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Old 10-24-2016, 10:01 AM   #1
smokeater
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Thumbs down Reverse connected battery

Feeling like an idiot, when hooking up my trailer yesterday, i was doing too much talking and not enough looking and hooked up my battery opposite to what i should have. I thought something was off when my electric tongue jack was retracting when i pushed extend. Anyway, i corrected the battery and everything seems fine except the stereo no longer works. Is there a fuse involved with it or have i sent it to stereo heaven.......
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Old 10-24-2016, 01:51 PM   #2
Pull Toy
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Re: Reverse connected battery

Reminds me of the old story about checking for reversing polarity:

1. Your headlights cast a shadow.
2. Your horn sucks.
3. Your radio sits there and listens to you.

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

Hopefully just a fuse, look for an "inline fuse" depending on your set-up, or a fuse in the panel, or both. If not you may have fried a diode or triode. Not a $$$ fix if needed.

Good luck,
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Old 10-24-2016, 03:56 PM   #3
JRTJH
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Re: Reverse connected battery

Chances are you have a WFCO 55 amp converter/charger (behind your power distribution center). WFCO designed their converters with a "reverse polarity" protection built in. There are two 40 Amp fuses located on the face of "modern" converters and located on the "back side" of older units.

Yours probably looks like this picture. Replace the two "blown" fuses (the two red 40 amp ones) and you should be back in business. The protection circuit shuts down 12 volt power to the converter/charger if you connect the battery "backwards" and even after you reconnect it properly, those fuses, being blown, won't allow any 12 volt power from the battery to the 12 volt distribution panel until after they are replaced....

Your biggest challenge is going to be finding replacement 40 Amp fuses.
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Old 10-24-2016, 04:08 PM   #4
gearhead
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Re: Reverse connected battery

Reminds me of the limerick? we learned in Navy electronics school...
Eddie Kilowatt gave Millie Ampere a ride on his megacycle. They crossed Wheatstone bridge and reversed polarity...
Kinda goes downhill from there.
I mean, it was the NAVY and all.
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Old 10-25-2016, 05:30 AM   #5
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Re: Reverse connected battery

Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Chances are you have a WFCO 55 amp converter/charger (behind your power distribution center). WFCO designed their converters with a "reverse polarity" protection built in. There are two 40 Amp fuses located on the face of "modern" converters and located on the "back side" of older units.

Yours probably looks like this picture. Replace the two "blown" fuses (the two red 40 amp ones) and you should be back in business. The protection circuit shuts down 12 volt power to the converter/charger if you connect the battery "backwards" and even after you reconnect it properly, those fuses, being blown, won't allow any 12 volt power from the battery to the 12 volt distribution panel until after they are replaced....

Your biggest challenge is going to be finding replacement 40 Amp fuses.
It looks like your power panel circuit location list was scribbled on by the same person that did ours - virtually unreadable.

Advance Auto as well as NAPA and others should have the fuses. Just make sure you take a sample blown one with you as there are at least 3 different physical sizes.
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Old 10-25-2016, 05:52 AM   #6
smokeater
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Re: Reverse connected battery

Thanks everyone, got awakened at 6:50 this morning with my fridge making funny noises and flashing and no power. Checked the converter and had two blown 40 amp fuses. Took the blown fuses to a local rv dealer and picked up a pack of 5 new ones, surprisingly only $3.99 plus tax. Came back and put them in and all seems good......fingers crossed
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Old 10-25-2016, 06:17 AM   #7
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Re: Reverse connected battery

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave W View Post
It looks like your power panel circuit location list was scribbled on by the same person that did ours - virtually unreadable.
I downloaded that picture from a Jayco website. The purpose was only to identify the location of the reverse polarity switches. My power center panel is not marked like this, but rather is printed in block letters and easy to read.

smokeater, Glad you got it fixed, now, once your battery is recharged, hopefully you'll be "back in business"....
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Old 10-25-2016, 06:53 AM   #8
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Re: Reverse connected battery

FWIW, I've seen panels with printed labels, nicely printed by hand and handwriting worse than a prescription.
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Old 10-25-2016, 07:08 AM   #9
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Re: Reverse connected battery

Quote:
Originally Posted by gearhead View Post
Reminds me of the limerick? we learned in Navy electronics school...
Eddie Kilowatt gave Millie Ampere a ride on his megacycle. They crossed Wheatstone bridge and reversed polarity...
Kinda goes downhill from there.
I mean, it was the NAVY and all.
Good heavens! Locker room talk!?
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Old 06-26-2019, 03:37 PM   #10
Kris
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Hello,

I had the same thing happen to my 2014 hideout.
Now the only thing not working is the fridge and the radio.
I have replaced both blown 40fuses

Anyone have any ideas how to fix!
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