Thread: Updating and Upgrading My Skeeter F-80 Strada

Finally getting time to post terminating the trailer lights using the new Heat Shrink / Solder / Sealing Butt Splices.



This is a first time for me using these terminals. I noticed the wiring in the light fixture is pure copper and the solder ran right into it beautifully but the cheap Optronics wiring harness that came with the lights must be impure or copper coated wire strands. The terminals made a good connection but not as good as with pure copper. They also have a sealing ring on each side besides the glue throughout.



You simply slide the terminals up one side of the wires before stripping the insulation. Then you twist the wires together as tight as possible before sliding the terminal back over the splice centering the solder over the bare wires. Once in place heat shrink the terminal with a heat gun. The low temp solder will flux and flow over bare copper and seal out water from each opening at the same time.



I added LED Side Marker Lights.



I do not like to fix the ground for the lights behind the fixture and hope the ground connection remains intact for the life of the fixture. To be sure I never have issue with the fixture grounds I drill and tap the trailer frame and using Kopper-Shield to prevent the connection from ever corroding. 316 Stainless screws are used to attach the wire to the trailer frame. I fixed up the wires at the tongue also but don't have a picture, I will add one and edit this post to show it.

Originally Posted by Rojo

Finally getting time to post terminating the trailer lights using the new Heat Shrink / Solder / Sealing Butt Splices.



This is a first time for me using these terminals. I noticed the wiring in the light fixture is pure copper and the solder ran right into it beautifully but the cheap Optronics wiring harness that came with the lights must be impure or copper coated wire strands. The terminals made a good connection but not as good as with pure copper. They also have a sealing ring on each side besides the glue throughout.



You simply slide the terminals up one side of the wires before stripping the insulation. Then you twist the wires together as tight as possible before sliding the terminal back over the splice centering the solder over the bare wires. Once in place heat shrink the terminal with a heat gun. The low temp solder will flux and flow over bare copper and seal out water from each opening at the same time.



I added LED Side Marker Lights.



I do not like to fix the ground for the lights behind the fixture and hope the ground connection remains intact for the life of the fixture. To be sure I never have issue with the fixture grounds I drill and tap the trailer frame and using Kopper-Shield to prevent the connection from ever corroding. 316 Stainless screws are used to attach the wire to the trailer frame. I fixed up the wires at the tongue also but don't have a picture, I will add one and edit this post to show it.

Where did you get these nifty butt splices?

Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

Where did you get these nifty butt splices?

Not sure where Rojo got those, but similar ones can be found on Amazon, eBay, or other online retailers. I keep some in the toolbox for emergencies or other electrical projects.

Originally Posted by jjue1979

Not sure where Rojo got those, but similar ones can be found on Amazon, eBay, or other online retailers. I keep some in the toolbox for emergencies or other electrical projects.

Amazon, I will post a link as we don't know if others will work as well as these. I like the secondary seal system not just counting on the glue to seal the connection. No Crimpers to cut the insulation either.