Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

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Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby Tomterrific » Tue Jul 26, 2016 1:18 pm

I bought a HF tail / brake light to replace a broken light. The spliced wire from the new tail light corroded inside the insulation. The corrosion was all the way though the insulation. Any idea if this is due to bad ground, bad wiring job, or something?

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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby H.A. » Tue Jul 26, 2016 1:38 pm

Med.
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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby noseoil » Tue Jul 26, 2016 10:09 pm

Some of the wiring they sell is actually steel, not copper. Sounds like this might be one of those problems....
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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby Tomterrific » Wed Jul 27, 2016 6:07 am

To be clear, the copper was corroded all the way through, from one end to the other. I have seen many corroded connections bit never the entire wire! It was only this one section of wire.I'm guessing it must be the wire or the insulation was not comparable with the other. So strange.

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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby DrewsBrews » Wed Jul 27, 2016 8:51 am

My HF utility trailer wiring is starting to do the same. One wire broke at the connector and found it was mostly corroded through and the last few strands left finally snapped. Then I look down the wire and can see bulges where the corrosion is building up inside. It is just garbage wire. I was barely able to solder on a new connector. I picked up a roll of 4 conductor ribbon with a preinstalled connector at Menards ($12) and plan to rewire the whole trailer. Once I get around to the camper trailer build I 'll just throw out the HF wiring right off the bat.
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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby Dale M. » Wed Jul 27, 2016 9:22 am

Just replace crap wiring with good quality stuff, use dielectric grease in any crimped connections and lamp sockets to prevent oxygen and moisture getting into splices or sockets and causing corrosion, and chalk up the problem to wonderful chinese quality....

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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby ibbuckshot » Sun Aug 07, 2016 6:27 pm

Greeting folks,
Being around trailer lighting for a few years I would suggest not buying the cheapest set of trailer lights from HF. If you are going to buy anything buy the led's. The cheap ones are JUNK. Another hint. For
years, when ever I install a 12 volt bulb in its socket I always dip the bulb into " Never Seize " before installing it. It helps to eliminate corrosion for forming on the bulb socket and both bulb contacts.
Have fun,
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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby H.A. » Sun Aug 07, 2016 8:10 pm

[quot
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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby ibbuckshot » Mon Aug 08, 2016 9:04 am

Greeting folks,
OK, I am only passing on a bit of information passed on to me years ago. For years I drove coast to coast over the salt infested winter highways of the north. On many occasions I would have a light burn out. When doing the replacement I would find the bulb and bulb sockets badly rusted. In some cases bad enough that the there was nothing left of the socket to be able to place the new bulb in. An old driver
told me about dipping the base of the new bulb in never seize and that it would help the bulb and socket last longer. I have been following the old drivers suggestion for about fifty years now. The only thing
I have experienced during the past fifty years is that I no long have bulb and bulb socket problems. Oh, by the way I have also used in all my boat trailer lights and sockets. Now in these days of modern now how and space age tech Madison Ave has come up with "Dielectric grease" to keep bulbs and bulb sockets from corroding. that's great ! ! ! Fifty years ago I knew nothing of Dielectric grease. There is an old adage I have come to believe in "If it works don't fix it" Just the same, If there is a product made for keeping the corrosion from eating up your bulbs and sockets by all means try it out.
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buckshot
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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby VT800C » Wed May 17, 2017 8:54 pm

This is weird. I bought a HF 4x8 trailer last summer. Over the winter it was stored outside. I built my teardrop on it this spring, and am about to take it camping. I read on here about a recall, and got a new light kit from HF. I went to replace the light assemblies, and the wires were totally corroded away! I couldn't strip them to make a connection. It was like the wire has turned to powder! So now, rather than enjoying a weekend hiking Harper's Ferry, I guess I'll be rewiring the trailer!! I wonder if I can get the whole harness from Auto Zone.
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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby Gladtobehere » Thu May 18, 2017 6:11 am

Cheap China wire is using poorer and poorer wire with an iron content. It RUSTS. Xmas lights , trailer lights etc. Don't buy cheap.

To avoid missed weekends get yourself a set of Tow Truck lights that will clip on any trailer . Or magnetic. You only use them when you need them and store them high and dry.
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Re: Weird Corrosion in Tail Light Wiring

Postby VT800C » Thu May 18, 2017 6:42 am

Gladtobehere wrote:To avoid missed weekends get yourself a set of Tow Truck lights that will clip on any trailer . Or magnetic. You only use them when you need them and store them high and dry.


After seeing this, now I'm not so worried about the Chinese figher planes. I wonder if North Korea gets their stuff from Harbor Freight. Maybe we should give them a gift card. :lol:

I plan on doing that to get me through this weekend (getting the tow truck lights) and then next weekend rewiring the trailer. Sounds like a good excuse to drink some beer. :beer:
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