Alternatives to Heat Shrink Tubing for Waterproofing snap connectors

[Scott9999]

I bought a trailer kit.  Predictably, there are things made cheaply.  One of them are the non-waterproof connectors that they used for connections between the side, rear lights and the harness.  I guess they probably saved a whole dollar.

 

Anyhow, short of cutting off all of these and replacing them with waterproof connectors, covered with heat shrink tubing (which is what I normally do when rewiring), what options do I have besides using electrical tape (liquid or conventional), or a rubber amalgamation tape?  I'd like to just cover the entire connector, end to end, to protect both the connector and wires feeding it.   (The harness wires are also naked, but at least they have plastic armor covering most of them.  I added additional armor to any portion of the harness or lights where they omitted it, to protect it against abrasion by bolts or frame knife edges.)

 

Oh, and in addition to all the other lovely little things they omitted, making this 4 hour assembly job a three day job, my right break/turn signal isn't functioning.  I rechecked the connections, tested the light itself, and will pull out the circuit tester tomorrow.  Might be a ground issue, but it could be a bad connector, or bad wire, or ... it came from China, so who knows?  😒

 

Anyhow, open to ideas.  Right now, I'm thinking about just wrapping 'em all tight with electrical tape, figuring it'll last until I sell the trailer to some other unsuspecting soul.   I'd like to be a better man than that.  😏

[Hosstage]

A picture of the connectors might help. Do they come apart, or are they hard splices?

[Scott9999]

They are white plastic block connectors.

This thingys, though with three spade connectors in them.

 

[Lowndes]

Do you want to keep the connectors "detachable" or make them permanent connectors??  Either way, a small dab of dielectric or silicone "bulb grease" into the connector end and the wire entry hole will "waterproof" the connection and prevent corrosion on the exposed copper inside the connector.  Makes them easy to unconnect years later, too, if you decide to keep them separable.

 

If you are thinking to make them permanent, something like a 15 oz can of "bed liner" spray should do it.  Slide a piece of cardboard between the wire and the frame as a spray shield.

 

 

If you keep the trailer outside, making it critter-proof might be a consideration, also.  Chipmonks and squirrels have caused way too many problems on my trailer, have even eaten up the black plastic wheel on the tongue jack.  RGC or EMT is about the only way to protect the entire wiring system.

 

 

[Rougarou]

I've got a 6x12 utility trailer that lives in the weather.  We've had it for seven years with no issues with wiring and nothing is waterproof about it.

 

Now, last weekend, I torqued the hell outta the thing backing up to my barn.  Bent the crap outta the drop hitch and bent the tougue a bit.  At some point, I'ma put some heat to the tongue and use a BFH to try to straighten it out enough that the latch works again. 

 

To get to the barn, I have about 100yd single lane between the fence to go.  To do this, I have about a 30x30 square to turn the trailer into backing position.  Never had an issue before.  Backed the trailer up to the barn, walking back to the truck notice the hitch was bent to shiat and trailer unlatched  Attempted to relatch the trailer and that's when I noticed the tounge, right at the ball mount, has a slight bend. 

 

Never noticed that while backing, I had twisted up so much getting into position to back to the barn,......no another thing to fix. 

[Scott9999]

10 hours ago, Rougarou said:

I've got a 6x12 utility trailer that lives in the weather.  We've had it for seven years with no issues with wiring and nothing is waterproof about it.

 

Now, last weekend, I torqued the hell outta the thing backing up to my barn.  Bent the crap outta the drop hitch and bent the tougue a bit.  At some point, I'ma put some heat to the tongue and use a BFH to try to straighten it out enough that the latch works again. 

 

To get to the barn, I have about 100yd single lane between the fence to go.  To do this, I have about a 30x30 square to turn the trailer into backing position.  Never had an issue before.  Backed the trailer up to the barn, walking back to the truck notice the hitch was bent to shiat and trailer unlatched  Attempted to relatch the trailer and that's when I noticed the tounge, right at the ball mount, has a slight bend. 

 

Never noticed that while backing, I had twisted up so much getting into position to back to the barn,......no another thing to fix. 

That coupler looks like it's either riveted on or tack-welded.  I think you can remove it, buy a replacement, and re-attach it however it was originally done.  I don't think the tongue or frame are actually bent at all.  Not a difficult or expensive fix, IMHO.  Good luck!

