toad wiring with a portable wiring harness

[wclowes]

I have put 24v bulbs into a portable wiring harness, but need info as to where I tie into the taillights of my '79 mci. Does anyone have a schematic that they kept after doing theirs?
Thanks for any info you can provide.

[gumpy]

I was going to send you some instructions I have on installing my toad converter, but you don't have an email address in your profile.

[TomC]

Just splice into the rear lights (read solder and tape).  Use LED's in the portable towed lights and you'll be great!  I used two sets since my bus is wired with one light for stop/running, and the other for turn/running.  It works great, they magnetically mount on the top of my towed trunk, and are very bright.  Good Luck, TomC

[Dallas]

Just splice into the rear lights (read solder and tape).  Use LED's in the portable towed lights and you'll be great!  I used two sets since my bus is wired with one light for stop/running, and the other for turn/running.  It works great, they magnetically mount on the top of my towed trunk, and are very bright.  Good Luck, TomC

Tom,
If you aren't careful you are gonna be roasted on a spit and basted with 15W40 for suggesting that someone use a solder joint instead of a crimp (crap) connector. 

How dare you to not follow the herd!

I was brought up a long time ago, We seldom if ever used a crimp connection, even including battery terminals. After all, when you buy a premade battery cable it usually has a ring terminal on one end and a lead battery terminal on the other. Under very few circumstances have I ever seen lead terminals or soldered connections melt, however, I HAVE seen a whole bunch of crimp connections, including the high dollar, factory connections come loose.

You need to rend your clothing and pull your hair all the while screaming Mea Culpas and asking forgiveness!

Dallas

[DrivingMissLazy]

Based on my actual experience of building literally hundreds of pieces of very sophisticated electrical equipment with hundreds of electrical terminals and used in the marine environment on board all kinds of yachts I do not recall ever having a failure caused by a bad crimp. The secret is using a crimping tool designed specifically for the job and not one from the local auto parts store. These crimping tools cost well over $100 and the pressure they exert causes the copper in the conductor to actually flow into the copper of the terminal. There is no possible way that there can be corrosion between the conductor and the terminal.

Richard

[wclowes]

Thanks Craig and Tom for your info. I'm "crimpin" and soldering everything I can. It's gonna be great!!!

[Lin]

I am going to say something that everyone will disagree with.  I have been using crimped connectors for many years using one of those cheap crimping tools that Richard referred to.  I do not consider them very dependable.  Had I known, I may have gotten the right tool for the job and my experience would have been different.  Anyway, I have found the wire nuts that are taped are better than my cheap crimps.  I am told that the vibrations will make the nuts back off, but I just have not had that happen.  Now understand, I am not talking about bench work, but rather tight quarters stuff.

[JackConrad]

I agree with Richard, I used to use the cheap crimpers and occasionally had a failure.  I then purchased a pair of ratcheting crimpers designed to the connectors that I use. Once you start crimping,  the crimpers will not release until the proper pressure is achieved. No failures since using these crimpers.  Jack

[DrivingMissLazy]

According to NASA, crimps should not be soldered. In the soldered crimps the solder wicks up the lead and you end up with a stiff wire where the solder ends and then the lead can vibrate at this point and the lead will break after time.

Richard