Wiring advise

[muddyjames]

This sunday (weather dependant) I am going to re wire my towing socket up to the back door. I have spoken to some one about it all but the only bit I am concerned about is if I have to join up the 7 wires some how.

What is the best way to connect them? I have tried it before and made a dogs dinner out of it and got very annoyed. The only thing I can think of is to stagger the joints so I dont end up with a mass of insulation tape all in 1 spot. it is spread over a 30cm length for example. Is this easy to do or am I leaking into the wind here?

any advise welcome or if anyone wants to come to just out side Daventry and help there is loads of tea just waiting to be made Possibly a sausage sarnie too

[Lee_D]

Or buy a block connector, the type that come in a strip, saw off as many as you need, bung in the wires, screw them up and tape up. B & Q sell the connectors.

  :)

[gtomo2]

Easy to do and keeping a gap between the connections is a good idea but please dont use scotch locks they are pants for long term connetions. If you can get a crimper and some connecting crimps the ones were you put one end of the wire into each end and crimp them together. even better to solider the two wires together and put heat shrink over the joint. but as long as you keep the colours the same the job is very easy

[Skibum346]

Easy to do and keeping a gap between the connections is a good idea but please dont use scotch locks they are pants for long term connetions. If you can get a crimper and some connecting crimps the ones were you put one end of the wire into each end and crimp them together. even better to solider the two wires together and put heat shrink over the joint. but as long as you keep the colours the same the job is very easy

If your planning to crimp, I'd go for spade and reciever type as it means you can still disconnect for testing or replacement purposes... in the unlikely event you need to!  

[blackbob]

Or buy a block connector, the type that come in a strip, saw off as many as you need, bung in the wires, screw them up and tape up. B & Q sell the connectors.

  :)

i like terminal blocks co you always get a good conection

[muddyjames]

I tried the strip type and left them in a strip!! got very messy and hard to handle!

My Dad used to swear by scotch locks but heard bad things about them.

I think I have some crimp thingies. Should I stagger those to make a neater job?

[The Welder]

Try using a weather proof juntion box, take your old socket off, mount the box somewhere out of the way, ( under the rear floor ) buy a short length of 7 core cable. fix your new socket on the back connect the cable and run it to the box, join the cables together with the terminal conectors supplied, mine worked great like this.

[muddyjames]

not quiet with you Im affraid. I have 2m of 7 core cable I got the other day.

I was hoping to make all the connections behind the door card and have nothing under the floor as it gets clogged up with mud etc.

Or failing that the connections behind the rear folding seat behind the plastic. Not had a very close look yet. I want the socket at about the 4-5 o clock position on the spar wheel. Just above the discovery lettering on the door or tdi. what ever it is on the right hand side of the door.

I just need to buy a coily cable to extend the connections for trailers!

[waveydavey]

Why stop at the door? it should only go to the back light clusters anyway, if you replace it all the way to where it joins the harness it gets a neater job; less joins to go wrong and will probably cost less as an extra meter of cable could be cheaper than all the connecters, tape and stuff.

[mark.yellow.series.3]

the proper way to do it, is to solder the two ends of the wire and then slide heat shrink tubing over the joint and heat it with a flame to seal the joint tight.
this is a good long term connection, and is neater and easier the other suggestions.

heat shrink tubing and solder (and the soldering irons ) can be found at MAPLIN ELECTRONICS.

[muddyjames]

the proper way to do it, is to solder the two ends of the wire and then slide heat shrink tubing over the joint and heat it with a flame to seal the joint tight.
this is a good long term connection, and is neater and easier the other suggestions.

heat shrink tubing and solder (and the soldering irons ) can be found at MAPLIN ELECTRONICS.

I have never been able to solder 2 things together in my life. The solder melts, goes into  a ball and rolls off what I am trying to solder. I wil blow my fuse BIG style if I try soldering.

I didnt realise the plug for the towing electrics that is under the off side flor pan comes off the lights. I may just use crimp connecter thingies then and cut and snip back to those.

I do have this horrible feeling that by the end of sunday i will have no towing electrics at all :( If that happens I am stuffed!

[ChrisW]

The cable for the towing electrics comes off a connector for the towing electrics in the rear quarter - it is part of the loom that serves the lights, it does not come off the lights.

Behind the off side rear trim is a small circular 7 pin plug and socket about 25mm in diameter, if you don't have the standard LR towing cable you will have to cut into the loom and joint the cables. Best way, as Frank said, is to use male and female spade connectors (female on the wiring loom end).

[muddyjames]

I have the proper wiring loom thingy for it. The plug end from wiring loom is dangling down under disco at the mo!

I shall have a look on sunday and if I freek out I will stop and call it disco 33-james 0 :lol:

[mark.yellow.series.3]

the proper way to do it, is to solder the two ends of the wire and then slide heat shrink tubing over the joint and heat it with a flame to seal the joint tight.
this is a good long term connection, and is neater and easier the other suggestions.

heat shrink tubing and solder (and the soldering irons ) can be found at MAPLIN ELECTRONICS.

I have never been able to solder 2 things together in my life. The solder melts, goes into  a ball and rolls off what I am trying to solder. I wil blow my fuse BIG style if I try soldering.

I didnt realise the plug for the towing electrics that is under the off side flor pan comes off the lights. I may just use crimp connecter thingies then and cut and snip back to those.

I do have this horrible feeling that by the end of sunday i will have no towing electrics at all :( If that happens I am stuffed!

try to get hold of some SDS grease, or even some battery teminal grease, and cover the terminals in it, it will keep out damp and stop corrosion.