Negative is Positive

[WillyB]

We enjoyed another great day. This was a day of drilling holes is our Escape.

We'll never understand how ZAMP created the monster but we eliminated the need for the strange "Adapter of Negative is Positive" widget.

Word or caution, when you buy our Escape be sure to read the direction posted on the battery box describing "Negative is Positive".

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by WillyB

We enjoyed another great day. This was a day of drilling holes is our Escape.

We'll never understand how ZAMP created the monster but we eliminated the need for the strange "Adapter of Negative is Positive" widget.

Word or caution, when you buy our Escape be sure to read the direction posted on the battery box describing "Negative is Positive".

Yes WillyB, truth is increasingly stranger than fiction these days. Keep the multimeter of life and a Kleenex box full of clothespins handy.

John

[Mike G]

Try to remain positive.

[jack sparrow]

Never understood why in trailers that white is negative and black is positive. You can get yourself in trouble if distracted while working a project.


I've gotten use to it, but for a newbie........ be cautious and think it out.


Cheers to ya.... and Happy Trails........ Jack

[GPS]

I have not done any electrical work in ours. But is what you are saying when i go to replace my plug, i am doing the opposite of what i do everywhere else? I've read a few posts on zamps and always understood it was limited to there.

[brroberts]

ETI has wired Zamp ports both ways. Check yours.

[SRS]

Originally Posted by brroberts

ETI has wired Zamp ports both ways. Check yours.

Correct.! Mine was wired SAE, red is positive and black negative. I just made sure my portable solar panel was wired to match the port without using the gender adapter.

[daveandalice]

I have never understood how in the RV world Zamp claimed the name for a common 2pin SAE plug receptacle, there is no standard out there as far as I know on polarity of the pins.

Some trailer manufacturers have the exposed male pin as positive and others as negative on the outlet or solar port.

When you buy the 2pin plugs and receptacles, you can get them with the red wire on the male pin and also with the black wire on the male pin which is the case on all sae extension cables.

The gender changers come in handy if you connect a device such as a battery charger or something else to either bring power to your battery or borrow power from your battery like a cell phone charger.

A good basic voltmeter is invaluable for double checking polarity.

Yes, you have to be careful when adding DC powered accessories that have red for positive and black for negative, I have attached a photo showing a usb outlet I just installed where the black supply connects to red and white supply (ground) connects to black.

[DanandDaphne]

Originally Posted by jack sparrow

Never understood why in trailers that white is negative and black is positive. You can get yourself in trouble if distracted while working a project.


I've gotten use to it, but for a newbie........ be cautious and think it out.


Cheers to ya.... and Happy Trails........ Jack

It's from NEC wire code for residential and commercial wiring. White is neutral or negative in this case, and green is ground, black or any other color is line or hot

Since our trailers have both 12V DC and 120V AC wiring maybe they do this to have less confusion.

[John in Santa Cruz]

My Casita used white and black for DC, but my 2014 Escape uses black and red.

White and black is traditional for household 120v wiring, where white is neutral, black is live/hot.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by WillyB

We enjoyed another great day. This was a day of drilling holes is our Escape.

We'll never understand how ZAMP created the monster but we eliminated the need for the strange "Adapter of Negative is Positive" widget.

Word or caution, when you buy our Escape be sure to read the direction posted on the battery box describing "Negative is Positive".

I wrapped the black wire with red electricians tape and the red wire with black electricians tape, and, like you, don’t need the adapter.

Enjoy,

Perry

[WillyB]

Originally Posted by Perry Butler

I wrapped the black wire with red electricians tape and the red wire with black electricians tape, and, like you, don’t need the adapter.

Enjoy,

Perry

I'll probably wrap them like you a little later down the road because my brain doesn't like it being the wrong colors. But for now I had a silver sharpie at my ready.

Plus, I place a big not on the battery box describing the switch.