Question for the Wiring gurus?

[Eric D]

I read this thread (and many others regarding wiring) and one product that was never mentioned on this board but is HIGLY touted on others Starbright Liquid Electrical Tape.

http://www.woodenboat-ubb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=51209

I am just looking for comments for the pros or cons of this for rewiring trailers and 2 boats that I have to do.

I was looking at sodiering the splices (with the right amount of sodier) and then covering with this product instead of dielectric grease and shrink wrap. (starbright is a dielectric product...)

thoughts, comments, criticisims?

Thanks in advance.

Eric

[Tom Robb]

Never heard of it. But then I'm not looking either.
Just how do you aply it over the grease?

[Thorne]

this stuff -- looks interesting.
http://www.aquaticeco.com//images/items/SX13_rgb.jpg
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/11554/cid/3006

[sdowney717]

its pretty good stuff. But dont grease the wires and then paint this on, it wont stick.
You can also use permatex non hardening automotive gasket sealer and a shrink sleeve. (liquid brown stuff in a tube that only cleans off with alcohol) Coat the wire splice area and slide the shrink sleeve in place and heat it.

[paladin]

Stuff works just fine....two thin coats are better than one thick one...and the heat shrink is still needed for abrasion resistance...actually I would use two layers of heat shrink...one just to cover the terminal and a bit of the insulation, and a longer piece over that one to spread the load...

[kc8pql]

I think it's hard to beat the Ancor tinned copper crimp terminals that come with adhesive lined heat shrink attached. Well crimped with a good crimper and properly shrunk the connection is completely sealed and water tight, and it takes a mighty tug to pull it apart if you can pull it out at all. Only problem is that they're expensive, $69/100 or so. Never had one fail though.

[Eric D]

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the advice. I have used this in the past with success, I just wanted to hear what others had to say about the product and see if I was going somewhere I shouldn't....

But dont grease the wires and then paint this on, it wont stick.


I was planning that UNDER the heat shrink, not with the Starbright, but thanks for making sure. Your idea sounds good too.

[garyspear]

This kind of material works ok but please remember it will not form a lasting water tight seal and has little tolerance for abrasion. use the shrink wrap also. I have seen what this stuff can do in a wet enviroment and trust me it will alow water in. ALL COATINGS WILL FAIL. Just be sure that you have a good connection to begin with and things will be fine. solder is a very good choice.

[D Burney]

Eric D, When I make connections with two ends of wire in wet salty area, I choose to use tinned wire if possible. If not, take a knife blade and clean the wire ends carfully. Strip and twist the two wires together, trim the excess, slide a non-insulated butt connector and crimp with a good quality crimper with some umpf! After that, then solder carefully. Let the joint cool first. Use a tooth brush and lacquer thinner to remove any rosin deposits. (Lacquer thinner is flammable!) Grease with an anti-oxident type grease (aluminum-copper type). Then slide on heat shrink.
This is my suggestion for a nearly perfect wire connection.
Doug Burney
E. T. twenty eight years

[pipefitter]

They have what they call,"subdued" heat shrink tubing. This is what I used to use when installing submersible pumps in wells. You heat it until you see the dope oozing out the ends of the shrink tubes. It is thicker than normal shrink tube. You wont need any goop if you use these.The submersible kit contained bare butt connectors and these shrink tubes. They usually outlasted the pumps with an avg life span of 10 years. I have some out there that are nearing 20 years.

I used all military spec (teflon coated) wire in my boat and these types of shrink tubes. I don't expect to have any problems. The wire can be inside a pipe that is welded without affecting the insulation.

[paladin]

as a note...when you purchase "automatic" wire strippers there is a difference between ones used for PVC wire and Teflon coated wire...a matter of color coding indicates Blue for PVC wire and the Teflon units normally have black handles.....

[warthog5]

On trailer's I go to extreme to make them last.
95% of trailer wiring problem's are bad ground's. Therefore don't ground your lighting thru the trailer frame. It doesn't matter if the frame is painted steel :( , galvinized steel. or alum. they will all have problem's.
Run seperate ground wire's to each light. The light's that have a mounting hole and ground combined. throw them away. Think LED's.

These 2 link's have very good LED's.
http://www.optronicsinc.com/trailer.htm
STL-78RK Oval Sealed Surface-Mount LED Stop/Turn/Tail Light Kit

http://www.championtrailers.com/LED_LIGHTS.htm
SURFACE MOUNT LED
SIDE MARKER LITES
PART# 0158 AMBER
PART# 0159 RED

Now back to the wiring. I use crimp shrink's, liguid electric tape and then slip a piece of shrink tubing with the glue over it.

Might sound extreme, but I don't have trailer light problem's.

When I do them for other people, I do them the same way. :)

[Eric D]

Thank you all who replied. I appreciate the varied responses. I really wanted to know if this was total junk or if it had some value.

I will definitely use heat shrink tubing over the wires after the liquid.

For those who offered other suggestions, I appreciate them as well. In a few years I will be undertaking a true wooden boat project which will need wiring that I will spend the extra time on so I do thank you.

[pipefitter]

In the subdued shrink tubes I was referring to,the goop is already contained within and is much more waterproof than the liquid tape. We have repaired enough customer applied,under console wiring harnesses with this stuff on them that proved to be seperate from the wire after a short time.We tried it. The most I can attribute to it is that it will insulate wires but really only one step better than friction tape.
Do this test. Take the subdued tube and apply it as you would any other heat shrink tube,let it cool and then try to remove it without taking wire insulation with it with a razor blade. Totally submerged for 10-20 years on submersible well pumps that vibrate and that run as much as they do is quite a bit more extreme than it would see in normal marine or trailer usage.

I opt to have no joints in the wire on the trailer and I raise my lights onto pipes that keep the lights out of the water,submersible or not.The ground being connected directly to the lights is a great way to do it. Your lights will burn brighter and work 90% of the time wired in such a way.

Also true about proper wire strippers for the teflon insulated wire. The red ones will just stretch the insulation a little before the blades just scrape over the surface.I really wish that marine grade wire had this coating. We have had no failures using it albeit expensive. Pay now or pay later.

I have yet to raise my lights or rewire the trailer yet. Will do so after I launch this weekend for the first time.