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Old 06-15-2013, 12:43 PM   #1
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Berkeley Springs , West Virginia
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Need Help with Wiring New Exterior Lights - Not Much Slack to Attach To!

Hi Gang!

I'm in a quandary and need help from someone who's done this....

I got all new LED exterior lighting for my rig. I want to replace all of the old incandescent models; half of which aren't working.

$308 and a week later, a box from Superbrightled's comes in the mail, and I'm ready to go. Sounds simple enough. Now for the problem....

There is virtually no slack in the old wire. I'm not sure how to attach to it. See the pictures I've attached. The flat part is the center peg out of the old fixture. It is soldered to the wire (looks to be about 18 gauge or so). If i cut that flat part off, it'll leave almost nothing to splice my new wire to.

You can't get to it from the inside; it's between the skins; and I don't want to gut the interior of the trailer just for this.

I'd thought about getting some of those automotive type clip connectors; ;that maybe a small size one would just slide right over this flat and give me my positive connection. Then just tape it good. The white wire with the loop just grounds to the skin, so I'm OK there.

I'd thought about soldering the black wire to the flat piece. I'm not the best solderer, so that was my second choice.

But other than this, I'm not sure what to do. You can't very well put a wire nut over a flat piece. And again, if I take the flat piece off, there's not enough wire sticking out to get a wire nut on anyway.

Anybody else ever run into this? Help!!!
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Old 06-15-2013, 05:26 PM   #2
jm2
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Jim, I've done this.

it may be time for you to learn to solder!



a little practice, and you'll be fine! try a pair of hemostats to hold the wire outside the skin.

install shrink wrap before twisting & soldering to finish, insulate, and protect the splice.

if you have more wire to work with than shown in the picture, these need a heat gun or small torch, rather than a soldering iron, but work work very nicely, too - Tyco Electronics SolderGrip Heat-Shrink/Solder Multiple Wire Butt Splices, 22-18, 15/Clam-CPGI-CWT-9002-15 at The Home Depot

then stuff it back inside the hole, with a dab of caulk to help water seal things.

you can do this!

best,
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Old 06-15-2013, 05:41 PM   #3
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Thanks J.M.! I had my dad come down and look at it. He is a wise old Sage. He said basically the same as you. As it turns out, the very first one I pulled out was the ONLY one like that! I have one other short one (out of 12), but it's still long enough to strip the wire and make a proper splice.

Once upon a time I was a good solderer....I have a soldering iron and some of the thin gauge stuff for doing circuit boards that would probably be perfect for this. I'm just out of practice.

Anyway, my trailer is old...I'm not getting any younger, but I want it to at least have properly functioning lights.


I saw a thread on here where you make a U-shaped jumper out of 10-wire to stick in the end of your 7-pin connector so you can turn the running lights on while at camp so you look Golly Gee Whiz Super Cool I want to do that

Take care,
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Old 06-16-2013, 08:06 AM   #4
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Jim, you can also use a properly sized (5 amp ??) automotive blade fuse as a jumper into your 7-way plug.

bend the blades slightly to the needed angle, and you get circuit protection with a handle!
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Old 06-16-2013, 01:45 PM   #5
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Joseph,

That is a great idea! I will definitely do that. Simple and elegant. I like it!
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