 

 

Maybe something like this, maybe a bit larger, depending on the trailer's GVWR, and the tongue length.

Straight Trailer Coupler 2" Ball 2" Channel Width 3500 LBSTrailer Tongue Coupler

 

 

 

Edit:  Or, more like this one for A-frame tongues, like yours:

Bulldog  A-Frame Collar-Lok Coupler, 2 in. Ball Size, Primer Finish, 7,000 lb. Capacity, 2828720

 

 

 

[Scott9999]

10 hours ago, Lowndes said:

Do you want to keep the connectors "detachable" or make them permanent connectors??  Either way, a small dab of dielectric or silicone "bulb grease" into the connector end and the wire entry hole will "waterproof" the connection and prevent corrosion on the exposed copper inside the connector.  Makes them easy to unconnect years later, too, if you decide to keep them separable.

 

If you are thinking to make them permanent, something like a 15 oz can of "bed liner" spray should do it.  Slide a piece of cardboard between the wire and the frame as a spray shield.

 

 

 

If you keep the trailer outside, making it critter-proof might be a consideration, also.  Chipmonks and squirrels have caused way too many problems on my trailer, have even eaten up the black plastic wheel on the tongue jack.  RGC or EMT is about the only way to protect the entire wiring system.

 

 

Thanks, Lowndes.  I already stuffed dielectric grease in both the male and female ends of those plugs.  Thinking about it more, those connectors route through a tube with circular cut-out's, leaving bare wires exposed to the tubes knife edges.  So, my solution was adding a short piece of plastic armor on the light's pigtails, and rubber amalgamation tape up against the light (i.e. there isn't room between the light and the frame for the 3/8" plastic armor.

 

The "correct" solution would have been something called "grommets", on those cut-outs. 🙄  I've already made this a 3 day project, including trips to the store, why not go for four?😖   I'll measure those cutouts, see if I can find grommets to protect the wires, remove those armor covers I added, and then I will be able stuff those connectors inside the tube frame, which along with the grease, should make it tight enough to last a while.

[Skywagon]

These are the guys I use for trailer parts.  If you need boards for a boat or other water vehicle, they will cut them and carpet them to the size you want.  Too far for most of you, but find a trailer mfg near you and they will have good stuff.  I would replace that coupler and receiver hitch if you plan to do any extended highway time.  If just around the home patch I'd heat and beat like you said.

 

McClain Trailers | Product categories Couplers

[Rougarou]

49 minutes ago, Scott9999 said:

That coupler looks like it's either riveted on or tack-welded.  I think you can remove it, buy a replacement, and re-attach it however it was originally done.  I don't think the tongue or frame are actually bent at all.  Not a difficult or expensive fix, IMHO.  Good luck!

 

 

Maybe something like this, maybe a bit larger, depending on the trailer's GVWR, and the tongue length.

Straight Trailer Coupler 2" Ball 2" Channel Width 3500 LBSTrailer Tongue Coupler

 

 

 

Edit:  Or, more like this one for A-frame tongues, like yours:

Bulldog  A-Frame Collar-Lok Coupler, 2 in. Ball Size, Primer Finish, 7,000 lb. Capacity, 2828720

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, you can see what I circled, how it's bent.

 

After finishing painting the house, I got a few minutes and put some heat on it.  I took the latching mechanics out and beat the ever living daylights outta it.  I'da tried putting it all back together, but twas still to hot to play with.  Sometime this week, I'll put it back together to see if it can be saved.  I like the bulldog coupler, likely overkill for my little trailer, but I have overloaded it several times

 

You can see from the picks where the bend is in the circles.  The left one, you really can't see, but it is pushed in far enough that the coupler would not move freely like it should.

 

[Rougarou]

43 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

These are the guys I use for trailer parts.  If you need boards for a boat or other water vehicle, they will cut them and carpet them to the size you want.  Too far for most of you, but find a trailer mfg near you and they will have good stuff.  I would replace that coupler and receiver hitch if you plan to do any extended highway time.  If just around the home patch I'd heat and beat like you said.

 

McClain Trailers | Product categories Couplers

 

Thanks much, If'n I need to get a new coupler, looks like I'll be getting one from them,....cheaper than Tractor Supply. 

[Skywagon]

If you get a new one and bolt it on, you may want to use AN grade bolts. Let me know as I have a ton of new AN hardware. I can send bolt/nut hardware for free if I have some that long.  AN is strong and highly corrosion resistive.