Post by myredracer on Sept 14, 2016 21:50:18 GMT -5
The two auto-reset mini circuit breakers next to our battery were badly corroded after just a year of use. Our TT was delivered during a bad winter with lots of salt on the roads which is not good for electrical connections. I decided to rewire all the wiring there'
The first thing I found is that the positive wire from the battery literally fell right out of the ring terminal because it was not crimped properly. The wire could possibly have fallen out while driving down a road and prevented the brakes from working. Not good.
Wiring from the umbilical cord to the trailer's wiring was spliced inside a 4x4 metal junction box. These boxes are code approved for dry indoor use only. Ordinary wire nuts were used and they are also approved for dry indoor locations only. I found three wire nuts that were upside down and filled with standing water. As a result, water traveled inside the wire's insulation causing corrosion to the copper strands. I kept cutting back the wire but it was corroded as far as I could cut it so I had to dip the wire in acid to clean it before I could solder it. (I soldered all the splices.)
I mounted a 4x4 PVC watertight junction box on the A-frame tubing and relocated all the existing splices into it along with new circuit breakers. Lippert specifies. an inline fuse in addition to the circuit breakers for electric stab. jacks so I installed those inside the box too. The box has connectors with rubber compression grommets to help keep water out. I put a couple of small holes on the underside of the box in case moisture gets in from condensation or leakage.
All finished.
The lug connecting the battery negative to the frame was badly corroded and one of the wires had most of the strands severed. The lug is mounted to the frame in a location vulnerable to salt and water. A failed connection here could also cause the trailer's brakes to be inoperative. I made up new lugs and the wires are soldered to the lugs and have heat shrink over them. I installed a second "redundant" connection from the battery to the frame.
Gil, Deb and Dougal the Springer Spaniel
2014 KZ Spree 262RKS
2009 F250
The first thing I found is that the positive wire from the battery literally fell right out of the ring terminal because it was not crimped properly. The wire could possibly have fallen out while driving down a road and prevented the brakes from working. Not good.
Wiring from the umbilical cord to the trailer's wiring was spliced inside a 4x4 metal junction box. These boxes are code approved for dry indoor use only. Ordinary wire nuts were used and they are also approved for dry indoor locations only. I found three wire nuts that were upside down and filled with standing water. As a result, water traveled inside the wire's insulation causing corrosion to the copper strands. I kept cutting back the wire but it was corroded as far as I could cut it so I had to dip the wire in acid to clean it before I could solder it. (I soldered all the splices.)
I mounted a 4x4 PVC watertight junction box on the A-frame tubing and relocated all the existing splices into it along with new circuit breakers. Lippert specifies. an inline fuse in addition to the circuit breakers for electric stab. jacks so I installed those inside the box too. The box has connectors with rubber compression grommets to help keep water out. I put a couple of small holes on the underside of the box in case moisture gets in from condensation or leakage.
All finished.
The lug connecting the battery negative to the frame was badly corroded and one of the wires had most of the strands severed. The lug is mounted to the frame in a location vulnerable to salt and water. A failed connection here could also cause the trailer's brakes to be inoperative. I made up new lugs and the wires are soldered to the lugs and have heat shrink over them. I installed a second "redundant" connection from the battery to the frame.
Gil, Deb and Dougal the Springer Spaniel
2014 KZ Spree 262RKS
2009 F250