breakaway battery

[Soundguy]

hey.. don't be hating on romex I've got some romex wireing for headlamps on my 7610s. oem harness was trashed and well.. it fit and has worked for about 7ys now.. radio is wired with it too...

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

Maybe that trailer I spoke of came from your neck of the woods???

The biggest issue is its tough to make connections and keep them tight on something that moves and flexes. Solid wire also can crack and make chasing problems and trouble shooting a tough task.

Chris

 

[FlaDon]

Maybe that trailer I spoke of came from your neck of the woods???

The biggest issue is its tough to make connections and keep them tight on something that moves and flexes. Solid wire also can crack and make chasing problems and trouble shooting a tough task.

Chris

Now tell us what you think of post and knob wiring in a house. I agree, solid wire is not the thing to be using in any mobile equipment. And I dislike Romex period. Conduit and THHN/THWN stranded wire in the house, Exane when mobile.

 

[radioman]

Maybe that trailer I spoke of came from your neck of the woods???

The biggest issue is its tough to make connections and keep them tight on something that moves and flexes. Solid wire also can crack and make chasing problems and trouble shooting a tough task.

Chris

looks like I am guilty as well . I got romex for my rops light as well. its was convient and neat. All my connections were soldered completely. no problems yet- but when I do, I probably will replace with strand but I doubt it that I will have problems. knocking on wood Don't worry , my trailes has strand wires and will stay that way.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Just for furture reference they make a stranded Romex for marine applications. We get it by the roll in 12-2.

Chris

 

[Soundguy]

Maybe that trailer I spoke of came from your neck of the woods???

The biggest issue is its tough to make connections and keep them tight on something that moves and flexes. Solid wire also can crack and make chasing problems and trouble shooting a tough task.

Chris

while I wouldn't use solid wire on the plug pigtail.. for the inert installed lines it should work if restrained properly. as for difficulty in making connections???? I'm at a loss there.. IMHO.. you have better options available for making a tight connection on a solid line vs stranded.. I'll take a wire nut over a butt connector -ANY- day o fthe week... those things exist IMHO, solely to give you electrical problems to chase...

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

looks like I am guilty as well . I got romex for my rops light as well. its was convient and neat. All my connections were soldered completely. no problems yet- but when I do, I probably will replace with strand but I doubt it that I will have problems. knocking on wood Don't worry , my trailes has strand wires and will stay that way.

IMHO.. your rops lamps will likely be going as long as my headlamps.. IE.. quite a long time.

You'd be surprised what you see on tractors when you handle old equipment. stuff you would think would never work.. or would have failed LONG ago.

I've sen plenty of old tractors that used pip thread fitting for hyds connections that literally had a water spigot/faucet as part of the hyds.. IE.. open the valve to start the fluid.. that and all the grey iron fittings you wanted.. plus brass.. stuff rated for 300 psi used in 1500-2500 applications.. for.. oh.. 60 ys..

soundguy

 

[JFS2295]

Since I don't use my trailer sometimes for months at a time I set up a solar battery charger which has worked for years keeping the battery fully charged.

 

[Ken45101]

Since I don't use my trailer sometimes for months at a time I set up a solar battery charger which has worked for years keeping the battery fully charged.

That may be the best use of a solar charger I've seen As long as you don't store the trailer under cover

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Just for furture reference they make a stranded Romex for marine applications. We get it by the roll in 12-2.

Chris

So, what's the difference between stranded romex and extension cord material. I use extension cord material almost exclusively when wiring trailers.

 

[Diamondpilot]

So, what's the difference between stranded romex and extension cord material. I use extension cord material almost exclusively when wiring trailers.

That is perfectly fine. Stranded wire is what you want on anything like a trailer. It can flex without breaking as easy as solid wire romex.

Also, I have heard that AC power travels inside the wire while DC power travels outside the wire. Using stranded gives more surface area allowing for more flow for DC applications. Not sure if this is true. I am not a electrical engineer.

