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raunch
10-20-2008, 07:26
I'm trying to add another battery to my 2005 Starcraft pop-up trailer. I am wiring 2, 12 volts + to + and - to -. No matter which order I hook up the wires, anytime I make the final connection it looks like an arc welder, and would in fact, weld the cable to the post if I were to let it happen. Testing with my limited knowledge and a multimeter shows that there are no shorts in my trailer wiring. The trailer has a converter and a CO meter which is always on.

Just read a past thread posted by MaddMaxx. Some good info, i.e. 2 6 volts in a series and converter info, but nothing about the problem I am seeing.
Thanks
JohnC
10-20-2008, 10:34
First guess, one battery is dead or shorted. Second guess, you've got the poles reversed.
raunch
10-20-2008, 12:16
Second guess is correct. When I did the multimeter testing, I did not check the polarity on the original battery. Turns out I reverse charged that battery. Talk about feeeling stupid.
DennisG01
10-20-2008, 16:48
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Well, the way I look at it is that every time I make a mistake, it's one less mistake I'll make in the future! :)
DmaxMaverick
10-20-2008, 17:30
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Well, the way I look at it is that every time I make a mistake, it's one less mistake I'll make in the future! :)

How true. Bomb disposal technicians live by this.
raunch
10-23-2008, 12:34
Two new batteries hooked up properly. OK. But now the inline fuse (30A) in the wire of the negative terminal to my trailer keeps blowing. The wire goes into the back of my converter, and from there I am not sure yet. No time to pull out the converter yet. No shorts in the trailer system. Any more ideas?
Thanks.
chipper
10-24-2008, 10:35
Two new batteries hooked up properly. OK. But now the inline fuse (30A) in the wire of the negative terminal to my trailer keeps blowing. The wire goes into the back of my converter, and from there I am not sure yet. No time to pull out the converter yet. No shorts in the trailer system. Any more ideas?
Thanks.

Your reverse battery hookup may have fried your converter.
raunch
11-04-2008, 12:35
Converter is fried. The trailer still has 120V power, but when the trailer is plugged in there is no power in the wires to the batteries. Guess I'll wait till spring to fuss with a new converter and two 6 volt batteries.
bsmall2800
11-04-2008, 20:55
Second guess is correct. When I did the multimeter testing, I did not check the polarity on the original battery. Turns out I reverse charged that battery. Talk about feeeling stupid.

How did you reverse charge the battery????? dont quite understand, now I feel stupid...
Bill
raunch
11-05-2008, 12:19
When I hooked the charger to the battery, I put the negative to the positive and the positive to the negative. Thus reversing the polarity of the battery.