New battery, green wire goes where?

[whoot]

I got to a new battery with black and red posts. The Casita has black, white, and green cables. The black cable is positive, so I think it goes to the red post. The white cable is negative, so I think it goes to the black post. So where does the green able go?

[AlanKilian]

Maybe this post on the Casitaclub site will help:
Battery Wiring - Information on the Casita Spirit Deluxe 16' and 17' Travel Trailers - The Casita Club Forums


THey say white and green go to the negative side of the battery.


(Note: I do not have a Casita, I just googled this for you.)

[C&G in FL]

Green is normally for grounding. I would suspect it goes to a frame ground.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by AlanKilian

Maybe this post on the Casitaclub site will help:
Battery Wiring - Information on the Casita Spirit Deluxe 16' and 17' Travel Trailers - The Casita Club Forums


THey say white and green go to the negative side of the battery.


(Note: I do not have a Casita, I just googled this for you.)

Yes, I saw that post, and others like it. The guy said he got the same answer that was already on the battery door, which didn't make sense. He wrote "White Green" for the negative post, but the sticker only says "White". He doesn't say how he determined Green was to go to the negative post. I have the same sticker:





I'm 99% sure I need to attach both White and Green cables to the negative post, and attach the Black cable to the positive post, but I was just trying to make sure. I should have taken a picture of them before I disconnected them.


I called Casita to ask them, but they were closed for a week. Something about a storm.

[Raspy]

If those wires, the black, white and green are 12 volt wires, the green is probably not used, but may have been in the jacketed cord with the black and white. Usually, the green is a ground wire that is used with a 120 volt circuit. In that case, it would go to a (typically) green screw on the battery charger frame. The black is hot and the white is neutral. They are the current carrying wires.

So, are you sure those wires shown are 12 volt? Where was that green connected before you started the project? If they are 12 volt, then the black is supposed to be + and the white -. They don't look big enough to be the main 12 volt battery cables.

[steve dunham]

The black wire goes to the positive on the battery
The white wire goes to the negative on the battery
The green wire goes to the negative on the battery

We owned a Casita from 2013 to 2019 - Wish we still owned it

[whoot]

I found the answer in the Casita manual, "Two wires go to the negative terminal, and one wire goes to the positive terminal."

[whoot]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

The black wire goes to the positive on the battery
The white wire goes to the negative on the battery
The green wire goes to the negative on the battery

We owned a Casita from 2013 to 2019 - Wish we still owned it

Yep, that is what I found.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by whoot

Yep, that is what I found.

If I remember correctly the green wire from the negative on the battery along with one side of the trailer brake wiring and the copper propane supply tubing are bonded to the steel frame of the trailer

[Darwin Maring]

Originally Posted by whoot

I got to a new battery with black and red posts. The Casita has black, white, and green cables. The black cable is positive, so I think it goes to the red post. The white cable is negative, so I think it goes to the black post. So where does the green able go?


Attachment 139513

Attachment 139514

When in doubt, always read the directions.

[k0wtz]

yep

[gordon2]

I don't trust wire colors (never have, never will).. they can be any color, esp if any mods were done.
Since your case seems to be documented and unmodified, this applies more to the hundreds of other times the question has been asked.. "where so I connect the _____ colored wire"?

1. Physically trace the wire.
2. With all power and switches off and battery disconnected, use your mulit-meter to check for continuity between the unknown wire and the frame and wires that will later attach to the battery.
3. With converter and / or battery connected check for voltage and polarity between the unknown wire and various grounds, frame and positive power.
4. Then you can read what ever documentation you can find to verify your findings.
5. When you are ready to connect the wire (to the battery posts or as appropriate) make a temporary connection with an inline fuse.. just in case its a dead short. If everything works OK then make it permanent.

[Gerry]

Green is neg or ground ... I screwed it to the frame. But still ran a white direct to any Neg. side of appliance or light.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Gerry

Green is neg or ground ... .

unless someone uses a green wire on the positive side.. NEVER assume.

PS.. I agree its bad practice to rely on the frame alone for electrical connections. I also use parallel or independent ground wires for critical components such as brakes and DOT required lighting.

[k0wtz]

yep great ideas!

[JonRaw]

Too bad all RVs don't use some kind of convention. Bigfoot uses Red for positive DC and black for negative DC and the battery has only one wire which is directly connected to the frame.

[Darwin Maring]

Originally Posted by JonRaw

Too bad all RVs don't use some kind of convention. Bigfoot uses Red for positive DC and black for negative DC and the battery has only one wire which is directly connected to the frame.

And this is what our cars and tow vehicles in the US use. Red and Black.
We also use a White to the frame on the trailer connections.

[Rick In Mn]

When you figure it out , Paint the positive post and the wires connected to it Red.
And paint the Negative post and wires black.

[Rick In Mn]

Good, the paint will insulate and protect against corrosion

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Rick In Mn

Good, the paint will insulate and protect against corrosion

Interesting concept , seems counterintuitive