Battery hookup

[mtidsew]

My husband used the batteries from our Montana fifth wheel for our slide-on camper during hunting season. Unfortunately, he didn't label where he took the wires off. Now we can't remember which wires go where to hook it back up to our Montana. We have a 2014 model 3402 with 2 batteries. Of course, the owners manual doesn't have a picture of where the wires go.

I have a picture of the batteries and wires, but when I click on insert image in Format: above, it just puts img in the text and I can't insert a photo.

There is one red wire that we think goes from one battery to the other. There are two white wires with blue plastic near the end. There are two wires with yellow plastic near the end.

Our dealer is closed for the entire Thanksgiving weekend, and we're heading South tomorrow. We'd appreciate any help someone can give us.

[Starmaster]

Hi Mtidsew,

I'm guessing you have two 12 volt batteries (verify by looking on the battery) so they need to be connected in "parallel". This means that the "positive"(+) post of one battery goes to the "positive"(+) post of the other battery with a heavy jumper. The "negative"(-) posts of the batteries also are to be connected together in they same way.

If these are 6v batteries, they need to be connected in "series", which means only one jumper is used, from the "positive" of one battery to the "negative" of the other.

Once the batteries are connected to each other as above, look for a large (probably white) wire that is bolted/screwed DIRECTLY to the trailer frame. This is the main ground wire and gets connected to the "negative" battery post. There may also be another large white wire that goes into a wiring harness, this wire gets connected to the "negative" battery post as well.

There should also be one (maybe two or more) large (probably black) wire that is connected to something other than the trailer frame. This is the main 12v supply wire that gets connected to the "positive" battery post.

I hope this helps. I'm sure others will offer info as well.

Dave

[1retired06]

Dave nailed it! If you don't have a residential frig/invertor setup, worst case you could probably get by via hooking up one battery only.. until you can talk to your dealer.

[BB_TX]

Here is a web site with wiring diagrams to show how to wire two 12v batteries in parallel or two 6v batteries in series. Scroll down to the diagrams.

[CORattler]

Absolutely correct Dave.
Good post!

quote:Originally posted by Starmaster

Hi Mtidsew,

I'm guessing you have two 12 volt batteries (verify by looking on the battery) so they need to be connected in "parallel". This means that the "positive"(+) post of one battery goes to the "positive"(+) post of the other battery with a heavy jumper. The "negative"(-) posts of the batteries also are to be connected together in they same way.

If these are 6v batteries, they need to be connected in "series", which means only one jumper is used, from the "positive" of one battery to the "negative" of the other.

Once the batteries are connected to each other as above, look for a large (probably white) wire that is bolted/screwed DIRECTLY to the trailer frame. This is the main ground wire and gets connected to the "negative" battery post. There may also be another large white wire that goes into a wiring harness, this wire gets connected to the "negative" battery post as well.

There should also be one (maybe two or more) large (probably black) wire that is connected to something other than the trailer frame. This is the main 12v supply wire that gets connected to the "positive" battery post.

I hope this helps. I'm sure others will offer info as well.

Dave

[CORattler]

Good information!

quote:Originally posted by BB_TX

Here is a web site with wiring diagrams to show how to wire two 12v batteries in parallel or two 6v batteries in series. Scroll down to the diagrams.

[mtidsew]

Thanks so much for your suggestions and comments. We got it put together and now have power! Of course, there's a rule that we had to work on it in an unlighted parking lot at 32 degrees. But, it worked, so we're happy!

[Bruce Mac]

Hooked up 2 new batteries and went to my touch screen and have a blank screen?

[Daryles]

Originally Posted by Bruce Mac

Hooked up 2 new batteries and went to my touch screen and have a blank screen?

Try this link. Pretty good tutorial.

https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/arti...-tutorial.html