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Old 08-27-2015, 07:04 PM   #1
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Grounding a Scamp

It's my understanding that the 7 pun cable from the tow vehicle should be grounded. The battery on the Scamp is grounded but this cable from the tow vehicle is not.

Should it be?

....and if so--how?

Thanks!!!
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Old 08-27-2015, 07:50 PM   #2
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There a ground and one ground only. It's the true ground coming from the power cord when plugged in.
If you're taking about the negative 12 volt from the tow vehicle, there is NO direct connection from the tow to frame of the trailer. Both negative and positive 12 volts are run through wires. It will appear that the negative is connected to the frame, but it's only in one spot. The converter has the ground wire from the shore power connected to it chassis which is also connected to the negative 12 volts.

Go to the document center on this site and download the Scamp manual. If you don't understand the drawing of electrical system it might be best to contact somebody that will understand it.

12 volt systems are not repeat NOT as safe to mess with as you might expect. The only difference between 120 Volt systems and 12 Volt systems is you can get a nice little shock from 120 system. But as for fires the 12 system more likely to cause a fire because of the misunderstanding of the dangers thus a non knowledgeable person will mess with the 12 volt system and create problems the might not show up for quite a while.
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Old 08-27-2015, 07:53 PM   #3
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Thanks Byron. My trailer is a 1980 so everything is directly connected. Not sure where in the trailer the wiring really picks up the ground

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Old 08-27-2015, 08:05 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Thee Jimbo View Post
Thanks Byron. My trailer is a 1980 so everything is directly connected. Not sure where in the trailer the wiring really picks up the ground

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I assume when you say "the ground" you're talking about the 12 volt negative connection. It's directly wired to every place it's needed and goes to the frame through the converter. It's all wires.
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Old 08-27-2015, 08:07 PM   #5
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Yes correct.

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Old 08-28-2015, 06:30 AM   #6
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It should be the White Wire.
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Old 08-28-2015, 03:36 PM   #7
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16' Scamp 7 pin Wiring

If I knew how to post pictures, I would do that.
But; for what it's worth, here is how our 16 ft Scamp (2000) is wired at the Seven pin connector:
with the key at the top: and going clockwise from the top:
AX - auxillary - or 12 volt battery charge - Black wire
RT - right turn - Brown wire
EB - electric brakes - Blue wire
GD - ground - White wire
LT - left turn - Red wire
T/M - tail and side markers - Green wire
ST - Center pin - stop - Yellow wire
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Old 08-28-2015, 05:19 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Wayne Collins View Post
If I knew how to post pictures, I would do that.
But; for what it's worth, here is how our 16 ft Scamp (2000) is wired at the Seven pin connector:
with the key at the top: and going clockwise from the top:
AX - auxillary - or 12 volt battery charge - Black wire
RT - right turn - Brown wire
EB - electric brakes - Blue wire
GD - ground - White wire NOT GROUND, BUT NEGATIVE 12 Volts.
LT - left turn - Red wire
T/M - tail and side markers - Green wire
ST - Center pin - stop - Yellow wire

The term ground is a commonly misused term. The only ground is provided by the green wire is shore power cord.
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Old 08-28-2015, 06:04 PM   #9
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Wonder why the engineers marked the plug and receptacles GD for 12 volt negative.
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Old 08-28-2015, 07:39 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman View Post
The term ground is a commonly misused term. The only ground is provided by the green wire is shore power cord.
If you say negative 12 volts, and add that to +12 v = 24 volts. which it is NOT
Would you feel better if the term was "neutral"?

Please don't confuse the issue by bringing in the Green "ground" wire in the shore power connection. 120 volt AC systems have a different color code than 12 volt DC systems.

The whole point of this discussion is to clarify for the new folks that these trailers must have a wired connection all the way back to the tow vehicle's negative battery post. and it happens to be a white wire.
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