Reverse Battery

[tdawg]

As a campground host I get a lot questions on operation of there r.v.. This summer so far I have had 3 campers with the battery cables reversed. They usually say the power post is bad and no power now I go straight to the battery and check connections, or they have there battery disconnected thinking if they are plugged into power they don't need 12 volts.

[SAABDOCTOR]

I understand the RV industry use of white and black at the battery. In your stick house 120vac black is positive white is neutral/ground. But I realy think that if they did the battery up like most anything 12vdc red pos black neg there would be a lot less problems. that's my humble opinion of the day!.

[JRTJH]

Barney,

I totally agree with you. It just seems "logical" to use red and black since it's a 12 volt system and every automotive 12 volt (6 volt too) system uses red and black with black being Negative (ground).

BUT..... There's always a catch with "those who regulate for us".... RVIA in its "infinite WISDOM (???)" has decided that the "house part" of the wiring is the most hazardous (if it were to be "miswired") to occupants, so they have "elected" to "mandate" to the RV industry how to wire RV's. They "decided" to use the "most common" color scheme (black=hot/white=neutral/green=ground) and "somehow" they decided that rather than use red (which is the second hot color) they would connect the "automotive side" using the "NON-STANDARD" black/white color scheme. They "reasoned" (really ????) that it would be "safer" to use that than to have the possibility that someone would mistake a red (12VDC) wire for a "second hot 120VAC wire)....

So, "methinks" that with all of RVIA's "wisdom", I'd guess that someone in a "leadership role" at RVIA has a brother-in-law who markets the 40 Amp Maxi-fuse line......

There's a "reason" for it to be the way it is (just ask RVIA) but anyone with any "common sense" can't find it......................

[SAABDOCTOR]

Well John you remember the phrase, "I'm from the FAA and I am here to help"

[JRTJH]

Oh I do, I do.... and a certain sphincter always got really REALLY tight every time they walked up.... Even if everything is "by the books," some inspectors felt the need to be able to "justify their trip" so they would dig and DIG and DDIIGG until they found something.... anything.... no matter how inconsequential.

I once was dinged by an FAA inspector because the checklist cover had some lint on it and "could be misinterpreted" as a grease pencil check. Hmmmmm we always used black grease pencils, there were no places to check on the front cover and the lint was light gray....

OK, if that's all you can find................

[Ken / Claudia]

It would be interesting to hear from a RV camp host what the numbers of problems people have with the propane system. Mainly turned on correctly and have propane in the tanks but blame the problem on everything else. I am guessing that may come up as #2 or #3 in common mistakes.

[Bob Landry]

Having only been in the RV world for about three years, I'm not sure where or when the practice of black/white wiring became standardized, but there is rational for it and I support it.

In the marine industry, we started moving away from using black for DC ground years ago. The reason being, it was common to have both 12V and 120V wiring harnesses run in the same bundle, and it was just as common, and still is, to have these bundles routed to and attached to the same power distribution panels. There were many occurrences of totally unqualified boat owners installing their own equipment and the combination of black AC hot and black DC ground in close proximity just did not end well. We have since gone to using yellow or brown for DC ground for those reasons. The RV industry has probably gone the same way because of the presence of both 12VDC and 120VAC system. They just happened to choose white.
I guessing that the reason the automotive industry has not followed suit is there is no 120V to deal with in a vehicle and the worst that will happen is a shorted wire and a blown fuse.

[Bluewater]

Agreed Bob, being from a marine background also i do remember the changes. thanks

[tdawg]

Ken the next problem area seams to be turning on the waterheater like my alpine with the rocker switch in the outside heater cover, turning on without water in heater, don't have many problems with propane.