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  1. #1
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    Reflection 320MKS Bus Bar

    Help me understand what I'm looking at. I'm finally doing a deep dive into the battery compartment and wiring and find things are different than what I expected. This is a photo of what I think is the bus bar that the battery plus side is connected to via 6 AWG wire (far left, coming in at the top).

    Questions:
    1. Are these connection coming off the bottom routed through some form of fuses? The green (30) and blue (15)seem to be a clue. What is the red?
    2. On the bottom left, a 6 AWG wire feeds into the coach and I assume connects to the control panel and converter. Is this right.
    3. The remaining wires, other than the 6 AGW wire penetrating the wall headed for the coach all look to power the jacks.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Bill & Marsha
    2020 Reflection 320 MKS
    2018 2500HD Silverado 4x4
    Not All Who Wander Are Lost

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by wjpatter View Post
    Help me understand what I'm looking at. I'm finally doing a deep dive into the battery compartment and wiring and find things are different than what I expected. This is a photo of what I think is the bus bar that the battery plus side is connected to via 6 AWG wire (far left, coming in at the top).

    Questions:
    1. Are these connection coming off the bottom routed through some form of fuses? The green (30) and blue (15)seem to be a clue. What is the red?
    2. On the bottom left, a 6 AWG wire feeds into the coach and I assume connects to the control panel and converter. Is this right.
    3. The remaining wires, other than the 6 AGW wire penetrating the wall headed for the coach all look to power the jacks.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    1) Yes. The stud (terminals) you see are an auto-reset circuit breaker. I do not know the color codes, but the red circuit breakers are probably 30A

    2) I do not know your specific trailer, and it can vary depending on who/what day wired it up, but the heavy #6 red wire at the top left should go directly to the positive terminal of your battery. The heavy #6 wire in the bottom left goes to the fuse box/distribution panel and from there to your converter. This wire carries current from the battery to the trailer when the converter is not running and from the converter, via the distribution panel to the battery (to charge it).

    3) The black wire at the top, which is not fused/protected probably goes to your breakaway switch (to power the trailer brakes in an emergency). Depending on the type of slides and jacks, the other wires could go to the controllers or the motors. On our trailer, see sig, we have some lights (front compartment, front and underside exterior) that also come off the buss bar via an autoreset circuit breaker.

    Chris
    Last edited by CoChris; 11-28-2020 at 04:43 PM.
    Chris & Karen
    Fort Collins, CO
    2017 F-350 SRW 6.7 Lariat Value CC LB 4x4
    2018 Solitude 310GK - Sold 7/2023

  3. #3
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    Thanks. With better light, I see that it is fuse holder with one empty slot, not a bus bar. I can't get my mind into the head of technician that wired this. The wires on the right are two black heavy wires (6 AWG) are dogged together and somehow tied to the battery disconnect switch. If I unplug the AC and open the disconnect switch, I lose my 12V. With AC and the disconnect still open, I get my 12V. These wires probably feeding power to the red/white wire on top through a 30 amp fuse going, who knows. Why would GD bring heavy gauge, switched 12V wires to the front of the coach to connection? There isn't anything heavy duty here, jacks, lights, even the bedroom slides are low amperage. This is the forward compartment, forward of the basement. It doesn't make sense.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Bill & Marsha
    2020 Reflection 320 MKS
    2018 2500HD Silverado 4x4
    Not All Who Wander Are Lost

  4. #4
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    I don't know what happened that the picture is upside down. Try this.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_2095.jpg  
    Last edited by wjpatter; 11-29-2020 at 08:20 AM. Reason: wrong photo
    Bill & Marsha
    2020 Reflection 320 MKS
    2018 2500HD Silverado 4x4
    Not All Who Wander Are Lost

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by wjpatter View Post
    Thanks. With better light, I see that it is fuse holder with one empty slot, not a bus bar.
    The flat black (I suspect) plastic bar is a mechanical spacer (and insulator). The copper strap on the top is the positive bus bar. The black wires (and white w/red tracer) are probably ground wires. I am almost certain those terminals are auto-reset circuit breakers. Not fuses.

    Quote Originally Posted by wjpatter View Post
    I can't get my mind into the head of technician that wired this.
    Welcome to the wonderful world of RV. There is no governing documents (like the NEC for house and commercial wiring). All of the wiring (as far as I can tell) is done by unskilled workers with no documentation. The wiring varies from unit to unit (even the same model).

    Quote Originally Posted by wjpatter View Post
    The wires on the right are two black heavy wires (6 AWG) are dogged together and somehow tied to the battery disconnect switch.
    Do the heavy black wires go to the negative terminal of the battery and the chassis/frame? These would be your ground wires.

