How Do I Know If I Should Replace The Wiring On My Trailer?

Updated 11/23/2021 | Published 11/22/2021

Products Featured in This Question

Pull Pin, Easy Swivel Trailer Jack with 8" Wheel - Sidewind - 1,500 lbs. by Dutton-Lainson

(155)

$147.60

Deka Jacketed 2 Wire, 10 Gauge, Brake Wire - per Foot

(328)

$3.87

14 Gauge, 4 Conductor Jacketed Wire - Per Foot

(138)

$2.89

Question:

Installing some trailer lights and a replacement 4 pin connector from you guys on my snowmobile trailer. I cut and crimped a wire in the middle to add in the lights and noticed that the copper is all black! I know copper wires that are exposed to air oxidize, but this wire literally had 4-5m of uninterrupted insulation on either side of where I cut! Do wires expire? Should I be ripping out and redoing the entire wiring?

asked by: Max

Expert Reply:

If the copper wire has turned black, it will mean one of two things. First, salt water somehow got through the insulation/jacket, causing it to severely oxidize. Second, it overheated and actually burned some of that jacket. In either case, I highly recommend replacing you wiring. Compromised wire like this can cause bad connections at best, and/or overheat again and possible catch fire, which would be catastrophically worse.

Depending on how you have everything wired and how many accessories you have, we do have a lot of wire available. Something like the Deka Jacketed 2 Wire, 10 Gauge # 10-2-1 will be pretty heavy duty and should hold up well, but if you really wanted to keep it protected, check out the Deka Jacketed 4-Wire - 14 Gauge # DW04923-1. This has a PVC insulated jacket for abrasion and chemical resistance and will definitely protect it from salt water.

If the corrosion was from overheating, I strongly suggest checking all your ground connections to make sure they are not corroded as well. This would be a likely cause for something like this to happen.

expert reply by: Lazer S