Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: DC wiring dilema(SOB) (Read 602 times) previous topic - next topic

DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Black wire(to - post and white wire to + post hooked from converter to battery. Polarity reads correct at battery terminals. Sockets inside read reverse with jumper wire, purchased from amazon, with ring terminals one end & cig lighter plug on other end. Continuity reading shows red tied to center terminal on the  plug/black tied to one side spring loaded connector..  Anyone want to know how many trips I've made between outside & inside over this? Is my mind messed up b ecause chassis is not used for dc in this trailer (OR my boat)? Don't think incandesant filiments care which way the electrons travel...

Why does the converter act as an arc welder if output touches this chassis OR reversed at battery? Yes, I touched them but the converter just grunted & arced!(NOW you know how I came up with the posts about ferro resonant xfmrs! My brother, Merle laid his forearm across the capacitor on the other winding,of the TRAVCO(but not for very long!)
'92 Grand Villa 36' w/8.3Cummins mechanical
ORED
Build#4062

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #1 –
What Brand/ model convertor do you have ? Have you looked it up and verified the wiring ? In a A/C wiring Black would be hot and white neutral. Verify with manufactures schematic Center terminal on cigarette plug should be the hot. Ground is on the side of plug..
91 GV U300 Unihome 40' Build 3811
6V92TA Detroit

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #2 –
After market dc sockets have red positive and black negative. I have had to connect my black wires to red and my white wires to black when installing extra sockets.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #3 –
In DC circuits when black and white wires are used black is ALWAYS hot, white is negative.
1994 U280, Build 4490
Deming, NM.

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #4 –
Quote from: stump –
What Brand/ model convertor do you have ? Have you looked it up and verified the wiring ? In a A/C wiring Black would be hot and white neutral. Verify with manufactures schematic Center terminal on cigarette plug should be the hot. Ground is on the side of plug..
Thanks, Stump. Thats the way I learned it back in '53/54 at Scott AFB. Must have been a lot of cost cutting measures since then. That dc jumper has a red(connected to the center conductor) and a black w/red stripe to the side connector. Will holler back if I ever make sense of this...are electrons STILL round? I  can hear the converter humming but have yet to find it!

Jim

Jim
'92 Grand Villa 36' w/8.3Cummins mechanical
ORED
Build#4062

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #5 –
Hot wires are colored: Red or black.
Ground/neutral is not colored : White or black.

Clear as mud.
1997 U270 34FT Build 5140 Cummins 8.3 Allison 3060R
Solar 1920Watts, 14KWH lithium. Orion BMS.

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #6 –
Lets Back up. The convertor takes 120 volts A/C and changes it to 12V DC. A Inverter takes 12 Volts DC and changes it to 120V A/C.
What are you working on? You said in post a convertor. If you are working on the convertor should it not connect to a 120V source? You stated it was connected to the batteries. I'm having a hard time understanding this.
91 GV U300 Unihome 40' Build 3811
6V92TA Detroit

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Tim –
Hot wires are colored: Red or black.
Ground/neutral is not colored : White or black.

Clear as mud.
More mud. Many Foretravels, green is ground, white is positive.
Jim C.
coachfree, previous 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2003 Foretravels.

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #8 –
Quote from: stump –
If you are working on the convertor should it not connect to a 120V source? You stated it was connected to the batteries.
In some cases, a convertor also functions as a rudimentary battery charger...in which case 120V (AC) in, and 12V (DC) out (to batteries).
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie –
In some cases, a convertor also functions as a rudimentary battery charger...in which case 120V (AC) in, and 12V (DC) out (to batteries).

I understand that But READ the initial post. Is he connecting the black and white wires to the battery? If so, Don't they need to go to 120 volts A/C instead of 12volts DC . He stated it is the Convertor Not a Inverter.
91 GV U300 Unihome 40' Build 3811
6V92TA Detroit

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #10 –
OK, I tried reading the first post again.  It is confusing...

The way I read it, the OP is talking about connecting the output wires from the convertor to the battery.  The power cord (input) for the convertor should have a 3-prong plug, and it is plugged into a 120V outlet.  No chance for polarity error there.  On the ones I have seen, the convertor output terminals are usually just set screw posts of some kind.  You could use any suitable size wire or cable between the convertor and the battery.

The OP states (the way I'm reading it) that he connected a BLACK wire from the convertor NEG post to the battery NEG post, and a WHITE wire from convertor POS post to battery POS post.  Now, that does sound "backwards" to me, because everybody here is saying BLACK wire should be POS, and WHITE wire should be NEG.  But the OP says "polarity reads correct at the battery terminals", so even if the colors of the wires from convertor to battery are reversed, the hookup should still work properly.

So, in short, I don't know what the problem is...which is no help to the OP.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #11 –
Back to my reply above the op is trying to figure out why the adaptor he plugged into the power receptacle has the wires coming out of it reversed. The reason is the adaptor calls red hot and black ground. There really is no problem here. The center of the outlet would be wired black by the coach wiring and the side by white. When the new adaptor is plugged in the black becomes red and the white becomes black.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #12 –
The unit I called a "converter" is used to charge the 12v battery in the box on the side of this Jayco and 12v power to the house sans battery. In My Travco it was called converter. I don't know what Jayco calls it. I've lived in this trailer for almost 2 yrs. and it has only had a battery installed for a couple months. Whatever it is called, it doesn't care if it has a battery or not It also doesn't care whether its output leads are shorted or open! Hense my posts regarding Ferro resonance and smps earlier. I'm just trying to make sense of why they reversed polarity at the sockets inside the trailer. Light bulbs don't care but things I plug into those sockets do. I think they are still referred to as converters in new units?

I just happened to be playing with one of those Peltier chips one day and discovered the reversal .
'92 Grand Villa 36' w/8.3Cummins mechanical
ORED
Build#4062

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #13 –
Quote from: stump –
Lets Back up. The convertor takes 120 volts A/C and changes it to 12V DC. A Inverter takes 12 Volts DC and changes it to 120V A/C.

Bingo, Stump - so I called it correctly...
'92 Grand Villa 36' w/8.3Cummins mechanical
ORED
Build#4062

Re: DC wiring dilema(SOB)

Reply #15 –
Thanks for the link, Stump -filed it for future use. Just gonna remember for now that polarity is reversed on my in house sockets...

Jim
'92 Grand Villa 36' w/8.3Cummins mechanical
ORED
Build#4062