    Quote Originally Posted by wjpatter View Post
    If I unplug the AC and open the disconnect switch, I lose my 12V. With AC and the disconnect still open, I get my 12V. These wires probably feeding power to the red/white wire on top through a 30 amp fuse going, who knows.
    That is correct/typical operation. The converter (120v AC to 12V DC supply/battery charger) output connects to the distribution (circuit breaker and fuse) panel in the trailer then to the battery via the disconnect switch. When you are on shore power or a generator (AC), the converter provides the 12V DC to the trailer. If the battery disconnect switch is closed (connected), then it will also charge your battery. If you are not on shore power and the disconnect switch is closed, the battery provides 12V DC power to the trailer. If you are not on shore power and the battery disconnect switch is open (you can remove the red key) then there is no 12V DC power to most of your trailer. Note, in this last case some systems (the emergency break away switch, the smoke alarm and LP detector, probably the radio, etc.) are still connected to the battery.

    Quote Originally Posted by wjpatter View Post
    Why would GD bring heavy gauge, switched 12V wires to the front of the coach to connection? There isn't anything heavy duty here, jacks, lights, even the bedroom slides are low amperage. This is the forward compartment, forward of the basement. It doesn't make sense.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Reason: The battery. These heavy wires are to provide power to charge the battery (when on shore power) and to power the trailer 12V DC from the battery when there is no shore power or for very high loads.

    Chris
    Last edited by CoChris; 11-29-2020 at 10:33 PM.
    Chris & Karen
    Fort Collins, CO
    2017 F-350 SRW 6.7 Lariat Value CC LB 4x4
    2018 Solitude 310GK - Sold 7/2023

  6. #6
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    Thanks Chris. Some of it is starting to make sense. Auto-reset circuit breakers are new to me. Found them on the internet. I've started to worry about having a fuse kit and wonder if I should include these. The battery ground wire connects to the frame in a different location, separate from the fuse strip. All of the wires on the fuse strip are hot (12V). The 2 heavy black wires, I think, are coming from the converter. I only get 12v on those wires with shore power connected (Converter). The red/white striped wire may feed the disconnect switch and the white return connected to what looks like a white wire bundle that is bused. It's hard to tell and I can't get my multimeter probe in far enough to tell. If they are bussed, it looks like thin foil for the job.

    You said something interesting about charging the battery with the disconnect closed. I had assumed that the battery would be charged anytime shore power was connected. I'll be replacing my battery this week with two 6V AGM. I will be a good opportunity to see when I have 12V power on the copper strip.
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    Bill & Marsha
    2020 Reflection 320 MKS
    2018 2500HD Silverado 4x4
    Not All Who Wander Are Lost

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by wjpatter View Post
    Thanks Chris. Some of it is starting to make sense. Auto-reset circuit breakers are new to me. Found them on the internet. I've started to worry about having a fuse kit and wonder if I should include these. The battery ground wire connects to the frame in a different location, separate from the fuse strip. All of the wires on the fuse strip are hot (12V). The 2 heavy black wires, I think, are coming from the converter. I only get 12v on those wires with shore power connected (Converter). The red/white striped wire may feed the disconnect switch and the white return connected to what looks like a white wire bundle that is bused. It's hard to tell and I can't get my multimeter probe in far enough to tell. If they are bussed, it looks like thin foil for the job.

    You said something interesting about charging the battery with the disconnect closed. I had assumed that the battery would be charged anytime shore power was connected. I'll be replacing my battery this week with two 6V AGM. I will be a good opportunity to see when I have 12V power on the copper strip.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    In the RV world, solid white wire is **generally** ground.

    The +12V bus bar is feed by both the converter (through the distribution panel then through the disconnect switch) when there is 120v power AND by the battery. The main part of the trailer is feed by the converter (when there is 120v power) and by the battery through the disconnect switch. There are some functions (jacks, smoke alarm, radio, etc.) that are powered directly off the buss bar/battery (and do not go through the disconnect switch). That is why the battery will discharge in just a couple of weeks with all 12V loads turned "off". Many people just disconnect the battery (pull the negative lead off the battery) when storing the trailer.

    The connector (with the white wires) in your second picture is a WAGO (brand) 221-415 (5 position 28~12 gauge wire) connector. used throughout the trailer for 12V connections. Great little connectors. The four wires (and five) positions are all connected (bussed) internally. They are reusable. Lift up the orange leaver to release. Remove or insert wire and push down orange lever to capture wire. Try it with the open position and scrap piece of wire.

    Chris
    Last edited by CoChris; 11-30-2020 at 10:51 AM.
    Chris & Karen
    Fort Collins, CO
    2017 F-350 SRW 6.7 Lariat Value CC LB 4x4
    2018 Solitude 310GK - Sold 7/2023

  8. #8
    Setting Up Camp
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    I hated this on my unit too. I hate having exposed hot terminals. I totally rewired them with manual reset circuit breakers and labelling. Hate not knowing what breaker does what especially when it’s dark and cold and the slide won’t got out!
    Dale & Lorna
    2019 Reflection 367 BHS
    2019 F350 Platinum diesel
    Alberta, Canada

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