hey, could i ask a off topic question? maybe someone could point me in the
right direction.
putting a cap on my truck, it seems the way they usually wire up the third
brake light is to fish the wire through an already existing hole in the bed
stake holes and leave a 2 foot long wire (with plug on end) dangling and
flopping around in the bed. i'm afraid that wire is going to get poked and
yanked when i haul horse manure, gravel, sand, etc. (when the cap is
removed) what i'd think would be ideal would be a flush mount weathertight
snap shut receptacle style connection. i had no idea where to look for such
a thing but just happened to get lucky and come across these...

http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0731690
http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0731680
http://www.etrailer.com/y-53.aspx

that's the general idea but they're way too heavy and clunky. i don't need
an 200 amp connection (what would it be, 15 amp? maybe?). this is just a
lightweight two conductor wire.

anyone know of a lightweight snap shut weathertight electrical connector?

or... instead of a snap shut closure, i wondered if i could use a
"cigarette lighter" style connector with a rubber "stopper" (like the
"powerpoint" connector inside the cab of the truck) but i didn't like the
idea of the male end having that big clunky hard plastic (breakable)
connector. it seems it would be better if it was small and soft rubbery
plastic.

b.w.

In article , William Wixon says...

anyone know of a lightweight snap shut weathertight electrical connector?

Unless the cap is coming off almost every day, I would simply hard
wire it (solder and shink tubing) and eliminate the connector
completely.

When I need to remove the cap, I cut the wires and re-solder when
it goes back on. No connector = nothing to go wrong with a connector.

Jim


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==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

William Wixon wrote in article
...
hey, could i ask a off topic question? maybe someone could point me in
the
right direction.
putting a cap on my truck, it seems the way they usually wire up the
third
brake light is to fish the wire through an already existing hole in the
bed
stake holes and leave a 2 foot long wire (with plug on end) dangling and
flopping around in the bed. i'm afraid that wire is going to get poked
and
yanked when i haul horse manure, gravel, sand, etc. (when the cap is
removed) what i'd think would be ideal would be a flush mount
weathertight
snap shut receptacle style connection. i had no idea where to look for
such
a thing but just happened to get lucky and come across these...

http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0731690
http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0731680
http://www.etrailer.com/y-53.aspx

that's the general idea but they're way too heavy and clunky. i don't
need
an 200 amp connection (what would it be, 15 amp? maybe?). this is just
a
lightweight two conductor wire.

anyone know of a lightweight snap shut weathertight electrical connector?

or... instead of a snap shut closure, i wondered if i could use a
"cigarette lighter" style connector with a rubber "stopper" (like the
"powerpoint" connector inside the cab of the truck) but i didn't like the

idea of the male end having that big clunky hard plastic (breakable)
connector. it seems it would be better if it was small and soft rubbery
plastic.

b.w.




You can buy a small, four-conductor trailer light connector at an auto
parts store such as NAPA.

Some of these connectors also have available - as an option - a cover to
protect the connection when it is not connected. The counterman will have
to look in his paper Belden catalog to find these.....

I used to sell these to the State to protect the trailer connectors on the
trucks that spread the liquid calcium in the winter......nasty stuff!!|

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...7&storeId=6970

part number 638325 if the link doesn't work

William Wixon wrote:
hey, could i ask a off topic question? maybe someone could point me in the
right direction.
putting a cap on my truck, it seems the way they usually wire up the third
brake light is to fish the wire through an already existing hole in the bed
stake holes and leave a 2 foot long wire (with plug on end) dangling and
flopping around in the bed. i'm afraid that wire is going to get poked and
yanked when i haul horse manure, gravel, sand, etc. (when the cap is
removed) what i'd think would be ideal would be a flush mount weathertight
snap shut receptacle style connection. i had no idea where to look for such
a thing but just happened to get lucky and come across these...

http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0731690
http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0731680
http://www.etrailer.com/y-53.aspx

that's the general idea but they're way too heavy and clunky. i don't need
an 200 amp connection (what would it be, 15 amp? maybe?). this is just a
lightweight two conductor wire.

anyone know of a lightweight snap shut weathertight electrical connector?

or... instead of a snap shut closure, i wondered if i could use a
"cigarette lighter" style connector with a rubber "stopper" (like the
"powerpoint" connector inside the cab of the truck) but i didn't like the
idea of the male end having that big clunky hard plastic (breakable)
connector. it seems it would be better if it was small and soft rubbery
plastic.

b.w.

anyone know of a lightweight snap shut weathertight electrical connector?

Military lingo calls the snap-shut cover a "toilet seat", e.g.

http://www.fairradio.com/pj-ts2.jpg

Tim.

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 13:07:41 GMT, "William Wixon"
wrote:

hey, could i ask a off topic question? maybe someone could point me in the
right direction.
putting a cap on my truck, it seems the way they usually wire up the third
brake light is to fish the wire through an already existing hole in the bed
stake holes and leave a 2 foot long wire (with plug on end) dangling and
flopping around in the bed. i'm afraid that wire is going to get poked and
yanked when i haul horse manure, gravel, sand, etc. (when the cap is
removed) what i'd think would be ideal would be a flush mount weathertight
snap shut receptacle style connection. i had no idea where to look for such
a thing but just happened to get lucky and come across these...

http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0731690
http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0731680
http://www.etrailer.com/y-53.aspx

that's the general idea but they're way too heavy and clunky. i don't need
an 200 amp connection (what would it be, 15 amp? maybe?). this is just a
lightweight two conductor wire.

anyone know of a lightweight snap shut weathertight electrical connector?

or... instead of a snap shut closure, i wondered if i could use a
"cigarette lighter" style connector with a rubber "stopper" (like the
"powerpoint" connector inside the cab of the truck) but i didn't like the
idea of the male end having that big clunky hard plastic (breakable)
connector. it seems it would be better if it was small and soft rubbery
plastic.

b.w.

