Home› Battery/Electrical & Solar

How to identify which cable to connect to the battery?

VictorAtBroadviewVictorAtBroadview Member Posts: 1
in Battery/Electrical & Solar
Both of the cables from my T@B 320 are red (one more red, one more pink) with no other marks or lines.
How can I determine which one should go the positive or negative battery terminal?
Thanks, V@B
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+

Comments

  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,986
    Welcome to the Forums!
    What year is your 320?  The newer trailers have fuses on the positive battery cable.
    A picture will really help here.
    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • KK1LKK1L Member Posts: 117
    It would be REALLY unusual to have a pair of + and - with one being more or less red than the other. It is more likely one of them is from the solar panel (or jack for one) and the other to the charger/12V supply. Can you take a picture? There really should be a black wire or two there.
    73 es God Bless de KK1L, Ron <><
    2023 T@B 400 Boondock "Running up a T@B"
    Jericho, VT
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,557
    In concept, I agree with @KK1L. However, I've seen some peculiar color schemes around T@B batteries. Sometimes I wonder if there wasn't perhaps a sale on a certain color wire so that is what got used...
    Bottom line is that I would never make any judgement based on wire color. If in doubt, trace the circuits visually or with a multimeter.
    2015 T@B S

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • KK1LKK1L Member Posts: 117
    edited June 2023
    More red and less red for + and - would be dangerous and a recipe for damage. Hard to imagine this wiring choice even in the face of supply issues. White or Black are what I have seen for neutral/ground. The odd one to get used to is Green often being a positive DC voltage, where with house AC wiring green (or bare wire) is earth ground...well and of course black being HOT in an 120V AC.
    73 es God Bless de KK1L, Ron <><
    2023 T@B 400 Boondock "Running up a T@B"
    Jericho, VT
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • RuthTRuthT Member Posts: 6
    Finally had to change out the battery on my 2017 320 S. Unfortunately I forgot the important photo before I disconnected everthing to put the new battery in. I connect the wires with the fuse to the positive and the others to the negative but when I turn on the battery switch, I get bupcus! Suggestions?
    Talula 2017 T@B Max S towed by 2010 Forester

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,986
    edited September 12
    @RuthT The two white cables are the negative cables.  On your 2017, you have two sets: one set of cables supplies power to the trailer.  The other set of cables are for the "solar port" over there on the driver's side of the tub. So, the two white "negative cables" should be together on the negative post, and the red and the "red-green" cable should be on the positive.  You can see the two plastic "wiring looms" that hold the cables.  One set will head over to the solar port on the drivers side, the other set will head towards the back of the trailer.
    After you disconnect the wires to reposition them: open up that black fuse holder there on the "red-green" cable.  That is the 30 amp battery fuse for the trailer.  Check to make sure that fuse is not blown.  You should also check the two fuses inside the converter for the battery.  One is a 30 amp "battery charger" fuse, and the other is a 40 amp "battery protection" fuse.  These fuses "may" have blown during this process.  You can see the fuses here in this thread:
    Here is a picture of my original 2017 battery and the wiring showing what I mean.

    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter Share on Google+
Sign In or Register to comment.