SOLVED: Why negative battery cable looks like this

KyleC

Well-known member
Hey guys any help with this would be great I went to disconnect the battery to install the quick disconnect. And this is what I found.....
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Kyle
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

It looks like that nut was not tight and allowed arcing which created heat and melted the lead.
I wonder why there are two different anode connectors. One clamp on and one bolt on.

Peace
Dave
 

KyleC

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

That may be the case and I'm not sure there's a couple weird things with the wiring of this one. The guy I bought it from said they rewired it from the battery and put jackets on the wire or something. When I first got it in the circuit was bad going to the inside





Kyle
 

KyleC

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

Also not sure if it's a battery thing or a wiring thing. My running lights don't work all the time with my new van. Last trip they finally came on when I pulled in the neighborhood on the way home. Blinkers work and brake lights work but no running lights. not sure if it's a van thing or camper thing but I don't recall having a problem with my other two vehicles





Kyle
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

I believe the running lights are powered by the tow vehicle, not by the trailer battery - unless the previous owner changed things up.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

If this was my rig I would (In order of least expensive to most expensive) 1) Go over the metal connecting surfaces with a wire brush to establish bright metal (no poor conducting oxidation ) surfaces.
2) Spray the conducting surfaces with Caig Cramolyn DeOxIt contact restorer/cleaner.
3) Replace the entire negative cable, opting for new one that would connect to the larger negative battery post (not damaged, larger electrical contact area). Cable corrosion and broken individual cable wires in the old cable may be hidden under the shrink tubing.

After doing this repair I would occasionally feel (or use an IR thermometer) on the battery contacts for heating. Most all of the time discharge/charging currents at the battery are slight, so not much heating/contact deterioration would be expected. High 12 volt current use would only normally be expected when parking/leaving and using the landing gear motors and the slideout movement motors. You might want to check if your emergency brake lanyard switch has been activated, and remember that a good battery/wiring system powers the electric brakes to stop your trailer in the event of an on-the-road accidental trailer disconnect.
 

mlpeloquin

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

You can also add battery terminal anti-corrosion fiber washers.
https://www.amazon.com/Handster-Ant...91&sr=8-6&keywords=battery+terminal+protector

And if you do not have DeOxit, you can purchase CRC battery terminal protector.
https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05046-Ba...10&sr=8-4&keywords=battery+terminal+protector

Auto parts stores should have both, but do get DeOxit and use it on your power cord connectors on both sides of the the truck and power post.
https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-D5S-6-D...=8-3&keywords=deoxit+d5+spray+contact+cleaner
 

KyleC

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

Thanks guys for all the quick responses. I have to take a further look at it this evening. I think I may take the road of replacing the whole negative wire like was mentioned. As for the running lights I think it has to do with my van. Not traveling till after Christmas so I have some time..





Kyle
 

avvidclif

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

I would clean up the neg terminal to get rid of the insulation that was under the nut. Wire brush it and hook it back up. As for why it's done that way, it's called trying to build an idiot-proof setup.
 

bdb2047

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

A possibility? Negative cable installed last,correct way to do it, an arc occurred possibly charger on,short,or load? Doesn't look like corrosion relatively new battery.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

Thanks guys for all the quick responses. I have to take a further look at it this evening. I think I may take the road of replacing the whole negative wire like was mentioned. As for the running lights I think it has to do with my van. Not traveling till after Christmas so I have some time..





Kyle

The Caig Cramolyn DeOxIt spray on the umbilical cable connectors may help with your running lights.
 

Silverado23

Iowa Chapter Leaders
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

The burn marks on the negative cable look like a short circuit occurred at one point. The cable also looks under sized and could have overheated.
 

KyleC

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

How would I check and see if a short occurred? I'm very electrically challenged





Kyle
 

Silverado23

Iowa Chapter Leaders
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

How would I check and see if a short occurred? I'm very electrically challenged





Kyle
The short probably occurred when the negative cable was connected at some point.

Inspect and/or replace the entire negative cable from the battery back to the common ground point on the RV.
If charred, melted, oddly wrinkled insulation, nicked insulation or heavy corrosion is located at any point on the cable, replace the cable. Be sure to use a ground cable as heavy duty or similar sized to the main positive cable. #2 or 1/0, 2/0 or 4/0 are some common sizes (in order from smaller to larger). Oversized ground cable such as 4/0 would be fine. Too small of a cable can result in the cable overheating and lead to cable damage or worse.
 

KyleC

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

Figured it out. When I replaced the circuit it has a busbar between the two circuits on the frame. The edge of the busbar hit the weight distribution bracket on the trailer..... I'm assuming this is what caused the short in the negative terminal wire!





Kyle
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

Figured it out. When I replaced the circuit it has a busbar between the two circuits on the frame. The edge of the busbar hit the weight distribution bracket on the trailer..... I'm assuming this is what caused the short in the negative terminal wire!





Kyle

I hope you took steps to prevent this VERY DANGEROUS event from happening again, like cutting the metal shorter so it can't touch and/or applying electrical insulation to the surfaces that touched.
 

KyleC

Well-known member
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

I actually took it off and switched it so the excess was toward the coupler. Side question, is there a better way to tighten the L brackets for the wdh? It is the e2 round bar. The L brackets seem to have a little play in them. The joys of a used trailer I guess. And it seems that the entire bracket slid over closer to both circuits





Kyle
 

Silverado23

Iowa Chapter Leaders
Re: Not sure why the negative looks like this

I actually took it off and switched it so the excess was toward the coupler. Side question, is there a better way to tighten the L brackets for the wdh? It is the e2 round bar. The L brackets seem to have a little play in them. The joys of a used trailer I guess. And it seems that the entire bracket slid over closer to both circuits





Kyle

On the L bracket issue: I used a torque wrench on bolts above and below the frame. and slowly brought both bolts to the same torque settings.
I think torque on mine was around 70 FT-lbs so I started around 25 FT-Lbs torqued both then set at 35 , 45, 55 etc.

Check torque once in a while after that. very little to no movement after I did that and three years+
 
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