hooking up a battery

If the BLACK and WHITE cables are the same slightly size then those are the main battery cables. You should be able to hand trace the WHITE CABLE back to a main trailer frame connection near the battery terminals... The BLACK CABLE should go all the way back to the CONVERTER CHASSIS which is probably an ELIXIR model. I need to look at some 1989 ROCKWOOD interior photos to see what is mounted in the cabinets. If I had the model number hopefully I can find similar photos of your trailer on the internet to look at.

You should have an converter close to the floor and probably looks like this.



The additional wires on my batteries are for the electric lift assy for my top. Some other trailers may have an electric tongue jack. We will probably need to hand trace those other wires at the battery and see where they go before hooking them up.

Pass along the model number of your 1989 POPUP... Depending how big it is will determine if it has electric brakes and what is installed inside... All the 12VDC items inside will run from the CONVERTER when plugged into shore power or from the BATTERY if you had one.



ALso if the trailer has electric brakes you really should get the battery installed as this is DOT SAFETY REQUIRMENT (Actually an state law) you should have on-board and working. The trailer battery is what will lock up your electric brakes if you are pulling the trailer and it becomes disconnected from the truck while being towed. You may have noticed a small chain coming from the BREAKAWAY SWITCH if you have ever hooked up to the trailer and towed it.

We all need a little more info on the trailer to provide good info for you...

Roy Ken

Being from the real OLD SCHOOL I always put my BLACK cable to frame ground haha... Can't teach old dogs new tricks...

Thanks RoyB for the correction. My post above has been edited.

I can always rely on you and/or Bondebond to help when I get my wires crossed!!!

(Pun completely and fully intended):S

So I should just deal with the black and white and the other set must be something else. Do I need to put a fuse in the wiring to the battery? (Read somewhere about having to do that.) Thanks for the info so far. I've looked around at different places but wasn't sure if the green and black wires were something different on this particular camper.

RoyB wrote:
FOR RV HOOKUPs If the cables are BLACK AND WHITE then the BLACK CABLE GOES to the POSITIVE TERMINAL and the WhITE CABLE goes to the NEGATIVE TERMINAL.

Yah, that's the way mine is.

I recommend the fan test if you don't know which is which.

Would you guys recheck your statement that the BLACK WIRE goes to NEGATIVE and the WHITE CABLE goes to POSITIVE.

FOR RV HOOKUPs If the cables are BLACK AND WHITE then the BLACK CABLE GOES to the POSITIVE TERMINAL and the WhITE CABLE goes to the NEGATIVE TERMINAL.

FOR AUTOMOTIVE HOOKUPs If the cable pair is RED AND BLACK then the RED CABLE goes to the POSITIVE TERMINAL and the BLACK CABLE goes to the NEGATIVE TERMINAL..

The absolute best way to determine this is to grab the cable that is connected to the MARKED WORDs on the battery case than says "NEG" or the symbol "-" and this cable should always go to the trailer FRAME GROUND if it is a 12VDC battery on the RV trailer hookups.

Maybe I missed something here about what is being talked about...

Roy Ken

The black wire should connect to the battery POSITIVE terminal. The white wire should connect to the battery NEGATIVE terminal. (Edited per RoyB's correction!)

Before you connect the battery:
0. UNPLUG/DISCONNECT THE TRAILER FROM ANY AND ALL ELECTRICAL SOURCES!!!
1. Use a multimeter set to measure resistance (Ohms - the symbol looks like a horseshoe), set at the lowest value possible.
2. Put the two leads together to verify a ZERO or near zero reading.
3. Find a good point on the frame to touch the meter lead#1 to (it doesn't matter which one for this test). The frame point shouldn't have any paint, rust, mud; it should be nice clean metal. Hold it there during the following steps.
4. Touch the meter lead#2 to the WHITE wire's conductor. The meter should read ZERO or pretty close to it.
5. Touch the meter lead#2 to the BLACK wire's connector. The meter should read a really high value (or display no value at all).

This should verify that which wire is connected to the trailer's frame and will connect to the negative battery terminal.

If this is not the case, post back for further advice.

Welcome to the forum!

Black is pos. White is neg. If there was a battery installed you might have an inverter on board already. That would be nice. Someone with a Rockwell will help you out there. If you are lucky you will be able to set it up and have it charge while you drive (through your wiring harness to the TV.
You can run the furnace with one battery for a night or two as well as the lights. Not the fridge - that one or any other. A lot depends on battery size and condition. Look for a size 27 deep cycle with the highest amps you can get.
If you can find a reasonably priced solar charger that actually recharges enough for daily use you are a fortunate owner. I'd love to get one but the one's with enough juice seem to be huge and expensive. I'll be following this thread to see if you come up with something.
We can go a week in one place with two batteries using them for lights(sparingly) and water pump as well as charging small electronics.

Spent any time reading solar posts on here? They're in the Tech Issues forum.

one battery run furnace? 2011