How are GOOD trailers wired?

   / How are GOOD trailers wired? #31  
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.
 
   / How are GOOD trailers wired? #32  
I thought you had to rewire a trailor every time you used it. Or loaned it out!
 
   / How are GOOD trailers wired? #33  
" or loaned it out "

yep.. and repalce lamps!!

soundguy
 
   / How are GOOD trailers wired? #34  
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.
 
   / How are GOOD trailers wired? #36  
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!!!
 
   / How are GOOD trailers wired? #37  
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).
 
   / How are GOOD trailers wired? #38  
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....
 
   / How are GOOD trailers wired? #39  
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.
 
   / How are GOOD trailers wired? #40  
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.
 

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