RV: Battery connections and life?to positive and what to negative

[JDS]

New to RV and have 28' TT.

Battery is not hooked up. I have 4 cables available. 1 looks like it goes
to power jack while others seem to head into the frame. I don't know what
to attach to positive and negative.

Also, how can I tell if the Interstate RV battery is any good? It seems
like its sealed.

[Lone Haranguer]

JDS wrote:
> New to RV and have 28' TT.
>
> Battery is not hooked up. I have 4 cables available. 1 looks like it goes
> to power jack while others seem to head into the frame. I don't know what
> to attach to positive and negative.

The negative cable goes to ground. Maybe you can find which one is
bolted to the frame? That would be the negative one.

If they are color-coded, a red cable would (probably) be positive.
>
> Also, how can I tell if the Interstate RV battery is any good? It seems
> like its sealed.
>
Put a charger on it. There are many indicators of what shape the
battery is in by how it takes a charge but if you don't know them, just
charge it for 24
hours, then put a load on it and see how long it takes before it runs down.
LZ

[Tom J]

JDS wrote:
> New to RV and have 28' TT.
>
> Battery is not hooked up. I have 4 cables available. 1 looks like
> it goes to power jack while others seem to head into the frame. I
> don't know what to attach to positive and negative.

NORMALLY the postive (+) cables are black or red and the negative (-)
cables are white. The black wire going to the jack goes to the postive
side also.

>
> Also, how can I tell if the Interstate RV battery is any good? It
> seems like its sealed.

It most likely is not sealed. Put a thin screwdriver blade under the
edge of one of the caps & twist and see if thw cap starts to raise. If
it does, take both off and fill the battery up to the bottom of the
splash rings with DISTILLED water and charge.

Tom J

[JDS]

Got the wiring rite but still nuttin. If I've been connected to land power
for 24 hours, battery should be good if its alive?

"Tom J" <tomnews2@..............> wrote in message
news:N5ednQAw2aCQaarXnZ2dnUVZ_rWdnZ2d@earthlink.co m...
> JDS wrote:
>> New to RV and have 28' TT.
>>
>> Battery is not hooked up. I have 4 cables available. 1 looks like
>> it goes to power jack while others seem to head into the frame. I
>> don't know what to attach to positive and negative.
>
> NORMALLY the postive (+) cables are black or red and the negative (-)
> cables are white. The black wire going to the jack goes to the postive
> side also.
>
>>
>> Also, how can I tell if the Interstate RV battery is any good? It
>> seems like its sealed.
>
> It most likely is not sealed. Put a thin screwdriver blade under the edge
> of one of the caps & twist and see if thw cap starts to raise. If it does,
> take both off and fill the battery up to the bottom of the splash rings
> with DISTILLED water and charge.
>
> Tom J
>

[Lone Haranguer]

JDS wrote:
> Got the wiring rite but still nuttin. If I've been connected to land power
> for 24 hours, battery should be good if its alive?

Assuming the charging portion of the converter is working. Do you have
a battery charger? If so, hook it up.
LZ
>
> "Tom J" <tomnews2@..............> wrote in message
> news:N5ednQAw2aCQaarXnZ2dnUVZ_rWdnZ2d@earthlink.co m...
>> JDS wrote:
>>> New to RV and have 28' TT.
>>>
>>> Battery is not hooked up. I have 4 cables available. 1 looks like
>>> it goes to power jack while others seem to head into the frame. I
>>> don't know what to attach to positive and negative.
>> NORMALLY the postive (+) cables are black or red and the negative (-)
>> cables are white. The black wire going to the jack goes to the postive
>> side also.
>>
>>> Also, how can I tell if the Interstate RV battery is any good? It
>>> seems like its sealed.
>> It most likely is not sealed. Put a thin screwdriver blade under the edge
>> of one of the caps & twist and see if thw cap starts to raise. If it does,
>> take both off and fill the battery up to the bottom of the splash rings
>> with DISTILLED water and charge.
>>
>> Tom J
>>
>
>

[anne watson]

Well the first thing I would do is to get out and under. Somewhere there is
a motor that connects to that wire. Find it and see if it is frayed so it
is shorting out.

Then I would make sure the connections are tight. Especially by the switch.

Then I would be out of iseas. If you can get the slide in manaually. Last
resort.
Call in the big guns. An RV repair guy.

On my Motorhome, I always STart the engine, bring in the slide, bring up the
jacks.
All with engine running.

Lets hope someone else has a better idea.

On mine, I can bring it in manually by throwing a lever and using a wrench
but yours may be set up differently.

One last thgought, if you do have a way to tilt the entrie rig so slide is
angled upward just a bit it will
make it easier to bring it in.

"JDS" <jdslater@mchsi.com> wrote in message
news:_yz_l.30275$gz5.4133@newsfe07.iad...
> No I don't. Prolly should learn all about that stuff too!
>
> Latest is I checked the fuse for the levelite 3000 power jack (hooks
>> switch for the jack - poof - popped the fuse again.
>

[JDS]

Its not the slide - its the tongue jack on an travel trailer.

"anne watson" <anneb3@...............> wrote in message
news:ZYmdnY2W-ORZaKfXnZ2dnUVZ_uGdnZ2d@earthlink.com...
> Well the first thing I would do is to get out and under. Somewhere there
> is a motor that connects to that wire. Find it and see if it is frayed
> so it is shorting out.
>
> Then I would make sure the connections are tight. Especially by the
> switch.
>
> Then I would be out of iseas. If you can get the slide in manaually.
> Last resort.
> Call in the big guns. An RV repair guy.
>
> On my Motorhome, I always STart the engine, bring in the slide, bring up
> the jacks.
> All with engine running.
>
> Lets hope someone else has a better idea.
>
> On mine, I can bring it in manually by throwing a lever and using a wrench
> but yours may be set up differently.
>
> One last thgought, if you do have a way to tilt the entrie rig so slide is
> angled upward just a bit it will
> make it easier to bring it in.
>
> "JDS" <jdslater@mchsi.com> wrote in message
> news:_yz_l.30275$gz5.4133@newsfe07.iad...
>> No I don't. Prolly should learn all about that stuff too!
>>
>> Latest is I checked the fuse for the levelite 3000 power jack (hooks
>>> switch for the jack - poof - popped the fuse again.
>>
>
>