Wet socket
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Wet socket
I went fishing today and when I tried to winch the boat on the trailer it gave me a fit. Low voltage due to a degraded wire connection in the recepticle. I have a battery mounted on the trailer that is charged by the truck. Here is where I need advice. How do the masters of the towing keep water out of your seven pin RV connection. Mine is a blade connector called a Hoppy. It is mounted on the rear bumper right behind the Reese receiver hitch. I thought I had a handle on it by using generous amounts of dielectric grease on the mechanical connections and taping the back side of the recepticle with 3M electric tape. After three years the screw that held the lug in place disentergrated because of water intrusion. I even drilled the receptical to drain out any accumulation. And NO! I do not dunk the truck. In fact the rear bumper never breaks over the edge of the water.
#3
Registered User
That may be....
I have had a BAD experience with factory wiring on my boat trailer. For speed & cheap, they used the quick splices....the ones that cut the insulation without providing a seal. The kiss of death on boat trailers. I cured this by rewiring the ENTIRE trailer and using soldered connections and adhesive lined heatshrink tubing. It's been 4 years and never a light issue! I also went to sealed LED units.
For the problem you describe, you need to seal the connector somehow. To stay in the RV family of connectors, you won't be able to find one that's sealed. So...seal each screw terminal with silicone (rtv) or seal the entire innards of the connector before closing it back up. Yeah, it's got huge mess potential, but it's likely to solve the corrosion problem.
HTH
Tony
I have had a BAD experience with factory wiring on my boat trailer. For speed & cheap, they used the quick splices....the ones that cut the insulation without providing a seal. The kiss of death on boat trailers. I cured this by rewiring the ENTIRE trailer and using soldered connections and adhesive lined heatshrink tubing. It's been 4 years and never a light issue! I also went to sealed LED units.
For the problem you describe, you need to seal the connector somehow. To stay in the RV family of connectors, you won't be able to find one that's sealed. So...seal each screw terminal with silicone (rtv) or seal the entire innards of the connector before closing it back up. Yeah, it's got huge mess potential, but it's likely to solve the corrosion problem.
HTH
Tony
#4
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What TonyB said 100%.
For added protection I also never leave a connection open to the air. I've got enough old ones left around that I just find the opposite mate,cut off the old wires flush, fill it with dielectric grease and stick it on. Since I started this practice nearly 5 yrs ago I haven't changed a connectore on my camper, truck or either trailer.
For added protection I also never leave a connection open to the air. I've got enough old ones left around that I just find the opposite mate,cut off the old wires flush, fill it with dielectric grease and stick it on. Since I started this practice nearly 5 yrs ago I haven't changed a connectore on my camper, truck or either trailer.
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
What TonyB said 100%.
For added protection I also never leave a connection open to the air. I've got enough old ones left around that I just find the opposite mate,cut off the old wires flush, fill it with dielectric grease and stick it on. Since I started this practice nearly 5 yrs ago I haven't changed a connectore on my camper, truck or either trailer.
For added protection I also never leave a connection open to the air. I've got enough old ones left around that I just find the opposite mate,cut off the old wires flush, fill it with dielectric grease and stick it on. Since I started this practice nearly 5 yrs ago I haven't changed a connectore on my camper, truck or either trailer.
#6
Registered User
Thread Starter
That may be....
I have had a BAD experience with factory wiring on my boat trailer. For speed & cheap, they used the quick splices....the ones that cut the insulation without providing a seal. The kiss of death on boat trailers. I cured this by rewiring the ENTIRE trailer and using soldered connections and adhesive lined heatshrink tubing. It's been 4 years and never a light issue! I also went to sealed LED units.
For the problem you describe, you need to seal the connector somehow. To stay in the RV family of connectors, you won't be able to find one that's sealed. So...seal each screw terminal with silicone (rtv) or seal the entire innards of the connector before closing it back up. Yeah, it's got huge mess potential, but it's likely to solve the corrosion problem.
HTH
Tony
I have had a BAD experience with factory wiring on my boat trailer. For speed & cheap, they used the quick splices....the ones that cut the insulation without providing a seal. The kiss of death on boat trailers. I cured this by rewiring the ENTIRE trailer and using soldered connections and adhesive lined heatshrink tubing. It's been 4 years and never a light issue! I also went to sealed LED units.
For the problem you describe, you need to seal the connector somehow. To stay in the RV family of connectors, you won't be able to find one that's sealed. So...seal each screw terminal with silicone (rtv) or seal the entire innards of the connector before closing it back up. Yeah, it's got huge mess potential, but it's likely to solve the corrosion problem.
HTH
Tony
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