How are GOOD trailers wired?

[schmism]

I think plastic wire loom is a great choice. flexible and easy to run unlike rigid conduit, small size which is all thats needed due to small wires.

in addition to the soldered joints, dedicated wire grounds, led lights etc

 

[Egon]

One thing to note about LED lights is that snow/slush will cover them up and not melt off.

 

[tommu56]

I agree with the pipe to run the wires in.
Solder doesn稚 flex as well as the wire and you need the good heat shrink with the glue in side it to work.. eventually it will brake with the vibrations right next to the solder joint.

I switched over to these 314 scotch locks that are jelly filled

data sheet
http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSu7zK1fslxtU4xmB58_Zev7qe17zHvTSevTSeSSSSSS--

I had to order them from mouser electronics but they have been working great.

I looked at all the phone line connections outside in the weather IDC type and filled with jelly and if ma bell has been using them for 20 years they would survive on my trailers



tom

 

[Soundguy]

strain relief the solder joints and you should be fine. sealant inside the connector is advised too.just get correct material.. not plain old rtv.. etc..

soundguy

 

[FlaDon]

I think plastic wire loom is a great choice. flexible and easy to run unlike rigid conduit, small size which is all thats needed due to small wires.

in addition to the soldered joints, dedicated wire grounds, led lights etc

The plastic loom works fine if it is anchored often enough. After 30K of towing our D2E trailer, the trailer wiring has never been a problem with it.

 

[Redneck in training]

All good advise. Especially the caging of the lights since he is going to be using it in the woods.

Chris

I would add there is no such thing as overkill caging for lights.

 

[FlaDon]

I would add there is no such thing as overkill caging for lights.

Sure there is. When you can't see them.

 

[LakeRat1]

Use a Good Grade of wire, NAPA use to sell a wire just for Trailers, it was Extra Heavy Duty,

 

[silvertramp]

I mounted an outdoor electrical box with a spring loaded door on the tongue. I ran the connecter out thru the box. I stuff everything inside when not in use. I use a plug in pigtail to jump from the trailer to the tow vehicle. Pigtail lives in the glovebox. I've had NO corroded connections there since.

 

[Soundguy]

there is double insulated wire for trailers and other 'exposed' wireing.

has a clear pvc sheath over the colored insulation. a lil mor epita to strip.. but worth it..

soundguy

 

[crazyal]

Best advise I can give you is buy some stainless bolts and weld them to your trailer for ground points. They'll last forever and all but end any chance of a bad ground. Just don't paint the threaded part.

 

[2458n]

I thought you had to rewire a trailor every time you used it. Or loaned it out!

 

[Soundguy]

" or loaned it out "

yep.. and repalce lamps!!

soundguy

 

[puckgrinder85]

We use heat shrink butt connectors. They are pricey but do a great job and will last the same as solder/ heat shrinking everything. They also sell flat four trailer wire in rolls instead of running 4 seperate wires.

 

[chopped]

Egon even traffic lights have that trouble
LED traffic lights don't melt snow, do cause accidents -- Engadget

 

[grnspot110]

I thought you had to rewire a trailor every time you used it. Or loaned it out!

Best reason in the world for NOT loaning anything out!!!

 

[mojoinco]

4 areas I find that are problems.
1. Grounding.
2. Corrosion at the light.
3. Corrosion or poor pin contact at the connector.
4. Wires getting damaged and poor connections.

Fixes:

1. Ground has been pretty well explained.
2. Sealed throwaway oval (and round) lights that sit in a rubber grommet (unless you never take the trailer off of your daily driver, the $ for LED are not worth it).
3. I have been slowly converting to the 7 pole flat blade type connectors from the round 6 pole. The flat blade has more tension and is self wiping (self cleaning of corrosion). I am also impressed with the molded connector and pigtail that my wife's horse trailer has. I am a late convert to a junction box on the tongue (especially for trailers with brakes and breakaway switches). For the connector pigtail use the trailer/rv specific lead. It saves a lot of aggravation in the long run (and looks much nicer too). I try to put something in the tongue area to put the connector when not in use (to delay the time when I forget and crush or rip off the connector and pigtail). A hook or pocket (I like the box idea -- pretty).
4. I hide wires in the frame or put them in conduit (emt bends reasonably well and is easy to weld to the frame when you can use it). There are flat hair clip style frame clips. I have been using 14/3 or 16/3 extension cords for years now as they are cheap and durable. And they are what is needed when running point to point (light to junction box). I have also been using the expensive but easy to use 314 Scotchlock connectors after considering the same thing about the phone wire connectors. Wallyworld sometimes carries small packages of them. The blue color is what is usually needed (14-16 ga wire).

 

[brokenot]

They also sell flat four trailer wire in rolls instead of running 4 seperate wires.

While individual wires are definitely not the way to go, I don't have much good to say about the flat four ribbon-style wiring either. It has no outer sheath, and the insulation on the individual conductors is extremely brittle in the cold. I've never seen a trailer in this part of the country that's more than a few months old, that doesn't have cracking in the flat four wiring. A post above mentioned extension cord, and I've used them as well. I've picked up the blue Polar-rated cords and just lopped the ends off. It's easier to fish through a frame than the ribbon cable is, it has a sheath over the individual conductors, it doesn't crack in the cold as easily when flexed, etc.

As far as "good" trailer wiring techniques goes, I'd say the best plan of action is to look at what's been done to preserve reliable wiring and connections elsewhere. You won't see exposed butt-splices or scotchlocks on a vehicle's wiring harness for example. You also won't see a vehicle's wiring harness run along the underside of the vehicle and staple-gunned in place to "secure" it.

I don't think there's any "trick" to good wiring at all, the techniques and components are both well-known and easy to obtain and follow. Many trailer manufacturers have just chosen to squeak by with the bare minimum as far as component quality goes, and then done the install as if the electrics were an afterthought or something....

 

[Iowachild]

strain relief the solder joints and you should be fine. sealant inside the connector is advised too.just get correct material.. not plain old rtv.. etc..

soundguy

YES, get rtv made for electrical work. If it smells like vinegar it has acetic acid in it and will corrode copper wire over time.

 

[crazyal]

My equipment trailer has a sealed electrical box on the tongue. In it is a terminal board with wires going to each light and to each brake so the only splice is where you have to connect to the brake wire. The other thing in the box are self resetting breakers. If a wire does get shorted it protects the tow vehicle.