Extend the trailer harness a few inches?

[John E Davies]

Is it possible to just pull out some extra cable from inside the trailer after loosening the compression fitting on the hull? Is there extra slack under the vanity?

 

I only need three or four inches. (I am extending my Anderson hitch with a"rack" with a longer shank.)

 

Does anyone else wish there were a weatherproof junction box up front for the trailer harness, so you could swap in a new front part easily?

 

Thanks.

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[Raspy]

John,

 

 

 

They seem to be arranged differently over the different years.  Mine might have enough to pll out some extra, and I can see the cable, but in another one I worked on we could not even trace it out very well, much less find extra length.  You could certainly just cut the cable and route it into a water tight box up front where you could add a longer pigtail.  This new box could be under the propane cover and, sort of, behind the tanks.

[Rumline]

If I were in your boat I would just cut the wires in an inconspicuous place and then splice on a new longer one.  Solder and heat shrink and you should be good to go.  This is what I did on a boat trailer, and if it could survive 8 years of repeated salt water immersion it should be good enough for a land yacht. It probably lasted longer but that's when I sold the boat.

[ScubaRx]

I don't know when Oliver stopped making the umbilical the way they were early on.  In all the 2007-2009 models as well as the first X# of the 2014 and later models it consisted of a double male-ended cord.  One end plugged into the the tow vehicle and the other plugged into a female receptacle mounted behind the propane shroud down low on the body.  This would be an elegant solution to your situation and would only require buying a male plug and female receptacle and another length of umbilical wire.  You would have to drill a hole where the wire enters the body large enough to accept the female. But no splices!

[John E Davies]

Thanks guys ... I was hoping to avoid buying a new box, front harness, and clamps, then spending two or three hours wiring it all up. I think I will loosen the compression fitting and give the cable a tug. If it slides out easily I will be happy.

 

The J box could then be another winter project.

 

Otherwise, thanks for the links Mark. Do you prefer one box over the other?

 

I did send a note to Jason suggesting they install a J box during production.

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

 

 

[Raspy]

I don’t know when Oliver stopped making the umbilical the way they were early on. In all the 2007-2009 models as well as the first X# of the 2014 and later models it consisted of a double male-ended cord. One end plugged into the the tow vehicle and the other plugged into a female receptacle mounted behind the propane shroud down low on the body. This would be an elegant solution to your situation and would only require buying a male plug and female receptacle and another length of umbilical wire. You would have to drill a hole where the wire enters the body large enough to accept the female. But no splices!

 

 

On mine, hull #92 from mid 2015, the cord, or wires, to be more precise, pass through a marine style through hull fitting with no actual seal from the elements.  It's even already stripped of it's jacket before going through!  There is a loop that could be straightened out and provide about six more inches if needed.  Maybe that's because of the extendable tongue.

 

By the time they got to hull 200, it was different again, but no female plug.  Not sure how one could reach that spot to install a new connector in the body.

[John E Davies]

Well, I am bummed. I loosened the bulkhead fitting and tried to pull a little extra cable through it. There must be a second compression nut on the inside of the hull that is holding the cable, because the cable only moves less than 1/8 inch....

 

I ordered a junction box and front harness.

 

Rats. I guess that will be another HOW TO thread....

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

 

 

[Try2Relax]

Wow, they really improved that since mine, my exterior cables are in regular split automotive wire wrap and the hole they pass through the shell is just filled with that orange foam stuff. Compression fittings would be nice.

[Raspy]

Yeah, that is a nice looking compression fitting.  What is that liquitite conduit for?  Maybe jack wiring and breakaway switch?

[John E Davies]

What is that liquitite conduit for? Maybe jack wiring and breakaway switch?

 

Yep. All the wiring other than the 7 pin trailer main harness.

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA