Anyone have good experiences with Scotch lock splices under their trailer? I don't trust them. My experience; the center conductor rusts... or perhaps my experience involved low-end models? as far as I know no one makes them with stainless center conducters or do they? I just removed all the scotch locks from my new GN trailer in favor of solder joints. Time consuming but now I won't worry.
Nat

 

Oops, I just discovered I posted in the wrong forum, should have been into the TOWING/HAULING forum. Sorry.
Nat

 

I would never use scotchlocks, let alone in the great outdoors under a trailer.

Solder, heat shrink and/or silicone for outdoor splicing.

If solder isn't available, then butt splices, followed by liberal amounts of silicone/RTV.


phox

 

I don't mind them for small wires inside the truck, that are not critical or safety realted. I used one for splicing into the wire for my boost gauge light and it works well.

Nick

 

Have seen the trouble Scotch Locks can cause.....its a nightmare for a mechanic to troubleshoot wiring problems without adding into the mix a poor connection caused by Scotch Locks
Happy to see you fixed your trailer wiring correctly
I have worked on trailers with enclosed wiring (run inside conduit) and one trailer gave me grief with the marker lights going out....desided to pull all the wires outta the conduit found someone tryed to do a repair by just twisting the wires together with no tape over the repair....soldered it and taped the connection

 

Yep, they hold good for a while, but then the go down the crapper. The previous owner of my truck used them for the 6 pin GN harness, and one day the brakes started coming on with the right turn signal on and blowing the fuse. Look underneath and found the scotchloks, and they were covered with grease and grime and touching eachother. Separated, cleaned and taped each one and all is good now. I'll never use them on something that gets exposed to elements.

 

Scotch lock connnectors should never be used for any connection not protected from the weather or moisture. We encounter a lot of wet salty roads and we use non-insulated butt connectors with double wall shrink tube. The double wall shrink tube internal glue bonds to the wire insulation and makes an airtight moisture proof joint. This type of joint is as solid as a solder joint but quicker and less equipment needed to do the work. I carry a Bic lighter, double wall shrink tube and pair of good side cutters in my tool box, if you don't carry a pocket knife for wire skinning put in a pair of half decent wire strippers. Done properly I have never had a connection fail yet. PK

 

Put dielectric grease inside connector before mounting then RTV silicone each wire individually then silicone them all together. Just a thought for anyone wanting to use scotch locks. I personally don't like them but if your going to use them that procedure should help in keeping them working properly longer.

 

Everyone I've talked to including electricians says not to use solder and to use the crimp type connectors instead. Soldered joints can crack after a while when used in a mobile application.

Brian Elfert

 

they only solder joints that will crack are cold joints (just like a weld). If its a good solder job, the wire will break before the solder joint does.

 

The only way to use them, well put bluebull. I have used them this way with no failures to speak of. Goodluck,,Rick

 

I have never had a soldered joint break in any application that had a good solder joint. The bigger stuff needs a proper iron to carry the heat. I have soldered joints on my welder cables, 1-0. I have had the cables warm the the solder joints is fine.

Another good bulletproof insulation on stuff like electric brake wires is a glue gun. You cover the joint and it is there.

 

My son and I ended up completely stripping my brand new GN and rewiring it three months after I bought it. Had nothing but trouble with that garbage. Rewired, soldered, and heat shrunk everything and have not had the first problem for four years now. Also switched to LED lights everywhere and now don't even worry about bulbs blowing.

 

When I see scotch locks I try to aim for the trash can, or in that general direction. I have had too many nightmares trying to repair trailer wiring that some genius "repaired" with scotchlocks. I use the shrink tube crimp connectors and have had exellent success whit them over the years. The price on them is finally comming down, under .30 ea. The best ones have the sealer inside them.
The solder trick with shrink tube is also a very permanent repair that has very little trouble in the field. It is just more time consuming than the shrink tube crimp connectors. I save that for the large cable connectors.

 

So Scotch locks are despised everywhere not just in NC... at least for outdoor apps.
Solder and heat shrink and tie wrapping the wires to something fixed is the route I took. I'm counting on them lasting 15 years at least.
Nat