Chris

 

[Ken45101]

Also, I have heard that AC power travels inside the wire while DC power travels outside the wire. Using stranded gives more surface area allowing for more flow for DC applications. Not sure if this is true. I am not a electrical engineer.

Chris

Chris,

You have it backwards. High frequency AC (e.g. high enough for radio waves) travels on the surface. I doubt that there is a significant surface effect for 110vac.

Ken

 

[Diamondpilot]

Chris,

You have it backwards. High frequency AC (e.g. high enough for radio waves) travels on the surface. I doubt that there is a significant surface effect for 110vac.

Ken

Very may well. Either way stranded wire is more desirable on moving applications.

Chris

 

[Egon]

The one on my trailer performs as required. Just like it came wired from the company that made it .

Sounds like a lot of nothing about nothing!

 

[mojoinco]

Wire 'codes' (for lack of a better term) are graded for the sheathing type. Meaning that THHN, etc means it is rated for a given condition (oil/gas, sunlight, exterior abrasion rating etc). Romex comes in an interior and exterior/direct burial versions for example. I too have used extension cords -- sometimes availability is the toughest part. Butt splices can be really good, but they require a decent crimp and proper sealing for exterior use. I have become a big fan of the 3M/Scotch brand silicon grease filled 3 wire crimps. I try to place them out of direct exposure and with the connector wedged pointing up (the wires/opening then point down). Most folks (often me included) don't do a very good job soldering. I have taken 2 soldering courses for flight rated soldering -- they are brutal (and I barely passed the second class). Another item that is tough: 'glued' heat shrink. What you almost always find is generic 2:1 (shrink rate) un-glued heat shrink. 3:1 with glue is like getting ice cream in the middle of the Sahara. Available, and the part that makes the whole job worth doing: sealed when done!

For those that may think "oh, I'll just use rtv". Even that has ratings fro exposure. Bought a house in the mid-90's. Tore out the drywall in the main part of the house and re-wired it (this is only one of MANY stories on that job). Got to where the romex looked modern and almost didn't tear out the next chunk of wall. Glad I did. Someone took three hanks of romex and soldered them together mid wall (looked like a spider web), then covered the joints with rtv. The rtv was crumbling from decay. Other problems I found were going to cause a fire sooner than this, but it was eventually going to. The lesson? Regardless of the improper (stressed wire junction not in a junction box) is that was not the correct use/rating for the RTV used.

Use the correct items the right way and it all works. The problem with butt splices is that they are either not crimped to spec or are used in exposed conditions (most are not rated for exposure). And that presumes you aren't using Harbor Freight grade shlock components (crimps; butt connectors, etc). You get what you pay for.

Another thing, as much as I am a fan of the round 6 pin connectors for anything under 4000#, I have to admit it is an old tech design that has been surpassed. The 7 pin blade type have one big advantage: the interface (blade to socket) tends to wipe (or clean) the common surfaces (faces?) as it is inserted/removed. The round pin connectors as used traditionally on trailers don't do that, nor is there a tension feature in the sockets or pins (spring shapes). The wiping affect is used in electronics connectors to encourage a good connection and to 'wipe' off corrosion. And yes, even in high quality central air only cabinets you get corrosion. And that is with known quality components (which to be fair seldom get exercised after systems are up and running -- versus a trailers connector).

Just my info.

 

[Soundguy]

Gotta watch that rtv too..

soundugy

 

[JFS2295]

Typical RTV gives off acetic acid while curing, which is not good around any electrical connections. If you do need an RTV around electrical, use the type for that purpose which will not give off acetic acid.

AnaLog Services RTV Silicones

For trailer and vehicle connections, I always twist the wires then solder them. To cover the connection I use a 3M mastic, which is the strongest and highest tack material I have ever seen for electrical work. It's known as Scotch 2200, 2210, 2228, and 2229 Mastic Tape and Pads which I get from McMaster-Carr.

McMaster-Carr