative, never depend on colors. As far as the extra set, perhaps a power jack and/or the breakaway switch for the brakes, again follow the wires.

Connect the black to negative and red to positive.Use an ohmmeter to determine which of the white wires is connected to the chassis. (One lead on a non-painted nor rusty part of the frame and the other on the wires.) The one with near zero ohms should be connected to the negative terminal and the other to the positive.

jwandvassie wrote:Connect the black to negative and red to positive.Use an ohmmeter to determine which of the white wires is connected to the chassis. (One lead on a non-painted nor rusty part of the frame and the other on the wires.) The one with near zero ohms should be connected to the negative terminal and the other to the positive.Noooo , not always on campers. Things can get weird and people can have messed with stuff. I wouldn't' hook up anything until you do some checking !!!!!

CavemanCharlie wrote:jwandvassie wrote:Connect the black to negative and red to positive.Use an ohmmeter to determine which of the white wires is connected to the chassis. (One lead on a non-painted nor rusty part of the frame and the other on the wires.) The one with near zero ohms should be connected to the negative terminal and the other to the positive.Noooo , not always on campers. Things can get weird and people can have messed with stuff. I wouldn't' hook up anything until you do some checking !!!!!Trust me. As an electrical engineer, this person knows nothing about electricity. Black is ALWAYS negative and red is ALWAYS positive during my 40 years of RVing. Other colors are questionable.

jwandvassie wrote:CavemanCharlie wrote:jwandvassie wrote:Connect the black to negative and red to positive.Use an ohmmeter to determine which of the white wires is connected to the chassis. (One lead on a non-painted nor rusty part of the frame and the other on the wires.) The one with near zero ohms should be connected to the negative terminal and the other to the positive.Noooo , not always on campers. Things can get weird and people can have messed with stuff. I wouldn't' hook up anything until you do some checking !!!!! Trust me. As an electrical engineer, this person knows nothing about electricity. Black is ALWAYS negative and red is ALWAYS positive during my 40 years of RVing. Other colors are questionable. Nope! On my new trailer Black is positive and White is negative at the battery.

Battery connection | Good Sam Community

CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
May 19, 2018
jwandvassie wrote:
Connect the black to negative and red to positive.

Use an ohmmeter to determine which of the white wires is connected to the chassis. (One lead on a non-painted nor rusty part of the frame and the other on the wires.) The one with near zero ohms should be connected to the negative terminal and the other to the positive.

Noooo , not always on campers. Things can get weird and people can have messed with stuff.

I wouldn't' hook up anything until you do some checking !!!!!
jwandvassie
Explorer
May 18, 2018
Connect the black to negative and red to positive.

Use an ohmmeter to determine which of the white wires is connected to the chassis. (One lead on a non-painted nor rusty part of the frame and the other on the wires.) The one with near zero ohms should be connected to the negative terminal and the other to the positive.
Lynnmor
Explorer
May 18, 2018
Follow the wires to see which ones are grounded to the frame, that would be negative, never depend on colors. As far as the extra set, perhaps a power jack and/or the breakaway switch for the brakes, again follow the wires.

Forum Discussion

Battery connection

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Connecting 2 batteries together

House battery drain

connect coach and house batteries?

Connecting tow line battery charger

Battery monitor that connects to wifi