wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

[Home Cookin']

I spent a good part of my Saturday trouble shooting and fixing a non-functioning trailer light--oddly, it was not a grounding problem.
I decided to replace a long run of wire, suspecting (correctly) that there was a breach were a side marker was spliced in. I had my new wire taped to the old, but pulling it through, it broke and left me with nothing to pull through. And you can't push wire.

I ended up using a 25' tape measure as a "fishing" line. It slid nicely all the way to the other end, so I could tape off new wire and pull it back through. Has enough flex to get by the curve. Had to do it a couple of times and it worked well. Thought I'd pass it along.

One warning, though. I set the tape measure in the opening while the other end was hooked off the other end of the trailer tube. It came unlocked and my tape measure shot up into the trailer tube a few feet. I felt so stupid I laughed out loud at myself. Retrieved it with a coat hanger but if it had gone further I would have been screwed.

Here's my question: I have two side markers (lights) which naturally don't work but have to to pass inspection (you don't need them but if they are there they have to work. My trailer no longer has them, but I might put them back on after inspection). when I ran my new wire, i went ahead and spliced in a wire for the side light at the same place. But how do I get the spliced wire out the 1/2" hole in the trailer frame? And on the other side, how do I pull the wire out the hole so I can resplice? Or do I have to do a new run just to get that splice in before I put it in the frame? What a pain!

Oh, and after all that work I was back and forthing the trailer to get out of my tight and odd-shaped driveway, I backed one 4" wide light into a 5" wide pine tree and broke it. Perfect shot. also ran the vehicle battery down working through the lights for several hours. What a day.

trailer lights are the bane of the salt water boater.

 

[DBreskin]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

I'd guess the easiest way is to run the main wire through the trailer frame and then fish a loop of the wire out of the side marker light hole. Splice in the side marker light lead to the loop and then push the main wire back into the frame.

If you've made the splice before you ran the wire, maybe you can fish both wires through the hole and grab the one you need.

All this assumes the hole is large enough to pull the main wire through.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Agreed, you use a hook or needle nose pliers (fish pliers work too) to pull a small bit of the main wire through your 1/2" sidelight hole. You just cut it, connect it to the light, and let it continue on to the rear lights.

The tape measure was a good idea for fishing the wire. Obviously, electrical fish tape works great in these applications. I've also used a string with washers tied to the end. All that I had to do was jack up the front of the trailer so that gravity pulled the washers to the back of the trailer tubes.

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

How about one of those flexible pick up tools with the 3 little metal fingers. You could slip it in the hole and "fish" around for the wire. Pull the wire out and connect your light.

Another tip, you can purchase a cheap fish tape from Harbor Freight (or anther discout tool store). You can buy a high dollar one at an electrical supply or home improvement store but the cheap one work fine on a trailer. They are made for fishing wires through tight spots. They work wonders. Good luck!

 

[roscoe]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Just run the wire front to rear.
Then take a second wire and insert into the side marker hole, run it to the rear also.
Make your splice at the rear.

My new trailer came this way.

Seems like it would save some time in the future as well.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Just run the wire front to rear.
Then take a second wire and insert into the side marker hole, run it to the rear also.
Make your splice at the rear.

My new trailer came this way.

Seems like it would save some time in the future as well.

that makes good sense and would make it easier for future trouble shooting and repairs. I don't have any way to "stick a wire in the hole and run it to the rear"--although that could be done with electrician's fishing wire or similar stiff wire.

In that case, I'd do it the other way and put the splice at the front (inside the front of the side frame where it connects to the tongue). That way the splice would not be at the end of the trailer that goes under salt water.

this has been helpful to me and I hope to others as well.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

One thing to keep in mind is that hopefully your trailer lights are sealed to keep the water out. That may not always be the case. I had an old trailer that had no caps on the end of the trailer tubes, so water could touch the insulated wire.

No matter how your lights and trailer tubes are sealed, I fully recommend soldering your connections and then using heat shrink tubing to seal out the water. At the very least, use marine-grade connectors and then electrical tape everything completely tight. That won't last forever though.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Nothing is watertight. Everything rusts. But you have to do your best!

Unfortunately, as I discovered this weekend, I have inherited dry-land wiring done by others--so I find multiple splices, open-ended butt connectors, etc. But I have new top-end LED lights (a whole 'nother story). If I ever get that "spare time" I've heard about I'll do a pre-emptive strike and re-wire. This is a seldom-used trailer so I can live with it a while. But I'm glad to know from here what to do with the side markers when I do re-wire.

the "sealed" lights i often see are actually open at the bottom and keep water out by the bubble; I think this is better b/c they drain, and eventually they all leak. The LED parts on mine seem to be completely sealed in a melted plastic block--like my trim tab switch.

 

[dingbat]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Do yourself a favor, spend $20 and buy a 25' fish tape. Mine paid for itself the first time I used it. Spent an hour trying to fish the transducer cable thur the rigging tubes up to the helm befoe I threw in the towel and went to the hardware store.

As noted above, my side lights are spliced into the main harness at the back of the trailer. I replaced the cheap trailer harness wires with 16/6 jacketed cable. All connections crimped, then sealed with water proof connectors. Should be good to go for the life of the trailer.

For lights, I like the Westbar with the hermatically sealed bulbs. My trailer is 8 years old and still has the orginal housing on it, less the one a freind of mine used as a step and broke the first week I owned the boat. The biggest problem I have is the screws holding the lens in place rusts out after the couple of seasons. Can't find them in SS. I just replace them every couple of years.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Poor man's water proof splices.

