I got a 24 foot goose neck flatbed that needs to be rewired. What i would like to know is what is the best method for doing this? Should i buy a long piece of 7 strand wire and run all the way down and wire the lights brakes ect off that or should i run individual wires to do each light and brake? What are the best wire connectors for being in a salty wet environment? The trailer has dual tail lights meaning that there are two on the right and two on the left and they have never worked correctly should both lights blink when your signaling or just one? Should i add a junction box up at the front to connect everything to?
Junction box up front then run 7 strand wire to first axle and then split it off from there to brakes and remainder wires to the back going down one side. I Suggest Ancor heat shrink connectors, never use wire nuts, those are for solid wire only. Depends on the bulb type if the two lights on back should blink together or just one or are they LED's?
they are LEDs
They are LEDs
I like using the heat shrink butt connectors, been using them for a while now with zero issues with vehicles and trailers that are out in the crap salty brine slush constantly. This style but not necessarily from this place.... https://www.westmarine.com/buy/anco...VhJOzCh0-RATFEAQYBCABEgKK8vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Try here instead, they are cheaper than West Marine or Amazon, Ancor ones are best. www.boatid.com
Not wired right sounds like.
Run the 7wire to the junction box then split the brake circuit off with 2 12ga. Double insulated brake wires and run them to each brake. Then you can run a 4wire to the tail lights and split off from there for the markers or run a separate marker wire right from the box if you wan to... Also most manufacturers run a ground wire with each circuit but to simplify things you could use the frame...and of course wire in the breakaway and battery at the box And like others have said use good heat shrink connectors for all the connections.
Use silicone grease, noalox, oxgard, cual gel, or something like that inside the heat shrink tubing. Even inside the crimp connectors if you want to get in an argument.
And do not use a spike type crimper on heat shrink terminals.
I like the glue lined heat shrink connectors myself.
If you want to up the ante over everything use some of these, case closed no crimpers needed. https://www.grainger.com/product/TE-CONNECTIVITY-12-to-10-AWG-Splice-Connector-10K492
Deutsch DT connectors. https://deutschconnectorstore.com/p...-pin-connectors/deutsch-dt-series-connectors/ For keeping water & corrosion out of connections Senson Electroguard grease and wrapping in amalgamating tape afterwards seems to work best.
No connectors for me. I still twist the wires and solder them solid the old fashioned way. Takes time which I got. Shrink the heat shrink over them and never touch them until the wire gets broke. Or when I forget to side the heat shrink on one end first and have to cut it to redo.
Same here, I really like to solder and heat shrink with adhesive or liquid tape... but unfortunately some people want me to use crimpies instead... cause it's quicker... of well.... more work for later
Can anyone recommend a quality tail light converter? Everything I’ve looked at has mixed reviews.
That’s what these do, just quicker. You stick wire in heat up and it solders then heat shrinks with adhesive. https://www.grainger.com/product/TE-CONNECTIVITY-12-to-10-AWG-Splice-Connector-10K492
Yep, I've replaced them before... they are very picky about the wire!!! if it ain't perfect and clean it will give you a high resistance connection which isn't the end of the world unless you happen to be drawing near limit on the wire
Just dip it in some flux, all will be fine
I actually keep flux pens and cigar torches with some 60/40 rosin solder in my side drawer in the little service truck I drive used to keep an assortment of adhesive shrink in there too but other guys kept using it... they don't know how to use solder though
I see you got the small real solder in your box. Its funny to watch someone try to solder wires with the heavy plumbers solder that is mostly tin.
Yeah... and acid flux I keep about 25 different types and sizes solder in stock around here everything from .1mm 65% on up to 6mm 40% for electronic work.
Just wired a gooseneck, I got the molded plug with 10 foot of wire to a junction box. Ran individual wiring threw tubing and put another junction box on the back. Soldered everything including the terminal ends and shrink wrapped every joint. I hate trailer wiring, if it isn't done right it's nothing but grief. Ground wire run everywhere also and grounded to the frame in several places. I hope it holds up.
You have a good chance of it holding up as long as it doesn't get torn off.
I also put a ready made plug in the bed of the truck and I'm the only driver. Hopefully no more cords drug for miles. I've really gotten sick of working on trailer wires and brakes over the years. Tried to do everything to the best I knew how this time. Almost wish it had hydraulic brakes but had a couple of those units go bad before.
One issue I have found with just LED as rear lighting in snowy areas is they don't put off enough heat to keep the lens cleared of the snow while driving. LED's draw a lot less power and put off adequate light but put off little heat were the incandescent light bulb uses heat to put off light; If they would make a cambo of the two that would be much safer on snowy roads. Or do they make them already?
They make some LEDs that are heated.
Yeah, I remember a thread last winter... or the one before that... someone(maybe me) put up a link to the led snowplow sets with heated front screens on them and I think they make all sorts of them for other uses. Here's some... https://www.buyersproducts.com/product/snowdogg-led-plow-lights-306016160800 Just did a quick search I found at least 6 other manufacturers making them also.