12 Volt Electrical Accessory Wiring

[Runner]

A butt connector is about the same diameter as the crimp-end of those spade connectors.
I make a neater splice by staggering butt connectors, instead of side by side, then covering the wire with the black corrugated loom stuff that is just big enough to cover the wiring.
Never use black electrical tape to wrap wiring, it will turn to a gooey mess when it contacts oil or fuel.

Thanks. Yes, have done that with the split-tube stuff too and have used zip ties to keep it in place. That does make a decent looking splice.

Have also been looking at something like this, used for fiber optic cable splices, but these are too big.

Amazon.com

Maybe something like this, but more cigar-sized might be available to cover the splices.

 

[WinterDeere]

I ran a duplex 6awg wire to the back and the 3rd function connections with 50amp Anderson power poles, both tied to the same 75amp breaker by the battery.
Lets me plug in a little winch on the loader or run my sprayer on the back.

you’re likely fine at 50A, but do note that AWG-6 copper will see temp rise near 60C at 75A, which could put your insulation at 100C on a hot day, and likely violates the breaker’s max terminal temperature. Check insulation and breaker temperature ratings, insulation is probably no higher than 90C and most breakers are lower than that, and consider a smaller breaker for slow-blow component. You could keep a series fast-blow much higher, if you want.

The good news is that running hot terminal on breaker will lower its thermal trip rating, so at least a little bit fail safe.

 

[Runner]

OK, here's one that might work. Weatherproof, 2 or 3 wire connector
for up to 12ga wire. Kind of expensive at $5 apiece, but I only need a few of them and they are reusable.

Amazon.com

And this one has 2-wire connectors.

MELIFE 5PCS IP68 Waterproof Junction Box, Outdoor 3 Way Electrical Cable Connector, Replaceable Lever Wire Connectors for AWG 28-12, Quick Screwless Installation - Amazon.com

MELIFE 5PCS IP68 Waterproof Junction Box, Outdoor 3 Way Electrical Cable Connector, Replaceable Lever Wire Connectors for AWG 28-12, Quick Screwless Installation - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[WinterDeere]

I use these. They are great if you need a permanent power source. I run the power from the starter positive because it was the closest power source. The battery is in front of the radiator. These are heavy duty and reliable. Fuse or install a resettable breaker in the circuit. These are rated for 50 amps. They make a 175 amp version but those are for 1/0 cable. This makes a neat installation and everything is shielded from accidental contact against anything metal. If it's worth doing it's worth making a neat tidy installation. I use it to power the pump on my 3 point sprayer.

If I needed 20 amp power then I would use no less than 12 gauge and with this style plug you can easily use larger.

Amazon.com: DORHEA 3Pcs 50A Wire Connector Kit 12V-36V Battery Quick Connect Disconnect Harness Heavy Duty Plug for 6-12 Gauge Cables, for Car, Bike, ATV, Winch, Motor, Marine Applications : Automotive

Buy DORHEA 3Pcs 50A Wire Connector Kit 12V-36V Battery Quick Connect Disconnect Harness Heavy Duty Plug for 6-12 Gauge Cables, for Car, Bike, ATV, Winch, Motor, Marine Applications: Electrical System Tools - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

I use those all over for 12V, as well. Some can get a little brittle and snap in winter, esp. after exposure to UV/sunlight, but other than that...

The first/only mod I do on every tractor is to install one of those connectors wired directly to battery fuse, under the front cowling or grille, so I can plug everything from my log splitter's starter motor to small pumps into the tractor out in the yard. No need for a battery for electric start in winter, on my 20 gpm log splitter... just plug it into the tractor!

 

[dieselscout80]

One thing I am looking for is a good way to split a one wire circuit into two connections/conductors (say a light on both sides of tractor/truck).

 

[Runner]

One thing I am looking for is a good way to split a one wire circuit into two connections/conductors (a light on both sides of tractor/truck).

Maybe the Wago connectors would work? I guess they're not waterproof.

Amazon.com

 

[WinterDeere]

One thing I am looking for is a good way to split a one wire circuit into two connections/conductors (a light on both sides of tractor/truck).

For small wiring like lighting, I usually just use a heat shrink butt splice, where the feed wire and combination of two branch circuit wires have cross-sections close enough to fall inside the range of a single butt splice.

For example, two marker lights with AWG-18 (.82 mm2) wires can be twisted together, and have an equivalent combined cross-section of AWG-15 (1.65 mm2). So, a regular AWG 16 - 14 (blue) heat shrink butt splice fed with AWG-14 or AWG-16 from the supply, will splice perfectly well to a pair of AWG-18 marker lights when twisted together.