Solder your wires together.
Be sure to use ONLY electrical/Rosin flux, NOT Plumbers Paste flux!
It does make a difference, corossion will set in a few months and you will be doing it all over again!
Now remove the solder flux with acetone or lacquer thinner. Clean them up!

Place a bit of Hot Melt Glue on the Joint, let it cool.
Slide a sleave of Heat shrink Tubing over the Glued Joint.
Shrink the Heat Shring tubing with a Hot Air Gun, NOT an open flame!
Heat slowly and evenly, the Hot Melt Glue will re-melt and spread throughout the joint, sealing everything, completely waterproof!
Works great and looks just like the expensive self-sealing Heat Shrink.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

I like the hot glue gun seal.

why not use a flame on the shrink? Burns the insulation?

Liquid electrical tape is a good sealer, too.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Or do what I do and just buy the heat shrink with the adhesive already in it. Its pretty cheap in the long run. A 2" piece runs around $0.25.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-Adhesiv..._Accessories_Gear&vxp=mtr&hash=item58917c09e8

Usually there is no need for flux unless you have corrosion issues with your wiring.

 

[2 Eagles]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

To help run the wires use a old trick my Grandpa tought me. Take a plastic bag or balloon blow air into it making it just big enough to fit in the 1/2" hole. Tie a string on to it & stuck in the hole. Tape off the end your not going to use. In your case the end with the lights sence you want to run the wire to the plug end. Take a vaccum hose to the plug end and suck the bag/balloon to you. You may have to rap a plastic bag around the vaccum hose and trailer, I used tape, to make an air tight seal. The tie the wire to the string & pull it to you.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

I like the hot glue gun seal.

why not use a flame on the shrink? Burns the insulation?

Liquid electrical tape is a good sealer, too.

You can get heat shrink with the glue already lining the tubing.
The Hot glue method is the "Poor Man's" version of the same thing.

In either case you need to control the heat and evenly shrink the tubing.
An open flame heats (and usually burns) only one side.
To melt the adhesive/glue on the inside, the heat needs to be applied evenly all around for 5-10 seconds.
There is just no way to control an open flame.

A Heat Gun like This is available from your local hobby shop for ~ $20.
It is a lot hotter than a hair dryer but not as hot as the paint stripper guns from the home improvement stores.
They are sold for shrinking the plastic films over the wings of RC airplanes. Perfect for the job.
I also find them handy in removing stickers, decals, and vinyl lettering and just heating up stuff in general.
It will turn into one of those tools you didn't know why you would ever want and then won't know how you ever got along without.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Or get one of these:
http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-watt-dual-temperature-heat-gun-572-1112-96289.html
Problem with the monocote versions(which I also have) is that most only have one heat setting. The ones we use in our labs for heat shrink tubing are high wattage.

 

[dingbat]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Poor man's water proof splices.

Solder your wires together.
Be sure to use ONLY electrical/Rosin flux, NOT Plumbers Paste flux!
It does make a difference, corossion will set in a few months and you will be doing it all over again!
Now remove the solder flux with acetone or lacquer thinner. Clean them up!

Place a bit of Hot Melt Glue on the Joint, let it cool.
Slide a sleave of Heat shrink Tubing over the Glued Joint.
Shrink the Heat Shring tubing with a Hot Air Gun, NOT an open flame!
Heat slowly and evenly, the Hot Melt Glue will re-melt and spread throughout the joint, sealing everything, completely waterproof!
Works great and looks just like the expensive self-sealing Heat Shrink.

I see why they call it poor mans solder. You just spent $15 of labor to save a 50 cents worth of material. At that rate the poor house isn't far off.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

I see why they call it poor mans solder. You just spent $15 of labor to save a quarters worth of material. At that rate the poor house isn't far off.

I lost most of a Saturday b/c the previous owner didn't take the time. If you find an electrical problem that has to be fixed before going to, or coming home from the ramp, your $15 labor is a bargain. Unless you do like most people and just pretend everything is working, without checking, and act surprised if you get caught.

 

[rbh]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Something to remember is anyplace the wire goes through the frame, put a rubber grommet in the hole.
It doesnt take much to rub through the wires insulation, found that one out the hard way, (cheap MFGs taking short cuts)

and a piece of horse fence works good as a fish (109ga galvinized high tensil wire)

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

I see why they call it poor mans solder. You just spent $15 of labor to save a 50 cents worth of material. At that rate the poor house isn't far off.

Actually the labor is exactly the same.

You still have to solder the wires and heat shrink the joint.
The only difference is in using 25 cents worth of self sealing heat shrink. or using 20 cents worth of regular heat shrink and and 2 cents worth of Hot Glue.

Use whatever you have available at the time you need it.
This is only giving the OP another option to do it correctly the first time.

 

[dingbat]

Re: wiring: a tip and a question re sidelights

Actually the labor is exactly the same.

You still have to solder the wires and heat shrink the joint.

I don't solder anything subjected to vibration. Waterproof butt crimps, 50 cents. The whole job takes less time than dragging the extension cord and soldering iron out let alone screwing around applying heat shrink and glue separately.

Let's not forget the affects of cold solder joints by untrained shade tree wire techs.

I lost most of a Saturday b/c the previous owner didn't take the time. If you find an electrical problem that has to be fixed before going to, or coming home from the ramp, your $15 labor is a bargain

All I'm saying is to work smarter not harder. The same $15 job can be done for less than a third the cost had they used a different approach.