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Topic ClosedSolar connection on 179 not working

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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Solar connection on 179 not working
    Posted: 06 May 2018 at 8:36am
I think there are two different responses to the  questions posed in several posts above--
1)not all solar suitcase systems are reverse polarity wired. Renogy does not use reverse polarity wiring
and 2) sometimes in the 12 volt DC world black and white are both used to denote neutral wires. Red is always noted as positive
at least, that is my experience
Vann

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 6:43pm
Originally posted by GlueGuy

Originally posted by furpod

There isn't anything tapped into it. It's a straight shot. Reversing the wires, and adding a wrap of colored electrical tape on the end, is a thing done normally in the electrical world.
For a bit more "professional" job and probably a lot more permanent, you could use a long chunk of colored shrink tubing on each pigtail at the battery. One red, one black. I usually have some shrink tubing in my electrical odds & ends box.


Yes.. I do that regularly also..
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 6:41pm
Originally posted by furpod

There isn't anything tapped into it. It's a straight shot. Reversing the wires, and adding a wrap of colored electrical tape on the end, is a thing done normally in the electrical world.
For a bit more "professional" job and probably a lot more permanent, you could use a long chunk of colored shrink tubing on each pigtail at the battery. One red, one black. I usually have some shrink tubing in my electrical odds & ends box.
bp
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 5:29pm
Originally posted by furpod

Originally posted by Ben Herman

Originally posted by Wood River Pod

Please excuse my possible ignorance.  Rather than cut and slice, couldn't you just swap the wires on the battery terminals.  Seems like the more simple fix.  Right?   Then if you ever needed to reverse, just swap them back.
Thanks

Well, I'd already cut and spliced since the suitcase system had alligator clips rather than the mini-plug. I'll probably avoid reversing the wires at the battery - too many things could go wrong with that approach (imo) since I don't know if there is anything else tapped into that line.


There isn't anything tapped into it. It's a straight shot. Reversing the wires, and adding a wrap of colored electrical tape on the end, is a thing done normally in the electrical world.

OK thx - appreciate the info. Since I have to re-splice the connection, I'll just go ahead and reverse it that way, but will do as you suggest and mark it accordingly. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 5:26pm
Originally posted by Ben Herman

Originally posted by Wood River Pod

Please excuse my possible ignorance.  Rather than cut and slice, couldn't you just swap the wires on the battery terminals.  Seems like the more simple fix.  Right?   Then if you ever needed to reverse, just swap them back.
Thanks

Well, I'd already cut and spliced since the suitcase system had alligator clips rather than the mini-plug. I'll probably avoid reversing the wires at the battery - too many things could go wrong with that approach (imo) since I don't know if there is anything else tapped into that line.


There isn't anything tapped into it. It's a straight shot. Reversing the wires, and adding a wrap of colored electrical tape on the end, is a thing done normally in the electrical world.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 5:01pm
Originally posted by Wood River Pod

Please excuse my possible ignorance.  Rather than cut and slice, couldn't you just swap the wires on the battery terminals.  Seems like the more simple fix.  Right?   Then if you ever needed to reverse, just swap them back.
Thanks

Well, I'd already cut and spliced since the suitcase system had alligator clips rather than the mini-plug. I'll probably avoid reversing the wires at the battery - too many things could go wrong with that approach (imo) since I don't know if there is anything else tapped into that line.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 3:38pm
IMHO - I would not modify the trailer to accept an add on. I would check polarity when install begins and adapt accordingly. To my knowledge the Zamp connections from battery to rear of trailer are not fused. Moving connections around on battery is a bad idea. Easy to check polarity and easy to adjust without modifying trailer wiring.
Mike Carter
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 1:39pm
Is it just Zamp that runs reverse polarity?  I didn't know my Go Power also ran reverse.  Is that a thing with the "suit case" setup/controllers?  Or is it just tied to those two brands?  While we are on the topic, are Zamp and Go Power connected somehow?  Seem to be different brands with the exact same hardware.  Curious...
Thanks 
Smith's in Hailey
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 11:10am
+1 to the suggestion to use the appropriate color tape to mark the wires if you do this to avoid backward wiring in the future. However, if you were to eventually sell it, I would remove the tape and leave the two wires disconnected. That way, a future owner could then connect them as wired or everse the polarity if that is needed.
StephenH
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 9:10am
Originally posted by Wood River Pod

Please excuse my possible ignorance.  Rather than cut and slice, couldn't you just swap the wires on the battery terminals.  Seems like the more simple fix.  Right?   Then if you ever needed to reverse, just swap them back.
Thanks
That's probably what I'd do with the caveat that the color of the wires at the battery would come into question. I would probably wrap the wires with the appropriate red/black tape to avoid future confusion.
bp
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