Trailer plug receptacle recommendation

[Fallon]

There should be a tab on the plug that gets caught by a notch on the spring loaded cover for the receptacle. That should hold the plug in place & prevent it from coming out or inplugged in the event it works loose.

I'm not clear why you have to tie it in if it's a normal 7 pin plug & receptacle. Is that just to keep it tight rather from falling out?

I'm guessing your main issue is the corrosion rather than a loose plug. Any exposed connections on the copper wiring are going to corrode & be problematic in short order. The 7 pin plug & receptacle connectors themselves should be less susceptible to corrosion, but it can still happen. Clean the contacts with electrical contact cleaner & a brush. Or just replace them. They aren't that expensive & much cheaper than the wreck or heart attack when you loose brakes again.

If you have any exposed connections elsewhere between the plug/receptacle & the rest of your wiring I'd just replace things unless you are decent with wiring. You need to get the corroded wiring & connectors replaced.

 

[BWSwede]

The spring loaded lid does have the tab to hook over the tab on the trailer plug. Both times I have lost my brakes the cord did not come unplugged from the truck.

Yes, I zip tie them together to keep them tight.

I am thinking corrosion is the issue as well. The truck blades did not have any corrosion. The female receptacles on the trailer cord did (gray powdery stuff like on a battery terminal). There is no exposed copper wiring.

Perhaps there is also too much space between the tab on the of the truck receptacle lid and the tab on the trailer cord. I am going to check it next time I hook them together.

Blane

 

[rangerfredbob]

If there's corrosion on the contacts of the trailer plug, there's probably corrosion on the screw terminals inside the connector... I've had that before, the steel screws on the cheap ones rusting and losing contact...

 

[Oaktree]

I am thinking corrosion is the issue as well. The truck blades did not have any corrosion. The female receptacles on the trailer cord did (gray powdery stuff like on a battery terminal). There is no exposed copper wiring.

I've never had (or had the need for) trailer brakes, but every time I've had trailer light issues it's been the trailer wiring, not what's on the truck. Might be time and money well spent to replace the harness, or at least the connector and the wiring for the brakes.

 

[woody]

as someone else said clean it and put some dieletric grease on it.

 

[3Ts]

Keep in mind that corrosion products (i.e. copper oxide) are non-conductive. You need contact with the base metal in order to conduct electricity. I would replace the plugs, but if you really want to keep them, scrape the tarnish off down to bare metal - get it shiny. The brass contacts are a copper alloy with probably 30% zinc.

 

[skipmarcy]

When installing receptacles on trucks I always use dielectric grease inside on the screws and wires and then seal where the wire bundle goes into the back of the receptacle with rtv silicone. Then of course use dielectric on the spades inside as already mentioned. I also push a little dielectric into the female holes on the trailer side to help that half of the equation. I ALWAYS solder any wiring connections instead of butt connectors and use heat shrink tube. True mechanics never use Scotch-Loc connectors !!! They are pure trouble and usually cut some of the conductors lessening the capacity of the wire. If you want to be ****, you can use liquid tape over the heat shrink to totally waterproof the joint. When I hook up one of my trailers to either truck the lights and brakes will work ...

 

[BWSwede]

I am pretty convinced it is a corrosion issue. Now, what to do about it.

I have been reading a lot about dielectric grease especially after hearing recommendations regarding its use. I have found that it is a non-conductive material which led me to ask myself why would I put this into a pin connection, especially after reading that one of the manufacturers of it stating that it is not to be used on pin connections. Then I read somewhere that the pin connection when inserted squeezes the grease out of the way to allow the metal to metal contact. Okay, this works but now what happens when the pins (blades) are separated? The metal is now exposed and will corrode as if there was never any grease installed. Or does it magically cover the pins back up when they are separated?

It seems to me that dielectric grease protects pin connections when they are permanently attached together but when they are frequently connected and disconnected the grease is removed from the metal surfaces making the use of the grease a waste of time.

Somebody please enlighten me.

Thank you,
Blane

 

[Ford850]

Dielectric grease is recommended by most trailer supply companies. If you don't use too much making a sloppy mess, it works well to lubricate the pins (easier connections) and seals the metal surfaces so they don't corrode. A very thin coat is all that's needed. Most pins make contact in a very thin area, and that's how it scrapes some off for contact. When not in use the grease creeps back over the surface to protect most of it. I've used it on some connections, and skipped it on others, but it does work for me. I've also used a light coat of fluid film, and sometimes I use WD40 to clean and lube all in one.

 

[John_Mc]

The reason for using dielectric grease, as opposed to regular grease, is that you want something that is non-conductive. Using a conductive grease risks shorting out one pin to another.