I hate Scotch Locks!!!

[f-two-fiddy]

Yeah, they are nominal in an automotive application. But an industrial app???? Someones an idiot!

Here's a link to the proper way to wire Your trailer lights with a Hoppy Trailer Lights Adapter. (for search purposes)

http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.com/

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[Diesel_brad]

I refuse to use those. Outside or inside
http://www.imperialinc.com/img/71259.jpg

 

[jwalterus]

yup, Oreilly carries em for all years of our trucks, Hopkins brand though, $15

 

[Zrock]

Feel your pain. Every truck i get i spend hours fixing wires that have been hacked... the only way to prpperly do electrical on a veh is to solder them... I good soldering gun with some good thin solder and its almost as fast as crimping them ... I gotta love it when i see people using plumbing solder trying to do electrical... No wonder some people hate soldering

 

[Agnem]

Suitcase connector is another popular term for the Scotchlocks. They have their place, but as others have said, they are a real issue. Those new jobbies look pretty cool though. My main concern with any of these styles, is that the contact point is only a fraction of the available contact surface. If you strip a wire, and wrap another wire around it, you end up with 100% current carrying capacity. If you use a suitcase or equivalent, you only have like 10 - 20 percent of the available contact surface. That can create a hot spot if the load is heavy enough, and subsiquent voltage drop.

 

[NJKen]

We had an electrician working here for a while that would splice 277 volt wires with those...

And not tape the little flap shut...

One day we were changing out some ballasts on a row of lights, we always did this hot so as not to affect production, as soon as we TOUCHED the wire guard on the light fixture (the part that keeps the bulbs from comming out unintentionally), BOOM, the back of the fixture exploded.

The little flap had opened up and touched the paper-thin sheetmetal on the back of the fixture and literally blew it apart.

We got the convienience of working on those lights with the power off after that.

Ahh. the brown ones! I have had a similar experience with them. Believe it or not, the ones in the lights are actually designed to be in there and still allowed! I would never use them anywhere at all period
Ken

 

[SparkandFire]

Ahh. the brown ones! I have had a similar experience with them. Believe it or not, the ones in the lights are actually designed to be in there and still allowed! I would never use them anywhere at all period
Ken

I agree with you, I hate to see those in a 120 panel, let alone 277!

The problem was more in the technique, we later found out. The guy would put the wires in, close the little brown flap, smash the crap out of them with channel locks, then call it good! The process of smashing them distorted the flap and prevented it from closing correctly...... We ended up going back through about 200 fixtures to repair all the connections he had made.

 

[RLDSL]

What gets me is if you buy trailer brake kits, the new magnets come with, you guessed it, those little blue scotchlocks, and that is the standard for connecting trailer brakes

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Yeah, they are nominal in an automotive application. But an industrial app???? Someones an idiot!

Here's a link to the proper way to wire Your trailer lights with a Hoppy Trailer Lights Adapter. (for search purposes)

http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.com/

You must be registered for see images

Those plug and play connectors are okay for a simple two-light fishing boat or tag-a-long, but they are nowhere near big enough for big trailers with lots of lights.

I had a guy pull one of my trailers one night and, when he got back, that little plastic plug was melted and dripping like candle wax.

Besides, that style of trailer connector assumes that the trailer lights switch ON and OFF with the truck lights --- a definite NO NO .

I much prefer to crimp AND solder all connections, especially where trailer wiring conections are concerned.

If a trailer has more than two brake-lights/signals, they should also be on relay triggers, fused and isolated from the truck wiring.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

These are the offending culprits. Total junk IMO.

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OH! Those things. I HATE THOSE THINGS! Only time i use them is if I need to tap into an existing wire (inside the cab only) and even then most of the time I cut the wires and use the sealed connectors, placing two wires in one end for my tap. Yea I stay far away from those things if at all possible.

 

[f-two-fiddy]

Those plug and play connectors are okay for a simple two-light fishing boat or tag-a-long, but they are nowhere near big enough for big trailers with lots of lights.

I had a guy pull one of my trailers one night and, when he got back, that little plastic plug was melted and dripping like candle wax.

Besides, that style of trailer connector assumes that the trailer lights switch ON and OFF with the truck lights --- a definite NO NO .

