2014 Thor Miramar batteries

[Swampi28]

Need help. My son and I were doing some routine maintenance on our 2014 Thor Miramar motor home. My son took out the batteries from the back compartment and cleaned them. We then put them back in and must have not hooked them up correctly. The power inverter started to smoke. We quickly disconnected the batteries. I can't find any pictures of how the 2 batteries are to be hooked up. Can anybody help me?

[gmc]

I am assuming they are two 12v batteries - they should be connected in parallel - positive to positive - and negative to negative... and of course then connected to coach... ideally the positive from one battery and the negative from the other to help balance the load.

Sounds like you connected them in series - positive on one battery to negative on the other and remaining terminals to the coach - which put 24 volts into the coach...

I'm afraid you likely 'let the magic smoke out' of at least the inverter - and possibly other 12v devices that might have been on... Hopefully most were off. I would check your CO/Propane detector - as that is always on... and verify things like furnace, lights, fridge (if RV fridge vs residential) all still work.

(I assumed they aren't 6 volt batteries - as that wouldn't have had the results you mentioned... Two 6 volts would connect in series to produce 12v to the coach... Wiring those incorrectly would only produce 6 volts - which wouldn't have resulted in smoke...)

[cpmath]

I always take a photo of things BEFORE I take it apart.

[TyCreek]

Originally Posted by Swampi28

Need help. My son and I were doing some routine maintenance on our 2014 Thor Miramar motor home. My son took out the batteries from the back compartment and cleaned them. We then put them back in and must have not hooked them up correctly. The power inverter started to smoke. We quickly disconnected the batteries. I can't find any pictures of how the 2 batteries are to be hooked up. Can anybody help me?

It looks to me that you have 2 GC batteries (6V). If so, connect them with a wire in series e.g. + to - so the end result would be 12V to the coach cables connected to the remaining +/- posts.

Wiring Your Battery Bank in Series, Parallel, and Series Parallel

Here's your photo with some connection lines assuming that red ended cable dangling on the left side is your positive chassis line. I couldn't see the other chassis line in that picture.

[Gary A]

Originally Posted by cpmath

I always take a photo of things BEFORE I take it apart.

Ditto. Just yesterday I had a flat on my mobility scooter and before I started the "very simple" repair I got out the camera.

[gmc]

Originally Posted by TyCreek

It looks to me that you have 2 GC batteries (6V). If so, connect them with a wire in series e.g. + to - so the end result would be 12V to the coach cables connected to the remaining +/- posts.

If they are 6V batteries - then as TyCreek said - connect in series...
In this case you wouldn't have supplied 'over-voltage' to the rig - but maybe you reversed polarity?? (pos and neg)
That would also 'let the magic smoke out' of many devices...

[TyCreek]

Typically the positive coach line will have a red end ... however that line with red that I referenced ^^^ above as a positive lead doesn't look like ones I've had in the past because usually the positive lead will have additional wire. A single thick wire like the one pictured, contrary to the red end, looks like a typical ground/negative lead due to the absence of any other tap leads..

[Oneilkeys]

Originally Posted by gmc

If they are 6V batteries - then as TyCreek said - connect in series...
In this case you wouldn't have supplied 'over-voltage' to the rig - but maybe you reversed polarity?? (pos and neg)
That would also 'let the magic smoke out' of many devices...

I thought the same thing. But it sud have tripped the 100 amp breaker at the battery box.

[gmc]

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

I thought the same thing. But it sud have tripped the 100 amp breaker at the battery box.

A fuse or breaker isn't protection against reverse polarity (or excess voltage)... only against over current. Would need to be a diode to protect against reverse polarity.

Follow the wires to see where they go leaving the battery. The positive will go to the 100A fuse, the negative will connect to the chassis for ground.