Secret for keeping trailer wiring from corrosion?

[SNOWINTHETOES]

I keep having massive amounts of corrosion on my trailer wiring. I always have lights that stop working. Here in Washington, they use Magnesium Chloride mix to keep ice from forming on the freeways.

Well, that causes corrosion issues.

I have changed out my trailer wiring 3 times in 5 years, what is the secret to keeping the trailer lights on?

Thanks for the help...

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

I keep having massive amounts of corrosion on my trailer wiring. I always have lights that stop working. Here in Washington, they use Magnesium Chloride mix to keep ice from forming on the freeways.

Well, that causes corrosion issues.

I have changed out my trailer wiring 3 times in 5 years, what is the secret to keeping the trailer lights on?

Thanks for the help...

use hi quality materials...run it thru conduit in side the frame rails...soilder connections and on the rear lights mnt a flat plate in front of the lights and wires to keep snow and spray off lights and wires...My trailer has 10 yrs on it(pulled every weekend of the first 6 yrs)and I am finally having issues with a light plug or two...also use dielectric grease on all bulb sockets and connectors..(including truck plug)

 

[theultrarider]

use hi quality materials...run it thru conduit in side the frame rails...soilder connections and on the rear lights mnt a flat plate in front of the lights and wires to keep snow and spray off lights and wires...My trailer has 10 yrs on it(pulled every weekend of the first 6 yrs)and I am finally having issues with a light plug or two...also use dielectric grease on all bulb sockets and connectors..(including truck plug)

x2....and when it starts to act up, yank it all out of there and start over with all new again. dielectric grease on all connections.

 

[captain x]

I would also solder each and every connection....I have an open 2-place I re-wired 8+ years ago and no isses with connections......and x'2 on the good hardware.....are you using the good lights that are mounted in rubber gromets.....a bit more $$...but well worth it......btw.....I am in Idaho......GOOD LUCK......you never want a light out and have an excuse for someone to "pull ya over"

 

[Bad Daddy]

I would skip the solder....Use Tinned Copper wire. Don't use SAE wire, but find some Marine wire which is AWG, made by ANCOR, or ALMO. I use connectors from ANCOR or FTZ. FTZ has new connectors called CoolSeal, which only require crimping, no heat, because they filled with an anerobic sealant...spendy, but makes the job go quicker.

Use a ratcheting crimp tool, and all crimps are the same. (it will only release the connector when the right tension has been achieved).
Use solder, and they are all different...and time consuming.

I wired up some boat trailers for use in the ocean, and I used the tinned wire, butt connectors and adhesive lined shrink tubing. The polyolefin shrink tubing is key---it has a 3:1 shrink ratio, an adhesive that seals perfectly, and it will not burn.

x2 on the dielectric grease.

 

[906 Bob]

I have an open 2 place tilt bed chilton trailer. When I re-wired it I used a crimp and heat connecter from 3M it has a built in shrink sleeve with a heat activated epoxy in it they work really well. I also added a set of flaps with an anti sail frame to keep the spray off the lights. And as lights burned out from tipping the trailer in cold temps and having it slam back down I replace with LED lights pricey but they are about as shock resistant as you can get

 

[Rprecision]

I have an open 2 place tilt bed chilton trailer. When I re-wired it I used a crimp and heat connecter from 3M it has a built in shrink sleeve with a heat activated epoxy in it they work really well. I also added a set of flaps with an anti sail frame to keep the spray off the lights. And as lights burned out from tipping the trailer in cold temps and having it slam back down I replace with LED lights pricey but they are about as shock resistant as you can get

yup what he said!

You can use spray foam to help keep things sealed too!

 

[ckspeed]

Raychem dual wall heat shrink on every splice and a good dielectric will go a long way.

 

[lil734 doo]

got to love the crap washington uses on the roads

I last year had to rewire my trailer so i went down to my loacal hardware store and bought 40 feet of 12 gauge wire wrapped in a shell has two wires in it got it cheap just just cut it in half and ran down each side of the trailer i used but connecter they have the heat shrink on the ends and I also found a liquid tape to make double sure no crap in my connections also lots of diaelectric graese so far no problems I aslo went LED lights with the plug in ends to the lights I justed used heat tape around the wire to make a nice cored to plug in to the truck