I especially like the heat shrink butt splices with applied adhesive inside for these types of splices, since they help to hold the insulated portion of the twisted pair together, preventing them from ever wriggling loose.

This won't be water-proof for submersible applications, the gap between the two smaller wires entering one side of the splice will ensure there's always a tiny capillary leak path. But it's weather proof to maybe IP54 or IP55, which is as good or better than many automotive connectors.

 

[dieselscout80]

For small wiring like lighting, I usually just use a heat shrink butt splice, where the feed wire and combination of two branch circuit wires have cross-sections close enough to fall inside the range of a single butt splice.

For example, two marker lights with AWG-18 (.82 mm2) wires can be twisted together, and have an equivalent combined cross-section of AWG-15 (1.65 mm2). So, a regular AWG 16 - 14 (blue) heat shrink butt splice fed with AWG-14 or AWG-16 from the supply, will splice perfectly well to a pair of AWG-18 marker lights when twisted together.

I especially like the heat shrink butt splices with applied adhesive inside for these types of splices, since they help to hold the insulated portion of the twisted pair together, preventing them from ever wriggling loose.

This won't be water-proof for submersible applications, the gap between the two smaller wires entering one side of the splice will ensure there's always a tiny capillary leak path. But it's weather proof to maybe IP54 or IP55, which is as good or better than many automotive connectors.

Thanks

I have thought about doing that but wasn’t sure it would work.

The connectors with adhesive should be fine I would think.

I would like to ensure that there no chances of moisture get into the split but this may be good enough.

 

[WinterDeere]

I’ve been doing it for maybe 30 years, with never any problems, so you should be good to go on that.

I do sometimes like to slide a longer piece of heat shrink tubing over the butt splice, just to give the two wires even more support and less opportunity to wiggle, when the butt spices tend to be a little on the short side for my preference. Zip ties are also useful, in immobilizing everything.

 

[404nouser]

The hf 2.5k winch pulls 50A and the sprayer has a 15A fuse.
So 75A will only trip in a failure and it's the manual reset type.

 

[WinterDeere]

The hf 2.5k winch pulls 50A and the sprayer has a 15A fuse.
So 75A will only trip in a failure and it's the manual reset type.

Like I said, you're probably fine. It's not the way I would rig it for a life-or-death or totally fail-safe system, but it's a friggin tractor... not life-support or overhead-lifting equipment. No need to sweat it, unless you're concerned that failure could cause a dangerous situation (e.g. fire if wiring insulation melts, etc.).

If ever redoing it in the future, I'd arrange this with a breaker that has a dual-trip mechanism, with the thermal trip set near wire rating at insulation temp (~60A) and magnetic trip set much higher (1000 amps). That gives you better overload protection within the rating of the wire, while avoiding nuisance trips for surge currents short of a full short-circuit.

You've probably noticed all of your residential circuit breakers in the breaker panel in your basement say "10kA" on them. That's the "fast-blow" magnetic trip rating. The number on the lever is the thermal "slow-blow" trip rating. Same idea... avoiding nuisance trips due to inrush, but still offering near-instantaneous protection against a full-on short circuit.

 

[RayIN]

One thing I am looking for is a good way to split a one wire circuit into two connections/conductors (say a light on both sides of tractor/truck).

Amazon.com: Scicalife 10pcs Butt Splice T- Type Butt Connector Crimp Insulated Electrical Waterproof Wire Terminal Connectors : Industrial & Scientific

Amazon.com: Scicalife 10pcs Butt Splice T- Type Butt Connector Crimp Insulated Electrical Waterproof Wire Terminal Connectors : Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

 

[WinterDeere]

Amazon.com: Scicalife 10pcs Butt Splice T- Type Butt Connector Crimp Insulated Electrical Waterproof Wire Terminal Connectors : Industrial & Scientific

Amazon.com: Scicalife 10pcs Butt Splice T- Type Butt Connector Crimp Insulated Electrical Waterproof Wire Terminal Connectors : Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

Going by the only good photo in one of the reviews, those look like lever release cage clamp connectors, like some of those made by Wago, only in a T-shaped configuration? But the listing says "crimp"? But then larger photos further down in listing clearly show lever release type, and not weather-resistant at all.

I'm confused!

 

[Runner]

Maybe this covered with shrink-wrap tubing.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJSC4FDJ/?coliid=I2CK4VPUJ37NO3&colid=2LWGBQQZY7T6E&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1