Need battery help

[Roaming_Violet_]

Hi all, COMPLETE NEWBY here. I bought a 1982 Itasca Sunflyer 27' from a person (did not tell me all the major problems) and they removed the positive/negative clamps for the second set of battery hookup cables. I have no way of knowing for sure which is which. One cable goes to a small box and the other disappears behind the metal wall.

The left hand attachment is the motor battery positive and the right side is the unknown cable. Should the right side also be positive?

I have a regular car battery and a deep cycle. I want to use the deep cycle for the house battery and think that is what the second set of cables are.




ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

[Roaming_Violet_]

Thank you wa8yxm

[wa8yxm]

That ribbed plastic hose you see wires running through is called a LOOM
A Split loom has a slit running the length of it so you can slip it over the wire instead of threading the wire end to end.

http://www.amazon.com/SPLIT-LOOM-TUBING-50-FOOT-COIL/dp/B002045XWO

But Id get it at an auto parts store, you do not need 50 feet, you need like 1-2 feet.

[Roaming_Violet_]

Thank you wa8yxm. What is a split loom? Wires are all black, no hint of what is positive or negative. Will be permanently marking for sure when I get this problem sorted out.

jhilley, I notice you have Jeeps. I have a 2001 Grand Cherokee, do you know where I could find info on how to prepare it for towing?

Thanks to everyone!

Taped...got it

[jhilley]

Roaming Violet Kay wrote:
Thank you jhilley. What did you mean 'end tapered off'?

Typo, I meant taped off with electrical tape.

[Roaming_Violet_]

Thank you jhilley. What did you mean 'end tapered off'?

[wa8yxm]

Another suggestion.. The POSITIVE wires (there may be more than one, My RV has, or rather had, 3 on the starting battery (I modified so now they join a couple inches out) and 3 on the house as well (Likewise combined) should be coded with RED, tape, paint or split loom

Likewise black on the negative side of life. Makes it harder to confuse.

[jhilley]

That solenoid is probably the battery isolation solenoid. One battery would be connected to each side. When the MOM switch is pressed it connects the two batteries together. When the ignition witch is on it also connects the two batteries together to allow charging from the alternator. With the chassis battery connected you should be able hear the solenoid switch when the MOM switch is pressed. Make sure that disconnected battery had the end taped off to prevent shorting.

[Roaming_Violet_]

Thank you 10forty2, The solenoid already has the two battery cables connected to it, but only one was identified because it still had it's connector. I am pretty sure the other one is supposed to be positive, but want to test it first.

[10forty2]

First and foremost, if you're not at all sure about electrical connections, then I would definitely suggest like some of the other posters to take it to a mechanic.

A solenoid usually gets its ground (negative connection) from being screwed into the frame. So all the wires coming from it are likely positive wires. If you can trace any of the wires back to where they are attached, screwed, bolted or otherwise connected to the frame, then you've found the negative cable.

[Roaming_Violet_]

Thank you all for your help and advice. I do know that there is a switch on my dashboard that is for off, on and MOM. I do think I will have a mechanic hook up the house battery, but I need to get a tester anyway. I know what cables are for the engine battery because they still have their labeled clamps.

Thank you all again, and I will be taking pictures to keep in my how-to book.

[oldchief7155]

When you get it set up right, take a bunch of pictures and print them out. I keep my photos in a notebook in the mystical "black bag" for reference.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Welcome to the forums.

Use a continuity tester between the frame (ground) and the cables.

[wa8yxm]

The device pictured is a solenoid, these are used when you need to control a large, or possibly large current, The two LARGE wires hooked to it when the soelnoid is active will both be positive. When it is "idle" (OFF) what the other wire is depends on which solenoid it is, you have at least 3 on a motor home
One starter solenoid (may be on the starter itself)
One isolator (This one will have batteries connected to BOTH large terminals, the chassis battery is one side and the house or AUX battery is the other side

And the 3rd is the disconnect.. Battery---Solenoid--House systems

Optional is a 2nd disconnect Battery --- Solenoid --- Chassis (Engine)

and emergency start, it is like the isolator and often,, the same solenoid.

Your battery cables...

USUALLY if one runs off to who knows were and the other runs to a box that box is one of 3 things,, Fuse, Circuit breaker, Solenoid

And that cable is POSITIVE.

To be sure... Using your friendly multi-meter set on the 15 or 20 volt range (Depending on the meter as to what the range is) red probe to the cable you SUSPECT is positive, black to the other one protect both from contact with other metal, Plug in and if you get a POSITIVE voltage.. You got it right the first time.

[J-Rooster]

Grandpere wrote:

Roaming Violet Kay wrote:
Hi all, COMPLETE NEWBY here. I bought a 1982 Itasca Sunflyer 27' from a person (did not tell me all the major problems) and they removed the positive/negative clamps for the second set of battery hookup cables. I have no way of knowing for sure which is which. One cable goes to a small box and the other disappears behind the metal wall.

The left hand attachment is the motor battery positive and the right side is the unknown cable. Should the right side also be positive?

I have a regular car battery and a deep cycle. I want to use the deep cycle for the house battery and think that is what the second set of cables are.




ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

Take this to a qualified chassis mechanic, what you have is a solenoid so the other side is not going to connect to the positive side of a battery it is going to connect to something else like the starter. You are asking for troubles if you try and figure it out yourself. Have someone who knows what they are doing hook up the batteries and then explain the setup to you so you will know for future reference.

X-2, this is very good advice! Welcome to RV.Net