Red wire, black wire and white wires

Send someone to the scrap seller and purchase that big roll of brown.

swimmer_spe wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:
Ohm test is a start but may not be adequate and yield low ohms on both - and + wires. The option I use is a series load and I've used a light bulb as suggested. You may need a load that draws more amps and find and turn off switches etc that could lead to false conclusions on the positive side.

Once the weres are connected With a 50 year old RV it would also be a good idea to leave a heavy draw load in series while while you turn on and test everything inside with the view that the series load will have a voltage drop.

That second set of wires could also be for trailer brakes.

The trailer brakes makes sense.... So, is there a common wire code for them?

No, not to mention the RV mfg added wire.

Think of it this way: There may be a recommendation but there is no standard or inspection requirement. And you're the mfg floor manager and you ran out of black wire but have a ton of pink wire. What do you do?

CA Traveler wrote:
Ohm test is a start but may not be adequate and yield low ohms on both - and + wires. The option I use is a series load and I've used a light bulb as suggested. You may need a load that draws more amps and find and turn off switches etc that could lead to false conclusions on the positive side.

Once the weres are connected With a 50 year old RV it would also be a good idea to leave a heavy draw load in series while while you turn on and test everything inside with the view that the series load will have a voltage drop.

That second set of wires could also be for trailer brakes.

The trailer brakes makes sense.... So, is there a common wire code for them?

Ohm test is a start but may not be adequate and yield low ohms on both - and + wires. The option I use is a series load and I've used a light bulb as suggested. You may need a load that draws more amps and find and turn off switches etc that could lead to false conclusions on the positive side.

Once the weres are connected With a 50 year old RV it would also be a good idea to leave a heavy draw load in series while while you turn on and test everything inside with the view that the series load will have a voltage drop.

That second set of wires could also be for trailer brakes.

Bobbo wrote:

Boon Docker wrote:
Set your multimeter to ohms. Ground one probe to the frame then touch the other probe to each wire separately.
A reading of zero to 1 ohm means that wire is negative.

Be sure that no wires are connected to the battery's positive terminal. Touch a hot wire like this and you will damage the meter.

I know how to use one. I was hoping that it would have been simple as white is always ... The idea of the ohm test on the frame and wires will help.

Boon Docker wrote:
Set your multimeter to ohms. Ground one probe to the frame then touch the other probe to each wire separately.
A reading of zero to 1 ohm means that wire is negative.

Great idea! I never thought of that.

I believe there is a sorta standard. For 40 yrs, every 12v assesory you will ever buy has either black and white, or red and black for power. The red and black is always pos. I call that a sorta std. If you would install a black/white cable using the white as pos it would be wrong. Same w/ a red/black cable, a black pos would be wrong !

Boon Docker wrote:
Set your multimeter to ohms. Ground one probe to the frame then touch the other probe to each wire separately.
A reading of zero to 1 ohm means that wire is negative.

Be sure that no wires are connected to the battery's positive terminal. Touch a hot wire like this and you will damage the meter.

Set your multimeter to ohms. Ground one probe to the frame then touch the other probe to each wire separately.
A reading of zero to 1 ohm means that wire is negative.

OP here.

A few things...

1) No shore power available there. So, that test is out.

2) No power jack.

3) I do have my truck, so plugging in the wire will work. I also own a multimeter, but I was hopeful that there was some sort of standard....