Wire Harness Dressing

Cynical · 10-09-2018, 08:10 AM

Can anyone provide some pics of their exterior wire harness, on the street side so I can get some good ideas how to "re-do" mine? The nasty loops were the first cringe moment for me when I bought the unit, but everything worked so I left it alone. Now that I am finishing up some other projects, I started to unwrap the spiral wrap and 100 feet of dry cracking electrical tape holding my bundles together. I did find the television antenna cable completely pulled out of the splice connector and it has been pinched flat somewhere along the way, so I know that is one repair to make. I think the rest is in good shape, I just need to come up with a clean plan for dressing it for the setup/breakdown movements and not sure how much slack or drip loop I should account for. I will probably have to get my neighbor to come lower and raise the shells so I can see how they move in relation to the arms and such, pretty hard to do when you are solo.

A previous owner (I think anyway) put 1/2" pvc vertical along each arm that the front and rear harness runs thru. I am not sold on this as I do see some sign of chaffing, but not sure I can easily remove the pvc without damaging the wires. I think I have seen somewhere that an electrical junction box was mounted on the aft edge of the front shell, can anyone explain what all might get routed there?

Anyway, any pics of existing routing or links to pics here on the forum would be very helpful for figuring out my next move to clean the whole thing up.

**commodor47** · 10-09-2018, 05:05 PM

Kathi,

A few of these photos may help with your questions;

https://photos.app.goo.gl/75XhfmqeRnz9uWYu5

https://photos.app.goo.gl/osj14arR15wi1clC3

The electical junction box mounted on the aft edge of the front shell is the power source for the roof mounted air conditioner.

Dick

Cynical · 10-10-2018, 08:46 AM

Thanks Dick, that 2nd link helped a lot. I have the roof top AC that plugs in at the front of the bed (not hard wired), so I guess that is why I wasn't seeing the box on my unit. I think what I have won't be too bad if I can get all the old tape off and cover the wires with something more appropriate. I have no snakeskin like yours, so someone wrapped everything up real tight in a ton of electrical tape and basically it's flexibility has been compromised over the years. The 2 sizes of split loom sound like the best option at this point, assuming all the individual conductors prove good.

I think I will enlist some additional manpower so I can watch the up/down movement and get it tied up properly so hopefully I won't have to fool with it again. Thanks again!!

BrucePerens · 10-10-2018, 10:50 AM

If you replace any wire, be sure it's stranded. The finer (smaller) strands the better. Wire that flexes will eventually be destroyed by work hardening if it isn't first destroyed by degeneration of the insulation in the sun and weather. Stranding helps to prevent this. Of the wires that you can get, the only thing I think can only be found in solid is the core of the television antenna wire.

I have a lot more flex wire than the original equipment because there are solar panels and ham antennas on the roof. I made junction boxes and connectors so that I could replace the wires.

Cynical · 10-10-2018, 12:31 PM

Thanks Bruce, I am hoping NOT to have to replace any wire, but I appreciate the info. You "can" get coax with a stranded center (7 strands or so), but it is ain't cheap and is a PITA to work with without the expensive connectors that are made for it. Definitely worth it for say... amusement park rides/attractions, but probably not feasible for the TM. I think providing a nice enough loop, that won't hang up on anything or get caught in anything is the trick. Yet another balancing act in the TM!

**Bill** · 10-11-2018, 07:57 PM

The "snakeskin" is available from Amazon, and a number of other sources. I did a google search on "insulating wire sleeve".

Bill

Cynical · 10-12-2018, 05:44 AM

LOL, I had no idea what it's real name was, just what we referred to it as all these years. Could of gone with Chinese Finger Pull since it kinda works the same way. Thanks for the info, I'll take a look.

**Camping Carpenters** · 11-01-2018, 02:14 PM

I'm in the midst of doing the same on my 2005 2720. I found the split sleeve on Amazon, made by Techflex: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1.
You'll need split sleeve so you don't have to de-term everything when you replace it. I think 3/4" is probably the best for these wire but it of course depends on your specific wiring. Good Luck.