Battery Charged backwards - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-04-2013, 07:55 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
carlkeigley's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2013 Lil Snoozy #161 (SOLD)/2010 Tacoma
NE Oklahoma
Posts: 2,358
Battery Charged backwards

Can you undo a charging mistake?
Like hooking the charger to the battery backwards?
carlkeigley is offline  
Old 06-04-2013, 08:19 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
deryk's Avatar
 
Name: deryk
Trailer: 2012 Parkliner 2010 V6 Nissan Frontier 4x4
New Jersey
Posts: 2,085
Registry
Did it explode?
__________________
deryk

All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.... J.R.R. Tolkien
deryk is offline  
Old 06-04-2013, 08:21 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
carlkeigley's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2013 Lil Snoozy #161 (SOLD)/2010 Tacoma
NE Oklahoma
Posts: 2,358
Nope. lol
carlkeigley is offline  
Old 06-04-2013, 08:43 PM   #4
Junior Member
 
Name: Rich
Trailer: Burro
Maine
Posts: 28
What kind of battery, how many amps, how long attached? Do you get a voltage reading with a meter connected to it correctly?

Rich
ihwild is offline  
Old 06-04-2013, 08:50 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
deryk's Avatar
 
Name: deryk
Trailer: 2012 Parkliner 2010 V6 Nissan Frontier 4x4
New Jersey
Posts: 2,085
Registry
Yeah so what happened? Is there a problem? Is the battery holding a charge? How old is the battery?
__________________
deryk

All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.... J.R.R. Tolkien
deryk is offline  
Old 06-04-2013, 08:50 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
floyd's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2004 13 ft Scamp Custom Deluxe
Posts: 8,519
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by carlkeigley View Post
Can you undo a charging mistake?
Like hooking the charger to the battery backwards?
You might check for blown fuse but other than that I have seen this a dozen times since Scamp uses black and white instead of red and black wires.
On a Scamp there is an inline fuse, Hopefully the same is true in your case.
Just replace the fuse and correct the polarity at the battery and things usually return to normal. Check the battery after a few hours to see if it is accepting a charge.
floyd is offline  
Old 06-04-2013, 09:14 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Name: george
Trailer: FunFinder
Missouri
Posts: 455
Depending on the charger, but for instance, a Deltran battery tender, like I use for my motorcylce batteries, have reverse polarity protection. So if you hook it up backwards, the chearger sees that, and does not even attempt to charge it.
gmw photos is offline  
Old 06-05-2013, 07:45 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
ShawnKK's Avatar
 
Name: Shawn
Trailer: Boler
Florida
Posts: 368
Those warning labels are only for the company that sells them anyway. (Joke)
You do know if you charge your battery backwards everything will go backwards. Even the bulbs will suck all the lite of the camper. (joke)

Guy next door tried to jump start his BMW with the p to the n and I caught him before it blew. I think you are lucky, maybe the inline fuse helped you out. Why don't you take your battery to be tested at the part store? Might be time for a new one any how.
ShawnKK is offline  
Old 06-05-2013, 08:10 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Thomas G.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
If you reverse charged the battery, you can try draining it completely, then recharging at the right polarity. It might be scrap, but it is worth a try.
__________________
UHaul and Burro owners, join the UHaul Campers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/529276933859491/
Thomas G. is offline  
Old 06-05-2013, 09:03 AM   #10
Junior Member
 
Name: Rich
Trailer: Burro
Maine
Posts: 28
If it is dead you could try a low trickle charge to the battery to see if it comes back. I drained an optima red top dead to absolute zero and trickle charged. I'm still using it 5 plus years later. It's at least from 2005 when I bought it. Point is batteries can take some abuse and if you are careful how you recharge them they might surprise you. I'm curious what it would due to a battery now. I'd be potentially more concerned about the charger and any electronics that might be have seen the reverse voltage. Though any positive voltage in the battery may have canceled it out at least in the equipments eyes. I'm not sure if reverse polarity would cause an over current but fuses only pop when excess current flows they don't know polarity.

Rich
ihwild is offline  
Old 06-05-2013, 10:54 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
carlkeigley's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2013 Lil Snoozy #161 (SOLD)/2010 Tacoma
NE Oklahoma
Posts: 2,358
Think I got lucky this time.

Actually, it's the battery on my mower.
It's a new battery. Seems my batteries don't stay charged.
May have to have my charging systems checked out. I had
trickled charged (2amp) for a few hours. When it would only
click I knew something was wrong. Then I noticed I had hooked
the cables up backwards (again). The previous battery had a
bad cell so it needed replaced anyway. I recharged it at 10amp.
When I went out after dark last night, the mower started back up.
I haven't checked it today, we got more heavy rain. I was going
to finish with my commercial mower and the battery was dead on it
as well. After realizing what I did, I double checked my commercial
mower. Luckily I had it hooked up right [with my old charger]. It's
the new charger I keep hooking up backwards. (2X). Need to mark
the cables extra ways.

