Submersible trailer lights - waterproofing connections

[Jeremy]

I am about to replace my trailer lights as they are starting to fail. I have bought new lights which I plan to connect to the existing wiring.

Question is - is adhesive lines heat shrink tube good enough to protect the connections? If not, what do you recommend?

Thanks

[ozscott]

Mate if You use double wall heat shrink that will work well. You can paint on Starbrite insulation too. Otherwise Narva fully submersible with the 1 piece loom. Just make sure with them you have a good straight backing plate. I had one pair crack but they seem to have upgraded them since.

Cheers

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[stevej]

how i do a submersible join
one of these solder joints
then two pieces of epoxy filled heat shrink from jaycar each one a little longer then the first

[ozscott]

I have never had success with the all in one solder joint. I like separate solder to the insulation. Cheers

Ps. heat the joint really well and get solder right in. I also like hydraulic crimpers with 2 layers of heat thrink over the top.

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[Noelm]

The good ones work OK, the cheap ones are just rubbish, the temperature is critical to a good water resistant connection.

[TheGurn]

Never had a joint fail yet.
Just make sure you have clean wire at the join (a must) before soldering (avoid dry joints) and good quality adhesive heat shrink. (Not the cheap thin crap with no glue). No harm putting 2 layers of heat shrink on to be sure. More mechanical protection if exposed to abrasion or stone-chips..

For 3 way joins... get out the glue gun before shrinking and secure cables together with zipties for support afterward.

Cheers
Gurn

[ozscott]

Never had a joint fail yet.
Just make sure you have clean wire at the join (a must) before soldering (avoid dry joints) and good quality adhesive heat shrink. (Not the cheap thin crap with no glue). No harm putting 2 layers of heat shrink on to be sure. More mechanical protection if exposed to abrasion or stone-chips..

For 3 way joins... get out the glue gun before shrinking and secure cables together with zipties for support afterward.

Cheers
Gurn

Yep.for 3 ways I used a silicon sealant for the V that is suitable for underwater use.

Cheers

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[TheGurn]

Also forgot to say what is probably obvious. One heatshrink over each wire connection and one (or 2) over the lot to replace outside sheath insulation.

[ericcs]

when you go to join the new cable ends to the old harness, you might find the wire strands have gone black. no amount of trying will let the solder stick. the only way around it i have found, is first to dip the blackened wire in some hydrochloric acid, which should turn the cable an almost matt pink colour. mostly it can then be soldered, otherwise use some emery cloth to sand the dull wire back shiny. eventually it will work.

[Dirtyfuzz]

When the new trailer was built I did away with the lights and I just use a light bar now, bit of stuffing around fitting everytime I use the boat but better than having to replace lights when they fail


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[gazza2006au]

Im just a cheapie i buy the lights with 8 meters of wire all one piece from ebay for around $45

You can use liquid electrical tape but its expensive i had a container but it some how went dry over a couple of months

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[Spaniard_King]

Plenty of brands have lights with 8 m looms... no need for joins that get submersed these days

[gazza2006au]

Think i remember seeing ARK trailer lights with 8m cable for around $120 was a while ago tho

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[scottar]

As per a few of the other lads, my first recommendation is to replace the whole lot with the ones that have sufficient cable to at least get to a junction box on the winch post if not the plug in one go.

You may already have damaged cable and you won't know how far back up the wire it has gotten. If your trailer has clearance lamps on the guards, it's pretty common to have a join there too - on mine that join was totally stuffed. If it's tarnished at all, the self soldering stuff will be next to useless.

If you must join and the cables are ok, personally I would solder the wires, heatshrink with dual wall individually, and then do the whole joint with dual wall, then cover the ends of that heatshrink in silicone and another layer of heatshrink over that. Makes a mess but it will seal.

[Jeremy]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I have clearance lamps on the guards so I didn't want to go to the trouble of replacing all the way to the plug. I will solder, use 2 x adhesive heat shrink and the sikaflex and more heat shrink over the whole lot.