New owner battery install question.

[brmiller]

Installing a battery in our travel trailer and I'm not sure I've hooked it up correctly. After install the lights work and radio work but none of the ac outlets are working? I'm not sure if this is a polarity issue or if I don't have the correct battery to be able to power the AC outlets?

Sorry for the lack of noobness but hoping to get some guidance and advice.

I have the positive and negative lines hooked up according to the manual but the the smaller gage red and white wires, I'm not sure what those go to? Any suggestions?





this is the battery that was recommended to me?



thank you in advance for any help.

[SoundGuy]

brmiller wrote:
If we do look at boondocking I will look at a gel cell battery and possible inverter install. But at this point I'm at least a year away from that.

You'd most likely want to stay away from gel batteries which have their own specific set of charging and temperature requirements. Nothing wrong with good old flooded but if you're looking for something a little easier to maintain then AGM would probably be your better choice.

[brmiller]

wow! tons of great advice. Thank you very much.

As of now we will be staying at full service parks since we are new to RVing and are just getting our feet wet. If we do look at boondocking I will look at a gel cell battery and possible inverter install. But at this point I'm at least a year away from that.

Thanks again for all the info.

[keymastr]

I would think most things like the awning would be connected to the converter/charger load center. Do you have a small solar panel maintainer? Also the break-away switch should be direct to the battery so it may be for that.

[lawrosa]

Thats like a 50 amp hour battery. If your plugged int camgrounds not an issue. If you want to do camping off the grid watch your power use. That battery will not last long.

Its hooked up correctly..

As ststed for 120v you need to be plugged in...

I would not even entertain the though of adding an inverter with that battery..

If anything get the small plug in types and add 12 volt outlets to the TV area or other places where you need them..

I ran two of these in my old camper. One for the TV and one for a box fan and phone charging...

Small 120 watt jobs will serve you well. I used this one. No fan noise. I ran 100watts through them easy...

[rbpru]

The size and use of an inverter is a project all it's own. But in simple terms an AC appliance will draw in excess of 10 times the amperage from the battery with an inverter, than it does thorough the 120 volt outlet.

You 120 amp-hour battery is not going to last too long before it runs out of power.

Fortunately, most TTs have the essential appliances on 12 volts and/or LP gas. The water pump, stove/oven,furnace, refrigerator, water heater and lights keep going when the 120 volt power is lost. In our case with the original stock battery we can get buy for two days. We rarely need more than that.

Good luck.

[brmiller]

MFL wrote:

LibertyMan wrote:
Your AC outlets will not work when running off of battery power. Just about every camper that is sold is set-up that, unless you pay for an inverter that can covert 12V to 110.

X2 Sounds like you have it right, just need shore power for the outlets and major electric, like Microwave and AC.

Smaller wires may be for power jack.

Jerry

no power jacks but it does have a power awning so I assume that's what those are for???

[MFL]

LibertyMan wrote:
Your AC outlets will not work when running off of battery power. Just about every camper that is sold is set-up that, unless you pay for an inverter that can covert 12V to 110.

X2 Sounds like you have it right, just need shore power for the outlets and major electric, like Microwave and AC.

Smaller wires may be for power jack.

Jerry

[brmiller]

LibertyMan wrote:
Your AC outlets will not work when running off of battery power. Just about every camper that is sold is set-up that, unless you pay for an inverter that can covert 12V to 110.

Wow! I feel stupid. 😐

I didn't even think about that. yeah, I guess I will need to put in an inverter for 110.

thanks for the quick replies.

any ideas on what the smaller gage red and white wires could be for?

[brmiller]

This is the label on the frame of the trailer

[LibertyMan]

Your AC outlets will not work when running off of battery power. Just about every camper that is sold is set-up that, unless you pay for an inverter that can covert 12V to 110.

[GordonThree]

brmiller wrote:
Installing a battery in out travel trailer and I'm not sure I've hooked it up correctly. After install the lights work and radio work but non of the ac outlets are working? I'm not sure if this is a polarity issue or if I don't have the correct battery to be able to power the AC outlets?

Sorry for the lack of noobness but hoping to get some guidance and advice.

I have the positive and negative lines hooked up according to the manual but the the smaller gage red and white wires, I'm not sure what those go to? Any suggestions?





this is the battery that was recommended to me?



thank you in advance for any help.

Double check your manual and look at your reverse polarity fuses.

BLACK is typically positive in the RV world, not negative. I believe you have both your positive and negative cables both connected to the negative terminal on the battery.

White is negative, black positive, red is non standard positive for an RV.