My blood pressure had dropped in the low 90's so may have impaired me.
Blood sugar down to 77 at one point. Maybe I should have wife finish mowing....LOL

Anyway. Being an ex-mower repairman you think this wouldn't happen.
carlkeigley is offline  
Old 06-05-2013, 11:09 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
ShawnKK's Avatar
 
Name: Shawn
Trailer: Boler
Florida
Posts: 368
Why?
ShawnKK is offline  
Old 06-05-2013, 12:42 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
ShawnKK's Avatar
 
Name: Shawn
Trailer: Boler
Florida
Posts: 368
I took my post off because the other person did too
ShawnKK is offline  
Old 06-05-2013, 12:45 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Carol H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by carlkeigley View Post
T
Anyway. Being an ex-mower repairman you think this wouldn't happen.
LOL Carl there are lots of things that happen as I age that one would think shouldnt! The frequency of some of it is scary actually!!
Perhaps its time to label the battery to remember - I recently put a sticker on my trailers battery box regarding correct hook up as a reminder to myself and anyone else who happens to remove the battery.
Carol H is offline  
Old 06-05-2013, 10:55 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
accrete's Avatar
 
Name: Thom
Trailer: Chevy AWD Van Conversion
Astoria Oregon
Posts: 1,004
Registry
Exclamation

Another mentioned the use of Black for Positive and White for Negative in some rigs...It stumps me as to why some in the RV industry began utilizing residential/commercial code wiring colors.

The first thing i did in my battery bay in the Parkliner was to correctly rewire all in the bay to automotive standard red/positive and black/negative on the 12 volt side in the battery bay. (Yes i left the manufacturer's Black to + and White to - label with my own labels for the mods i did next to it). It was an easy afternoon project and didn't cost anything but some nice 8 gauge wire. No biggie. But sheesh! WHY??
__________________
Blogging from the WET! Coast of Oregon
Bed, Bath, & Beyond...
2010 Chevy Express 1500 AWD Van
Archive: Parkliner #35 build thread
accrete is offline  
Old 06-06-2013, 09:39 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Carol H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by accrete View Post
Another mentioned the use of Black for Positive and White for Negative in some rigs...It stumps me as to why some in the RV industry began utilizing residential/commercial code wiring colors.
Its not actually "some" its most manufactures these days, if they are following the RVIA code. The RV industry looks at an trailer as a dwelling not a vehicle as it has no engine.
Carol H is offline  
Old 06-06-2013, 10:32 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
Carol H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
Registry
I admittedly dont know what the motorhome standards are but it makes sense if the manufacture is following the RIVA standard in regards to the dwelling component.

Standards whether you agree with them are not, are actually a good thing, it sure makes it easier for people to fix something if they know it was built/wired to a specific standard. Problems can arise in the future on a trailer that lets say for example has a RIVA sticker on it and whoever is working on it in the future assumes it has been wired to that standard ... only to discover (often after the damage is done) that someone made changes to the wiring after it left the manufacturer's yard.
Carol H is offline  
Old 06-06-2013, 10:41 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
ShawnKK's Avatar
 
Name: Shawn
Trailer: Boler
Florida
Posts: 368
I do have to ask! What does a lawn mower battery have anything to do with a camper?
Because I have a few things to ask about my TV cable box and about my zipper on my work boats..
ShawnKK is offline  
Old 06-06-2013, 10:42 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
accrete's Avatar
 
Name: Thom
Trailer: Chevy AWD Van Conversion
Astoria Oregon
Posts: 1,004
Registry
I know the standard thingy/thought you've got going is correct Carol... i just wish the "Standard" had remained automotive...if it had wheels Ask any van conversion shop (that does not bow to RIVA hype) or professional auto alarm or stereo shop...they are all still seeing "Red" rather than "Black".

They are the ones most outspoken on the matter. If you go into our van conversion's wiring (professionally done) it is Red/positive following all the auto guidlines...until you get to the ceiling fan which has black as positive and white as negative from the factory. silly. ...red all the way to the black lead on the fan.

OH well, life goes on. At least i know what i'm doing in there and glad i'm not color blind!

And i luv you even if you might say Crick, when i might say Creek
Thom
__________________
Blogging from the WET! Coast of Oregon
Bed, Bath, & Beyond...
2010 Chevy Express 1500 AWD Van
Archive: Parkliner #35 build thread
accrete is offline  
Old 06-06-2013, 11:22 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
Carol H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by accrete View Post
OH well, life goes on. At least i know what i'm doing in there and glad i'm not color blind!
And i luv you even if you might say Crick, when i might say Creek
Thom
hummm I suspect the Queen would suggest with humour of course that you meant to say "Colour" blind oh and I thought it was our neighbours to the south that called it a Crick...
Carol H is offline  
Closed Thread

Tags
battery


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Turbo-charged Jeep carlkeigley General Chat 2 03-16-2013 11:03 AM
Keeping battery charged in TV Bobbie Mayer Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 8 06-02-2011 11:50 AM
Fully Charged Battery? steveh Electrical | Charging, Systems, Solar and Generators 23 07-30-2006 10:47 PM
Ronald MacDonald charged in Wendy's theft Benita Jokes, Stories & Tall Tales 0 11-29-2005 03:57 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:25 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.