Use a weaterproof outdoor power receptacle and put a standard
electrical plug on the cap. Do NOT plug the cap into a regular
extention cord.

According to William Wixon :
hey, could i ask a off topic question? maybe someone could point me in the
right direction.
putting a cap on my truck, it seems the way they usually wire up the third
brake light is to fish the wire through an already existing hole in the bed
stake holes and leave a 2 foot long wire (with plug on end) dangling and
flopping around in the bed. i'm afraid that wire is going to get poked and
yanked when i haul horse manure, gravel, sand, etc. (when the cap is
removed) what i'd think would be ideal would be a flush mount weathertight
snap shut receptacle style connection. i had no idea where to look for such
a thing but just happened to get lucky and come across these...

http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0731690
http://www.imperialinc.com/items.asp?item=0731680
http://www.etrailer.com/y-53.aspx

that's the general idea but they're way too heavy and clunky. i don't need
an 200 amp connection (what would it be, 15 amp? maybe?). this is just a
lightweight two conductor wire.

anyone know of a lightweight snap shut weathertight electrical connector?

Hmm ... how many pins do you need? I figure four at a minimum,
common ground (should be heavier than the others), Left turn signal,
Right turn signal, and brake lights.

You might look into adapting the XLR style of microphone
connectors (most are 3-pin, but 4-pin and even 5-pin exist), and make
your own "toilet seat" filled with soft rubber to cover it when it is
empty.

or... instead of a snap shut closure, i wondered if i could use a
"cigarette lighter" style connector with a rubber "stopper" (like the
"powerpoint" connector inside the cab of the truck) but i didn't like the
idea of the male end having that big clunky hard plastic (breakable)
connector. it seems it would be better if it was small and soft rubbery
plastic.

The XLR connectors have solid metal shells. and you can get
either gender in panel mount or cable mount. I would suggest female
panel mount and male cable mount for obvious reasons.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

On 22 Sep 2005 05:23:59 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm,
(DoN. Nichols) quickly quoth:

anyone know of a lightweight snap shut weathertight electrical connector?

Hmm ... how many pins do you need? I figure four at a minimum,
common ground (should be heavier than the others), Left turn signal,
Right turn signal, and brake lights.

You misspelled that last one, Don. "Tail" lights, 2 turns, and a
ground are the minimum.

I prefer the dangling 4-prong rubberized connectors which end behind
the bumper. They never drag, never get hurt. Add a longer pigtail to
the trailer side and you're set.

It has been my experience that covers on trailer connectors tend to
increase corrosion and that the cheap flat connectors are the best
value.

William, go here for diagrams: http://www.etrailer.com/faq/wiring.asp
http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/me...uct_Code=18045
Five bucks, but don't use the wire taps. Strip and solder in the
wires, then cover them with black electrical tape.

Alternatively, buy the connector style from http://AutoZone.com/ for
about $16. "Hoppy trailer wire harness." It just plugs into the rear
harness without splicing.

Vehicles with separate turn/stop lights require a converter.
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?categorycode=3208A&mfrcode=REE& mfrpartnumber=74209


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thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions.

i received a private email that so far is the closest thing to what i'm
looking for... (wish it was smaller, lighter, plastic, less expensive
though)

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...0001/316/124/9

thanks Jim. i'd like to take the cap off every now and then (hence the
mention of horse manure, gravel, sand, etc.)

thanks "*", those four conductor covers are shown at one of the links i
posted. i don't want to use the four conductor wire but a covered
receptacle drilled and screwed into the side of the inside of the truck bed.

royj, thanks, there are similar receptacles in the links i posted.

tim, chuckle that was funny, "toilet seat". i can imagine the guy behind
the counter of an electrical supply place when i go in and ask for a toilet
seat. lol.

nospam clare. thanks. i'd like to get something smaller and more
lightweight. (as was pointed out to me by the person who sent me the
private email, it would not be good to use a trailer receptacle (or a common
two prong plug) in case someone borrows the truck and tries plugging stuff
in it. better a plug that would be difficult for some unknowing person to
plug something into.)

DoN and larry , somehow my original question got sidetracked, i didn't ask
about tail lights, brake lights, turn signals. my question was about the
"third light" (brake light) in a truck cap. all those connectors were in
the links i posted, thanks anyhow.

b.w.



"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On 22 Sep 2005 05:23:59 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm,
(DoN. Nichols) quickly quoth:

anyone know of a lightweight snap shut weathertight electrical
connector?

Hmm ... how many pins do you need? I figure four at a minimum,
common ground (should be heavier than the others), Left turn signal,
Right turn signal, and brake lights.

You misspelled that last one, Don. "Tail" lights, 2 turns, and a
ground are the minimum.

I prefer the dangling 4-prong rubberized connectors which end behind
the bumper. They never drag, never get hurt. Add a longer pigtail to
the trailer side and you're set.

It has been my experience that covers on trailer connectors tend to
increase corrosion and that the cheap flat connectors are the best
value.



-snip-