I much prefer to crimp AND solder all connections, especially where trailer wiring conections are concerned.

If a trailer has more than two brake-lights/signals, they should also be on relay triggers, fused and isolated from the truck wiring.

Hoppy offers Trailer light Isolation kits also. Perfect for the trailers that light up like Christmas Trees

 

[argve]

Scotchlocks, suitcase what ever you want to call them (Proper term is Tap Splice) have their place. I actually used some today when installing a radio, again this is inside the cabin where moisture and such isn't really going to be a problem but outside in the elements = will need to be replaced pretty quick.. Heck even butt connectors will need to be replaced pretty often if used in an harsh environment. That is why I love my liquid electrical tape for weather connections.

 

[GOOSE]

Take note: No-Ox or De-ox in a crimp connection with Liquid Lectric Tape is an acceptable connection. Solder and heat shrink is preferred. These two methods will give you a reliable, long service life. I actually get rid of the insulation on my crimp terminals, solder and heat shrink them!! We are working with 12 volts, give it all the help you can.
I have cut out countless "matchbook" splices. They may stand a chance in a perfect environment but not on the rear of a truck that needs to light a trailer. Even inside the cab the vibration will take a toll on the strands of wire and the connection will break down.
Use the solder and heat shrink and the install will last as long as the factory harness. If it works on salt water exposed boats it will be perfect for the over kill install we all are looking for.
I am a Union Electrician by trade and agree with everybody that the "matchbook" tap splice sucks. If a forman makes you use them, squeeze the metal piece down with your Channel's and then fold the cover over and make sure it clicks into place. Don't fold the cover over and then squeeze the whole thing as you may degrade the covers ability to do its job. 277 volts has sent me to the ER and is not to be taken lightly. I also have been to a funeral due to a 120 volt control circuit on a 5 amp fuse. Be safe fellow sparkys!!!!

 

[Brimmstone]

Soldering is not always required. But there are numerous crimp type connex that will out perform those stupid scotchlocks.

There was a web page out there that compared various connex, crimp, twisted, soldered, etc. The scotchlocks scored Very poorly. Adding resistance to the circuit immediately, and increased over time.


Here's what I use, when a solder joint is not suitable. http://www.posi-lock.com/posiplug.html

I love those things. When I was installing tuners in newer diesels we used to buy them by the case. I have them all over my personal trucks to power assorted lighting.

 

[Goofyexponent]

So on Saturday, my buddy decided he wants to move. Nothing packed up, no boxes....nothing. He comes to see me as I have the only vehicle capable of pulling a trailer, hell, I have the only truck in the building...and we go to get one of them 6X12 tandem trailers.

I get there and I can't for the life of mt figgure out WHY my marker lights on the trailer don't work. They ALWAYS worked before, but just when I need them they crap out. I still had brake and turn signals, so that was good for me as it was only 11am and sunny out.

I hauled the trailer home, dosconnected it out front and let them go to town loading it.

I took a test light downstairs and checked my trailer lights and there was nothing there. Just brake and turn signals.

I dig a little beeper and fine a BALL OF WIRES WRAPPED IN DUCT TAPE. Oh boy, do I ever know what's coming..

I cut the tape back to have a ball of green corrosion power rain down in my face....and scotch locks terminals EVERYWHERES. I can't believe it....or I can actually.

The bed is coming off the truck sometime in the next couple of weeks to do a latger tank mod, so everything will be soldered, shrink wrapped and tied up nicely. Whoever did the work to my truck before I bought it (or possibly the guy that owned it did the work himself) was a REAL hack artist. On the plus side, I am pretty handy when it comes to wiring lights, gauges and that kind of stuff, so it's not going to be that bad.

ANYWAYS, I take the trailer back to u haul, and their mechanic is telling this yuppy how to install a trailer wiring harness on his ranger. He is buying the 4 pin connector for some reason, even though most larger trailers, if not all, use 7 pin for the trailer brakes. I overheard the mechanic tell him to use scotch locks and sells him a couple packs of them. Before he left, I told him to look under my truck and see what scotch locks do when used outside the cab of a truck. He said he was only going to use it once or twice a year and left....

Now see, if he had been wearing his "I'm stoopid" sign, I wouldn't have even bothered to try to talk him out of it lol