Wire nuts = "BAD"

[DPeakMD]

I've owned three 70's vintage Airstreams spanning the years 1972 to 1978.

Each one of them has used the twist on plastic "wire nuts" throughout the coach.

Today, when my electric jack gave up the ghost, I suspected it might be electrical, so I dissected the connection. This pic shows the condition of the connection inside the plastic twist on wire nut. Pretty ugly! 33-years exposed to weather inside the apex of the A-frame under the jack had not been kind to it!

I've found these in similar condition inside the tail light housing as well as inside the trailer in the overhead vent/fan/lights.

Whenever I have the chance, I replace these with good adhesive-lined heat shirk crimp connectors.

Too bad it wasn't this simple as this for my jack. Apparently the motor burned up! Back to the "Armstrong" variety that I happened to have tucked away in the barn....less to go wrong now!

[Mexray]

I couldn't concur more! I keep running into those darn twist locks every where as I working on our 78...they sure weren't designed to be used in a trailer's low voltage wiring that bounces down the road...

I've soldered a couple that had multiple wires, then reinstalled the lock, and fixed it in place with heat shrink tubing. Other wise, it's crimp on butt connectors and head shrink to keep em' neat and dry.

[lewster]

Unfortunately, this is a common problem on RVs!

I have replaced at least a dozen burnt wire nut connections on Aqua-Hot units alone in the past 5 months. At a bare minimum, if a wire nut is used (and I agree with Mexray's methd of soldering and shrink tubing and/or butt connectors and shrink tubing) is to use a quality electrical tape wrapped around the wire nut and the wires also.

Other than that, just replace them when you find them............ as part of this problem comes from the wire itself. Solid copper Romex really should NOT be used an any RV that goes bouncing down the road since the solid copper conductors will eventually work harden from the bouncing and vibration and break!

I use stranded marine grade cableing where ever I can, especially in new installs of Solar charging systems.

[Mexray]

Aye, aye, Lewster...

In case some don't know, 'Marine' grade, stranded copper cable and wire is tin plated to keep the individual strands from corroding as easily as uncoated copper does.

It's more costly, but will keep on conducting for more years of service than plain copper wire.

[DPeakMD]

I concur on the marine-grade, tinned stranded wire. I've found Ancor to be an excellent product. It's sold by West Marine. I stock up on wire and connectors, too, whenever I'm there.