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10-23-2010, 09:34 PM
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#1
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Member
Trailer: 1980 16 ft Scamp (Restored)
Posts: 86
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What is this gizmo on my battery?
I'm preparing to completely rewire my '80 Scamp, install new marker and taillights. I'm making a diagram of the complete system (similiar to the Scamp diagram, except it includes battery, my particular appliances, breakaway switch, and the original Scamp color wiring.). The RV dealer in California, where I purchased the trailer, installed the battery and got the lights working so I could tow it back to Oregon. He installed a two-post device between the battery terminals that they are connected to. What is this device, and what is its purpose?
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10-23-2010, 09:39 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2004 13 ft Scamp Custom Deluxe
Posts: 8,520
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence W
I'm preparing to completely rewire my '80 Scamp, install new marker and taillights. I'm making a diagram of the complete system (similiar to the Scamp diagram, except it includes battery, my particular appliances, breakaway switch, and the original Scamp color wiring.). The RV dealer in California, where I purchased the trailer, installed the battery and got the lights working so I could tow it back to Oregon. He installed a two-post device between the battery terminals that they are connected to. What is this device, and what is its purpose?
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Got a picture?
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10-23-2010, 09:42 PM
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#3
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Member
Trailer: 1980 16 ft Scamp (Restored)
Posts: 86
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What is this gizmo on my battery?
I'm completely rewiring. '80 Scamp this winter. I'm making a wiring diagram similar to the Scamp one, except it includes my the battery, trailer side plug, breakaway switch, my own particular appliances, etc..)
The RV dealership that installed my battery and got the lights working so I could tow it back to Oregon installed a cigarettepack size device that has two terminals, and is connected to the battery terminals. Can anyone tell me what this is, and its purpose? Thanks.
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10-23-2010, 09:45 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2004 13 ft Scamp Custom Deluxe
Posts: 8,520
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got any pictures?
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10-23-2010, 10:11 PM
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#5
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Member
Trailer: 1980 16 ft Scamp (Restored)
Posts: 86
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Quote:
Originally Posted by floyd
Got a picture?
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Here's a real rough sketch. The positive side goes to the fused side of the battery, the negative side goes to the white ground wire.
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10-24-2010, 02:55 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2005 13 ft Trillium Outback
Posts: 282
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It looks to me like you attempted to draw a wing nut for each battery post. It is typical in RVs to use wing nuts rather than battery post clamps. The smaller (10 to 30 )amps that an RV draws doesn't require the larger contact area a starter would when it draws a couple hundred amps.
There are several different configurations for the clamps that go on the battery posts to convert them to wing nut connections.
Is this possibly what you are questioning?
__________________
2005 Trillium Outback w/ 30" tongue extension
1989 Award 730, 30'
2003 PT Cruiser
1998 K2500 Chevy Silverado 6.5 Turbo Diesel, 4X4, ext cab, short bed
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10-24-2010, 03:21 AM
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#7
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Member
Trailer: 1980 16 ft Scamp (Restored)
Posts: 86
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Curtis F.
It looks to me like you attempted to draw a wing nut for each battery post. It is typical in RVs to use wing nuts rather than battery post clamps. The smaller (10 to 30 )amps that an RV draws doesn't require the larger contact area a starter would when it draws a couple hundred amps.
There are several different configurations for the clamps that go on the battery posts to convert them to wing nut connections.
Is this possibly what you are questioning?
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No...I'm asking what the little box is that is connected between the posts.
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10-24-2010, 06:59 AM
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#8
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Member
Trailer: 2000 17 ft Burro Widebody (bought in Ohio. Drove home Spring 2009!)
Posts: 76
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence W
No...I'm asking what the little box is that is connected between the posts.
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Lawrence,
I'm interpreting your diagram that the '-' and '+' are your battery posts (the drawing of the actual battery is left to the imagination) and the little box is the thing-a-ma-bob in question. A fuse of some type?
Unfortunately you may find it difficult to get a solid answer without a photograph as floyd is patiently suggesting.
