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Topic ClosedIs the RP179 a negative to ground chassis?

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Rana View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Is the RP179 a negative to ground chassis?
    Posted: 07 Jul 2020 at 4:06pm
The electric tongue jack I bought has one black wire with an in line breaker. The instructions say that the washers and split washers under the bolt provide the connection to the chassis.
I have two wires capped and stowed by the batteries labelled "Provision, Electric tongue jack", a red wire and a white wire. I took the battery covers off, the left hand one has a big red wire on the +ve terminal, there is a black jumper from the -ve terminal to the +ve terminal on the right hand battery, and there is a thick white wire on the -ve terminal of the second battery. The two big wires go into a plastic conduit, and the two smaller gauge wires for the tongue jack come out of the same plastic conduit, the conduit disappears under the chassis, presumably to the power distribution box. None of the fuses are labelled for a tongue jack.
Is there a way to tell which of the two big wires is grounded to the chassis somewhere? Motor vehicle convention seems to be -ve to chassis, are trailers the same?
Rana
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Toyanvil View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2020 at 4:22pm
Your trailer frame is grounded. I would try cleaning the paint off the trailer and jack at the bolt holes to make a good connection.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2020 at 4:26pm
Yes, there is. Get a voltmeter. 

What is confusing is that RV's generally follow the national electric code which has colored wire (black or red) as hot and white as neutral (grounded to the chassis). Vehicle convention is that black is ground and red is hot (+12V). I've found often that this confuses owners enough that things can get connected with reverse polarity. The way to be sure is to use a voltmeter before making any connections. 

That being said, the tongue jack is following the NEC and wants the black wire with the breaker connected to the +12V battery terminal. The -12V is via the chassis. 

And it sounds like you have two 6V batteries is series. Nothing should ever be connected to the wire or going between the + of one and the - of the other or to either of those terminals. The +12V terminal should be the one with the big red wire on it, and the -12V terminal (connected to the frame) should be the one with the big white wire on it. 

But again that assumes that everything is as it should be and since its confusing you can't always count on that.  its always best to get your voltmeter out and be certain so you don;'t find out where they hid the smoke. LOL
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
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Rana View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2020 at 4:41pm
Thanks so much, that is good advice. I think my neighbor has a voltmeter, I'll ask him to do the check, he should know what to do. As you say, I don't want to find out where they hide the smoke!

Rana
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2020 at 4:42pm
Thanks, good advice, I'll be sure to clean up the paint under the bolt heads and make sure the ridged washers can make a good contact.
Rana
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