Battery Wire Question

[dryfly]

2020 Reflection 273 MK. Besides the large positive and negative leads on my 12 volt battery, I have a pair of #10 AWG leads, one red and one red/black wire that connect directly to the battery. I cannot tell exactly what these wires are used to power. I traced them through the pass through storage and it appears they go with a bundle of wires up to the main switch control panel inside the trailer.

Due to the size of the wire I assume they control some device that draws a fair amount of current. Maybe the slide or the water heater element??

[Calbar]

2020 Reflection 273 MK. Besides the large positive and negative leads on my 12 volt battery, I have a pair of #10 AWG leads, one red and one red/black wire that connect directly to the battery. I cannot tell exactly what these wires are used to power. I traced them through the pass through storage and it appears they go with a bundle of wires up to the main switch control panel inside the trailer.

Due to the size of the wire I assume they control some device that draws a fair amount of current. Maybe the slide or the water heater element??

I have these too. Curious to hear what they power.

Rob

[dryfly]

I assume yours is hooked up red to positive and red/black to negative? If I don't get a response I'll leave the wires not hooked up start trying devices. I really don't want to pull the switch panel just to find out.

[boyscout]

2020 Reflection 273 MK. Besides the large positive and negative leads on my 12 volt battery, I have a pair of #10 AWG leads, one red and one red/black wire that connect directly to the battery. I cannot tell exactly what these wires are used to power. I traced them through the pass through storage and it appears they go with a bundle of wires up to the main switch control panel inside the trailer.

Due to the size of the wire I assume they control some device that draws a fair amount of current. Maybe the slide or the water heater element??

Many if not most GD trailers ship with a handful of things that are NOT disconnected from power when the factory battery "kill" switch is turned off. I'd guess they do this for "safety" and/or legal reasons. The devices include landing gear / jacks, brakes, alarms, sometimes the radio, and maybe more. Is it possible that the wires you're asking about provide the uninterruptible source of power for those things?

You could try turning off the battery "kill" switch, putting a clamp / amp meter on the wire you're asking about, and have someone watch it while you operate the landing gear. If current flow increases those wires are serving at least the landing gear if not other things too.

Incidentally these loads are often enough to completely drain the typical dealer-installed battery in just a couple of weeks sitting unplugged in storage, even when the "kill" switch is turned off. If not using the trailer for more than a week or two, disconnect at least the negative wires from the battery. Or re-wire things so that the battery kill switch actually does disconnect the battery from everything, as many of us do.

Good luck.

[dryfly]

It may well power some of the things you mention, but I'm still wondering why it runs up, inside the wall, towards the switch panel. It seems as though it would tie in to these devices on a buss bar closer to the breaker panel and the converter.

As I mentioned above I can determine it's purpose through trial and error or measuring current passing through, but just thought someone might have an answer. Obviously in this case polarity is not an issue, but I would like to know what's going on before I reconnect the two wires to the battery.

[Bungy]

It may well power some of the things you mention, but I'm still wondering why it runs up, inside the wall, towards the switch panel. It seems as though it would tie in to these devices on a buss bar closer to the breaker panel and the converter.

As I mentioned above I can determine it's purpose through trial and error or measuring current passing through, but just thought someone might have an answer. Obviously in this case polarity is not an issue, but I would like to know what's going on before I reconnect the two wires to the battery.

Maybe for the prewired solar port?

[Cahriad]

On mine they are the brakes and solar port

[RickLight]

My rig doesn't have anything like that.
Since I recently moved the batteries and replaced the charger in a LiPo conversion, I'm very certain what everything does.

[huntr70]

They are the wires for the pre-wired solar.

If you're not going to use the solar, just tie them up out of the way. Don't hook them up.

[Calbar]

They are the wires for the pre-wired solar.

If you're not going to use the solar, just tie them up out of the way. Don't hook them up.

Thanks Steve,

Very good to know. Next season when I hook up the batteries I will leave these disconnected.

Rob