quality trailer light wire?

[ukewarrior]

My lights just stopped working today on my utility trailer !
I couldn't believe it because I just rewired one year ago and thought I had been real careful with routing and protection and did all the splices with solder and heat shrink wrap.
I can find no physical damage anywhere. I started cutting open the wires on the back lights which were out. By the way, the side markers up front are lit just fine.
So, I have come to learn that the wire I used, from a brand new trailer wiring harness I bought at AutoZone is totally oxidized inside the cable !
The ends are so oxidized they conduct little to no electricity.

So.... I don't want that to happen again.

What wire source do folks recommend for their trailer lights ?
First hand knowledge please. Spec sheets say one thing, experience rules.

[GerryS]

They all stop, or just 1? Grounding is usually the problem...particularly on 4 pin connectors, the hitch is the ground. A little corrosion will break the circuit. Attach a wire to the handle for the ball lock, and touch the other end to exposed metal on the car....if your lights come in, that is the problem.

As far as wire, I really like silicone coated wire....I get mine from http://www.powerwerx.com, but it's expensive. Works great for amateur radio power distributor

[vincigj]

Ukewarrior is right. Chinese wire is copper coated steel. If the "wire" gets wet say at an attachment point its just a matter of time as the corrosion just keeps going. Try to find a harness made in Mexico. How do i know?

[Shadow Catcher]

I use Di-Electric Grease, Silicone, But splices are with crimped heat shrink with glue/sealant connectors. I have yet to have a problem.

[ukewarrior]

My methods are not the problem. Not my first trailer by any means. I've just never seen a problem like this before.
The wire is intact, but no longer carries enough current because the wire itself inside the sheath is falling apart.
My joints are dry. The inside of the wire is literally disintegrating. It is copper coated steel, then I can believe what has happened.
So, I'm thinking I want pretinned copper wire.
Good grief, some wire is steel now?!!

Recommendations for wire supplier?

[H.A.]

I am shocked !! seems there are conartists within the automotive supplies business.

There are plenty of other manufacturers of quality wire & cable.
Philips & Teledyne were supplier used alot of. Mind you, I dont think they actually manufactured the wire, they just purchased from a reputable manufacturer to sell under their own name.

Btw, copper plated steel is very common in telecom industry, but it wont self-destruct within its insulation...

Fwiw, we had to re-wire a couple small trailers to the US type lighting scheme. For that we used 14/3 vinyl extension cord of some kind. From a splicebox near the drawbar, one cable along each frame rail to their respective left & right taillamps.
The other trailer, just ran both cables the connector plug splicing inside its shell.

[Kaz]

I always use THHN or MTW stranded copper wire from an electrical supply house or the big box store's sometimes. MTW seems to be a little more flexible but THHN has a tougher jacket. 16 gauge is fine for running and tail lights. I always solder and heat shrink my splices. Time consuming and on the expensive side but do it right once and never do it again unless you snag something and break a wire. Take extra care around sharp edges and run it through plastic tube or ENT(aka smurf tube). Again time consuming and on the expensive side but it will outlast the trailer. Only problem I've ever had was the harness connector corrode and fail.

[ukewarrior]

Does anyone use SPT-1 wire?

I have this by the spool because I use it in my extreme Christmas decorating setups.

[H.A.]

Nothing wrong with SPT1.
Provided its within its ampacity & only for low energy functions of taillamps & such.
Too bad color coding will be a bit fussy...

[Wobbly Wheels]

FWIW, we see the 'creeping black death' in boat wiring all the time, but only where the owner has rewired with untinned wire. AWG marine wire is tinned and slightly heavier guage than equivalent SAE wire as well. It costs a little more than untinned copper but for the small amounts we're using it's well worth it IMO. Ancor makes the 'standard' marine wire, Almo and Pico offer a lower cost alternative.
'Boat cable' is multiple tinned conductors in a common sheath (looks like Romex only stranded). Ancor makes a 4 conductor boat cable specifically for wiring trailers. It is the only tail light wiring that survives being repeatedly submerged in salt water on the launch ramp.

Good luck with the rewiring !

[Dale M.]

Btw, copper plated steel is very common in telecom industry, but it wont self-destruct within its insulation...

Odd you should say that, I spent 38 years in telecommunications and NEVER once saw copper coated steel wire used in any place..... It just does not meet industry standards....

Dale

[ukewarrior]

Exactly what I was looking to hear.
The wire in the official trailer wiring package that I bought is exactly that: untinned copper.
And I too would describe the symptom as black creeping death.

I'm sure this is typical of where the chinese meet the function but the quality is lacking in the product.

Thanks for the references. I will be looking for that type of wire. The rewire is easy on these folding HF trailers.

FWIW, we see the 'creeping black death' in boat wiring all the time, but only where the owner has rewired with untinned wire. AWG marine wire is tinned and slightly heavier guage than equivalent SAE wire as well. It costs a little more than untinned copper but for the small amounts we're using it's well worth it IMO. Ancor makes the 'standard' marine wire, Almo and Pico offer a lower cost alternative.
'Boat cable' is multiple tinned conductors in a common sheath (looks like Romex only stranded). Ancor makes a 4 conductor boat cable specifically for wiring trailers. It is the only tail light wiring that survives being repeatedly submerged in salt water on the launch ramp.

Good luck with the rewiring !

[Dale M.]

For my bulk wiring needs I go to large distributors who specialize in electrical parts and supplies...

http://www.delcity.net

http://www.waytekwire.com

These people have all different types of fuse holders, fuses, lamp, lamp holders, LEDS and wire of varying levers of quality, and usually a selection the local FLAPS does not have....

Dale

[Redneck Teepee]

I've always bought my trailer cord/wire thru NAPA Auto, never had a problem on the 12 or so trailer's I have built over the years.

Had a friend bring me his snowmobile trailer he had just bought that had wiring issues, after some checking found that whom ever, had spliced different colored wires together, so a yellow wire in front might be a black or blue or whatever in the rear or side marker lamp. Told him we are starting over from scratch and doing it right with the right stuff.

[Wobbly Wheels]

Exactly what I was looking to hear.
The wire in the official trailer wiring package that I bought is exactly that: untinned copper.
And I too would describe the symptom as black creeping death.

I'm sure this is typical of where the chinese meet the function but the quality is lacking in the product.

Untinned copper wire is the standard for automotive and isn't necessarily a result of lousy manufacturing, although with how metal prices have been climbing who can say what manufacturers will do to get a necessary commodity and still meet a price point.

You don't list your location but if you're coastal then marine wire shouldn't be hard to find. Online check out Jamestown Distributors or eBay. I haven't used Jamestown myself but I've heard good things from people who have gotten epoxies from them.