Chris From Saybrook

Just did all new hubs, tires, jack and winch in the trailer. Now want to rewire it once and for all...

have bought lots off amazon in the past and they all suck it last for 1 year.


what does the brain trust of THT recommend for trailer rewire kits? Brand? Link?

tandem axle trailer about 28’ long in CT. Used 2 times a year to the ramp. Boat salary’s in water

thanks

chris

DBStoots

e-Trailer.com. Look for video on how to wire a trailer to a junction box mounted on the inside of the trailer frame. All of the lights run to the junction box with a single ground. Poor ground is the cause of most boat trailer light issues.

capt_matt

I second the suggestion for a junction box. For each light, run a two conductor wire for both positive and negative, do not ground to the frame. Secure the wire well along the frame so it does not flex and vibrate.

Buy tinned marine wire and quality heat shrink crimp connectors. I used 16 gauge duplex jacketed wire for my trailers.

Try https://www.genuinedealz.com/

BACKTOTHESEA

The only issue I have ever had is the wire jacket splitting over time from UV. But all my connections are adhesive shrink crimps or epoxy filled wire nuts for three wire splices. When I retire my rebuilt trailer I am ordering triplex marine wire. If you have marker lights you can run duplex to those. For a neat transition to the plug you can use a small junction box on the trailer.

autobaun70

Junction box and duplex/triplex marine wire to each light. If you are running LED's 16 or 18 gauge is plenty.

STIPulation

Yep, forget the wiring kits. Run a dedicated ground to each light, no connections should get submerged but those that have to be for the LED lights. For those use a heat shrink butt connector, then liquid electrical tape, then electrical tape.

1720keywest

I used an old 3strand extension cord and mounted lights high on guide posts. No connections under water. This has lasted about 10 years now with quite a bit of saltwater use.

DJNH

I used wire I already had, 14 awg stranded copper THHN PVC jacket (Home Depot). I soldered all connections and used adhesive lined heat shrink on all connections. Grommets anywhere going through metal. After getting everything wired, I sprayed the wiring down with liquid electrical tape hoping it would slow down any UV damage and help with water infiltration. It's actually held up well. Not an issue with lights after 3yrs. I also make sure to unplug the trailer lights before going in.

Main lights were from Home Depot, sealed LED lights. Not sure of brand.

Marker lights were from Amazon

Heat shrink from Amazon

Liquid electrical tape from Lowes
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Gardner-Ben...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Manoverboard123

110% this.. Extension cord, 7 way distrbution box, 7 way pigtail, good heat shrinks. Run all your grounds to the front of the trailer out of the water

Belzelbub

I don’t recommend a kit at all. My previous setup was as most are. Grounding through trailer frame, and cheap wire. Constantly fighting with lights going out.

Finally got sick of it. Ripped every wire and every light off the trailer. Got a junction box and long pigtail. Bought some tinned marine wire in the appropriate colors, and did dedicated power ad ground runs from the junction box to each light. That solved the constant battles. Been going strong for at least a year and a half. Maybe 2 1/2 years, I forget which year I actually did it.

saltydog235

Junction box. Use extension cords for trailer wire. One common ground back to the junction box. Heat shrink connectors with additional heat shrink tubing on top.

FishHuntSurf57

Could someone provide a little more detail on the extension cord method? I would like to rewire my trailer as well but I am not very good with wiring. I understand the junction box but not running the extension cord. Thanks

China Rider

No kit. 14 gauge tinned copper. Heat shrink connectors. Run an additional ground on each side back to tongue, so all the lights are connected to a "central ground". So if a ground attached to the frame fails, that light is still connected to the other ground-to frame connections, as well as through the harness to vehicle ground.

saltydog235

Its the same as using the regular wiring, you just need a couple of rolls of colored electrical tape to mark the green, brown and/or blue wires, Pull them one at a time, mark the ends as you do with the corresponding trailer wire color. I keep the white as the ground, black as the positive and use the green as my neutral/brown. Then wire up to the junction as normal. Print a schematic of the RV connector and wire it up.

China Rider

14/3 wire. Running lights, brake/turn signal and ground wire. Can't have too many grounds.

Manoverboard123