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10-24-2010, 08:15 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1996 Casita Freedom Deluxe 17 ft
Posts: 454
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Lawrence, I'm thinking the little box is a circuit breaker to protect your battery in case there's a short somewhere. It will break the circuit when it gets hot but then connect again when it cools down. You might find an amp rating on it. It's sounds like the guy who installed your battery did you a favor.
Here's a link to some automotive circuit breakers:
http://www.wiringproducts.com/contents/en-us/d60.html
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10-24-2010, 08:32 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Trailer: 16 ft Casita Spirit Deluxe
Posts: 1,043
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence W
Here's a real rough sketch. The positive side goes to the fused side of the battery, the negative side goes to the white ground wire.
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That is a strange wiring diagram..... I have something like that just outside my battery box but it is a "Automatic Resettable Fuse" except that it's wired inline on the black positive cable just before the battery box. That fuse protects the whole system from the battery.
Joe
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10-24-2010, 10:53 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
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I would guess that the party who installed the battery did not know there was an inline fuse as its often hidden under the rat fur inside the trailer in the front bunk area so he decided to give you something better. You probable will find you also have an inline fuse as Joe has.
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10-24-2010, 12:20 PM
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#12
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Member
Trailer: 1980 16 ft Scamp (Restored)
Posts: 86
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence W
No...I'm asking what the little box is that is connected between the posts.
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Here is the photo you've all been waiting for!
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10-24-2010, 12:33 PM
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#13
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Moderator
Trailer: Fiber Stream 1978 / Honda Odyssey LX 2003
Posts: 8,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence W
Here is the photo you've all been waiting for!
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It's a Circuit Breaker that looks to be installed incorrectly.
__________________
Frederick - The Scaleman
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10-24-2010, 01:26 PM
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#14
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Member
Trailer: 1980 16 ft Scamp (Restored)
Posts: 86
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Thanks for identifying that item...could you be more specific about the incorrect installation? The connections are (positive): to battery positive, and from the circuit breaker to the trailer fuse (I also have power to the breakaway switch wired to this post); (negative) to frame ground and to trailer ground wire. I think Carol and you were right about the installer weren't aware of the trailer fuse.
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10-24-2010, 01:50 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1999 17 ft Casita Spirit Deluxe ('Inn EggsIsle')
Posts: 611
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence W
Thanks for identifying that item...could you be more specific about the incorrect installation? The connections are (positive): to battery positive, and from the circuit breaker to the trailer fuse (I also have power to the breakaway switch wired to this post); (negative) to frame ground and to trailer ground wire. I think Carol and you were right about the installer weren't aware of the trailer fuse.
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this circuit breaker is an automatic setting breaker, about $4.00 bucks at any auto parts supplier. if it heats up it becomes disconnected and when it cools off it comes back to life. If they really take a surge they will completely blow and need to be replaced
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10-24-2010, 02:37 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2005 13 ft Trillium Outback
Posts: 282
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Ah, yes. The circuit breaker should only be connected in series on the positive line from the battery. No negative side connections. A series connection is when a single line is cut and one end of the cut wire is attached to each terminal. There should only be one connector on each terminal of the circuit breaker. This forces all current being drawn from the battery to go through the circuit breaker. When more amps than it's limit are reached it disconnects internally and stops current from flowing. When it cools, it resets.
__________________
2005 Trillium Outback w/ 30" tongue extension
1989 Award 730, 30'
2003 PT Cruiser
1998 K2500 Chevy Silverado 6.5 Turbo Diesel, 4X4, ext cab, short bed
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10-24-2010, 04:27 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2005 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 1,555
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Clarifying a bit, here are three line drawings that show how trailer 12v wiring and fuses/breakers should be wired. The first is a simplified version that shows how a trailer might be wired if it has no converter or charge lines coming from the tow vehicle. The second shows how the factory wiring for my Scamp (and who knows how many other trailers) was done, the third shows how my Scamp ought to have been wired, with the fuse on the tow vehicle wiring appearing on the wire branch that heads up to the tow vehicle, instead of placing a second breaker on the main charge line.
