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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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marpel wrote:Thanks for all the replies:
Just to clarify though, the new cable was not too short as the new box was placed right beside the old box, so the, loosely strung, replacement cable appeared able to reach the old box quite easily.
And BB_TX, your description was exactly what I was planning on doing. Take photos or label current box layout and just repeat with new cable. Logically seemed pretty straightforward.
Just figured, because no-one seemed to want to tackle the junction box connection in any of the vids/tutes, that I was missing something that made it difficult.
Marv
Guy in the video was a bone head and taking the lazy way by not dealing with the wires in the original junction box. Basically a "cut and match color" approach.
The cable has a wire color code, the wires from the trailer body terminating in the original junction box will not have the same color coding. This presents a problem if you just remove all wire nuts and wires at the same time (which the bone head in the video most likely would have done).
The simple and easy way to change the cable without losing track of the correct color coding is to cut the wires from the cable you are replacing, leaving an inch or so of the old wire with the color showing. Now you can remove the old cable, insert the new cable and one by one match the new cable wire colors doing one connection at a time..
This method works well but I have run into a couple of cables that had some non standard colors or wiring of the plug.. Check and verify the positions on the plug with the wire color. A Digital Volt Meter (DVM) set to OHMs will allow you to check and verify each position without needing to plug cable into vehicle.
I actually bought an extra 7 pin socket that would be mounted to a vehicle and ran wires out of it and labeled each wire as to the function. Then I made a cable with a fuse and gator clips on each end to connect a small 12V battery to test trailer plugs before connecting to my vehicles..
Just towed a 35ft park model for my FIL recently, was able to use my test socket to verify the 7 pin cable was indeed wired correctly before committing my vehicle to that unknown plug..
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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Dusty R wrote:
True, but I do have the proper tool. I'm a retired construction electrician. And if I remember right, a box is required when the voltage is above 35 volts. On a trailer a box collects road salt and rusts.
I have worked in consumer and industrial electronic repair jobs for more yrs that I wish to count and also have wired from scratch a few homes including my own so I am well versed in having and using the proper tools. Many of those tools are far more expensive than the average home owner would want to spend on for casual repairs.
It is easy to forget that many times folks gravitate to grabbing pliers and smashing the heck out of a crimp splice either because they do not understand how to make a good crimp that lasts or have the tools but take a short cut with pliers..
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Vintage465
Prunedale CA.
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Joined: 05/02/2015
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Yes, the 7 pin with brass terminals in the plug and J-box at the other end is the ticket for me. I installed one on my sis's right and it worked out great. And as mentioned above, crimp connections with the integrated heat shrink on the existing wiring to get it into the new J-box just about eliminates any chance of connection failure when done correctly.
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Wiring/etrailer/e99011.html?feed=npn&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20%7C%20Shop%20-%20Trailer%20Wiring&adgroupid=128484934262&campaignid=15586143335&creative=569877447301&device=c&devicemodel=&feeditemid=&keyword=&loc_interest_ms=&loc_physical_ms=9052718&matchtype=&network=g&placement=&position=&gclid=CjwKCAjws8yUBhA1EiwAi_tpEeDOl6XW5mY39SSDuW59vULY4aYi9LfKehQvmijD5uTThuMQ0M_oexoCarcQAvD_BwE
V-465
2013 GMC 2500HD Duramax Denali. 2015 CreekSide 20fq w/450 watts solar and 465 amp/hour of batteries. Retired and living the dream!
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Joined: 05/06/2013
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OP, know that there are 2 different wiring/color conventions for 7 pin trailer hookups.
I wasn’t aware of this until I bought a pre-wired plug and pigtail. It and others since then are all wired to a different color convention than I or most are accustomed to I believe.
And I didn’t say anything g about wire nuts in this thread I believe, but yes I would consider using them in a weather protected J box.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Joined: 05/06/2013
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But none of this matters until you diagnose your brake problem.
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marpel
notapplicable
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Joined: 07/04/2013
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Thanks for the continued replies/advice.
The question about the 7 pin cable came up prior to discovering an issue with the brakes (other thread), so Grit dog is right, I suppose I need to figure out the brake issue (which may be related to the cable, I guess).
Marv
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MEXICOWANDERER
las peñas, michoacan, mexico
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Joined: 06/01/2007
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If I may inject a tip here regarding smaller insulated wire terminals.
When choosing the type of wire terminals to buy, you might want to specify NYLON insulation over PLASTIC
Wire size terminals are color coded
Red for 18 gauge
Blue for 16-14 gauge
Yellow For 12-10 gauge
Nylon insulation is tinted like red, blue, and yellow but unlike plastic you can see the barrel of the terminal. It is translucent. Plastic is opaque.
Why Nylon? Nylon insulation is a lot tougher than plastic. This allows me to choose a different much tighter crimp without puncturing the insulation.
Most crimpers give a () shaped crimp. Keep searching on Amazon or eBay and you'll stumble upon a () plier that has a < on one side. The tip makes all the difference.
I've won bets from people who claim the tip shape of the crimp will hurt the nylon. It can't. But it squeezes the terminal much tighter onto the wire.
I have not tried this with terminals that have heat shrink ready to go, so I urge caution. In fact with heat shrink terminals or solder shrink terminals I would urge checking into a vice grip type of crimping pliers.
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