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01-20-2018, 02:22 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Lewisburg, Tennessee
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19 Classic
Posts: 516
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Corrosion on the pig tail
What is the best way to clean this corrosion on the pigtail without damaging anything? It goes down into it a bit.
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01-20-2018, 02:24 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Lewisburg, Tennessee
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19 Classic
Posts: 516
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Having trouble getting the picture to attach, but I've got green corrosion on the end of the pigtail.
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01-20-2018, 02:26 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Lewisburg, Tennessee
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19 Classic
Posts: 516
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trying one more time
Maybe it will work this time
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01-20-2018, 02:29 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: East Dover, Vermont
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA!
Posts: 678
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GregandTeresa
Having trouble getting the picture to attach, but I've got green corrosion on the end of the pigtail.
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I assume you mean the cord to the tug? I keep the outlet on the tug and the plug on the pigtail smeared with No-alox or some other type of dielectric grease to keep the corrosion at bay. If it is too bad you can take the plug apart and clean it up with emery cloth.
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01-20-2018, 02:33 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Dielectric grease is non-conductive so careful how much you smear around. It's best used where the rubber boot and a spark plug make contact ( for instance ) to prevent moisture from reaching the contacts inside.
I use electrical contact cleaner. Comes in a spray can. I have used one of my wife's emery nail boards, cut to fit the slots, but I read somewhere that you want to avoid removing the outer coating on contacts.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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01-20-2018, 03:15 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Ashland City, Tennessee
Trailer: 2016 21' Classic
Posts: 263
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Hey Greg,
Make a little paste with baking soda and water and wipe it on there then off. Spray a little WD40 into pigtail and hang it so that the end is hanging down to drain. Should be fine.
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01-20-2018, 03:19 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 2,716
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Remember that some of the pins are HOT with power coming from your RV battery. Do not rub steal wool across the end.
I use a very small flat file used to file spark plugs in the old days. You should still be able to get one at an automotive store.
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01-20-2018, 03:49 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Lewisburg, Tennessee
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19 Classic
Posts: 516
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Thanks all, I knew I would get some good ideas.
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01-20-2018, 03:55 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: East Dover, Vermont
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA!
Posts: 678
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
Dielectric grease is non-conductive so careful how much you smear around. It's best used where the rubber boot and a spark plug make contact ( for instance ) to prevent moisture from reaching the contacts inside.
I use electrical contact cleaner. Comes in a spray can. I have used one of my wife's emery nail boards, cut to fit the slots, but I read somewhere that you want to avoid removing the outer coating on contacts.
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Yes clean w contact cleaner then smear liberally w no-alox...this connection is supposed to be somewhat spring loaded so if you cannot get a connection the plug is worn out. Here in the land of salt it has saved my plugs from corrosion and no problems with good connections
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01-20-2018, 04:06 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19
Posts: 555
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If the corrosion is too bad and you don’t want to replace the connector I have used a small sand blaster with glass beads, then coat liberally with dielectric grease. I personally think you can’t use too much dielectric grease.
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01-20-2018, 04:07 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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After cleaning install one of these to keep your contacts out of the elements.....
https://smile.amazon.com/AP-Products...plug+protector
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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01-20-2018, 07:21 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Westcliffe, Colorado
Trailer: 2010 EggCamper (#083); 2017 Escape 21 (#053); 2016 F-150 5.0L FX4
Posts: 1,765
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Don't be surprised if the marker lights on your trailer glow dimly if the corrosion short-circuits a little electricity across neighboring prongs in your "pig tail". It happened to mine. I highly recommend the protective cover Jim mentioned in his post, then make sure it is positioned so no water can get inside the cover.
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01-23-2018, 09:06 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Carrollton, Texas
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21, 2017 Toyota Tundra 5.7L 4x4
Posts: 549
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Finger-nail file
I clean the contacts every 6 months by sliding a cardboard finger-nail file, trimmed to the right width, between them.
__________________
Rick and Vicky Reed
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01-23-2018, 09:29 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
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I have had this problem many a time, especially on work trailers. Contact cleaner and a fine file if needed, followed with a good amount of dielectric grease will keep corrosion at bay.
This reminds me my trailer is now a year old and has not been done yet. Will do it tomorrow before we take off.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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01-23-2018, 09:30 PM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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I found my 7-pin to be corroded rather badly after the trailer had been stored for awhile. I suppose the humidity in the air caused it because it was in sheltered storage. I've used Deoxit D5 for a number of years and it does a great job of cleaning and deoxidizing the terminals. I don't like using anything abrasive or tool based to clean the terminals, because it can affect the connection. If you're going to use a solvent though, one caution - disconnect your battery before cleaning, and let it fully dry before using.
https://www.parts-express.com/caig-d...m_campaign=pla
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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01-23-2018, 09:41 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SLO County, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21C 2019 Expedition
Posts: 5,210
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Bought this even though it was a little pricey at $32.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
__________________
"We gotta get as far away as we can!"
- Russell Casse, Independence Day
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01-23-2018, 09:51 PM
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#17
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossue
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That's interesting Ross. I notice it comes with a tiny tube of Deoxit that I mentioned above.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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01-24-2018, 07:36 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: ,, Oklahoma
Trailer: 17
Posts: 840
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Same here A trouble shooting thread got their lights going again with this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossue
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01-24-2018, 10:41 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Trailer: 2015 Escape 21'
Posts: 280
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4
I found my 7-pin to be corroded rather badly after the trailer had been stored for awhile. I suppose the humidity in the air caused it because it was in sheltered storage. I've used Deoxit D5 for a number of years and it does a great job of cleaning and deoxidizing the terminals. I don't like using anything abrasive or tool based to clean the terminals, because it can affect the connection. If you're going to use a solvent though, one caution - disconnect your battery before cleaning, and let it fully dry before using.
https://www.parts-express.com/caig-d...m_campaign=pla
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Would using the battery disconnect switch in the Escape effectively disconnect the battery before cleaning?
__________________
Tom & Linda
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01-24-2018, 10:54 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19
Posts: 555
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4
That's interesting Ross. I notice it comes with a tiny tube of Deoxit that I mentioned above.
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Looks like good stuff, both the tool and the cleaner (Deoxit, will have to get some of that).
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