I do not like using thermal breakers like the one in your picture by the way. They are not a safe way to do things.
Main fuses are meant to protect your trailer from a short that could start a fire or cause some other dangerous mishap. (And, yes, there's plenty enough juice in a fully charged trailer battery to start a fire.) So, should your trailer develop a dangerous short, the line would short and spark, overheat the breaker so it breaks the circuit, then cools off, reconnects the circuit, allows it to short and spark again, overheat the breaker so it breaks the circuit again, cools off and reconnects . . . and so on until you either get a fire, or your battery goes dead. The only good solutions for a main fuse are a resettable breaker that you have to manually reset or a regular 25A or 30A fuse.
Code:
Simplified Concept:
Ground 12v Distribution Individual
Wires Main Panel Line Fuses
───┐ Battery Fuse ┌────────────────∩────── < Trailer
───┼─────╫╫╫────────∩───────────────────┼────────────────∩────── < Lights &
───┘ - + or Breaker └────────────────∩────── < Appliances
How my Scamp is wired:
Code:
Ground 12v Distribution Individual
Wires Panel Line Fuses Converter
───┐ ┌────────────────∩──────< Charge
│ Main Secondary │ Line
│ Battery Fuse Main │
───┼─┬────╫╫╫────────∩────────┬───∩─────┼────────────────∩──────< Trailer
───┤ │ - + or Breaker │ Fuse ├────────────────∩──────< Lights &
───┘ │ │ └────────────────∩──────< Appliances
│- +│
Tow Vehicle Tow Vehicle
Charge Line Charge Line
How I wish my Scamp was wired:
Code:
Ground 12v Distribution Individual
Wires Panel Line Fuses Converter
───┐ ┌────────────────∩──────< Charge
│ Main │ Line
│ Fuse │
───┼─┬────╫╫╫────────∩────────┬─────────┼────────────────∩──────< Trailer
───┤ │ - + or Breaker │ ├────────────────∩──────< Lights &
───┘ │ │ └────────────────∩──────< Appliances
│ │
│ Ç < Tow Vehicle Charge Line Fuse
│ │
│- +│
Tow Vehicle Tow Vehicle
Charge Line Charge Line
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10-25-2010, 03:57 PM
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#18
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Junior Member
Name: Kevin
Trailer: 13' Scamp
Minnesota
Posts: 15
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Here is another question for all of you. I have an older converter in my '92 13ft scamp that is labeled "not intended for charging the battery". So based on that I want to make sure it does not try to charge my battery since it probably will not be good for the battery in the long run. My question is, is there anything I can do short of unplugging the battery while using the converter that will protect me? Thanks for any help.
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10-25-2010, 04:18 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2009 Trillium 13 ft ('Homelet') / 2000 Subaru Outback
Posts: 2,222
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Is there any brand information on your converter? If so, look it up and see if they reccommend a replacement that can charge the battery.
__________________
A charter member of the Buffalo Plaid Brigade!
Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.
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10-25-2010, 05:07 PM
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#20
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Member
Name: buddy
Trailer: bigfoot b17/13 boler/15trillium
Ontario
Posts: 48
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gizzmo on your battery
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence W
I'm preparing to completely rewire my '80 Scamp, install new marker and taillights. I'm making a diagram of the complete system (similiar to the Scamp diagram, except it includes battery, my particular appliances, breakaway switch, and the original Scamp color wiring.). The RV dealer in California, where I purchased the trailer, installed the battery and got the lights working so I could tow it back to Oregon. He installed a two-post device between the battery terminals that they are connected to. What is this device, and what is its purpose?
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It is probably a type of fuse to protect the circuit in case of a short. you can leave it on or wire your fuse box normal some wires from the battery to the fuse box are a type of fuseable link but it looks like a normal wire. Hope it helps. Bud
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