The one that is "under the spare tire". Attached is a photo looking rearward from the differential, exhaust is the left side of the photo. The grey colored connector that I zoomed in on? Thanks!

 

I think the "connector of death" is that gray one, but I haven't had this issue yet.

So I'm not sure. As soon as someone points it out for sure, I have a little bit of mil-spec (AF) dielectric spray ($50+ per can) I'll spray it down with. Although I guess I could do both.

 

I treated both of mine with dielectric grease.

The only connector I have seen posted about is the larger cream colored one.
See post 15 of this thread...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...nt-fix-it.html

 

I opened up all the connectors back there and put some dielectric on them. Mine were all dry but there is no seal in any of them IIRC.

 

I read that this had been resolved for the late 17’s and 18’s. Fake news?

 

Thanks gentleman, I'm pretty sure the connector I identified as the same one that's problematic in the other post. But I'm going to try to dielectric most of them but I will probably add additional weatherproof wrapping on the gray/cream-colored one.

 

You can wrap it with electrical tape backwards (so the tape doesn't stick to the plug) then cover the E tape with 3M linemans sealing tape. It'll be completely water tight then.

The E tape keeps the lineman tape from sticking to the wires and connector. That tape is too strong and will destroy that connector if you let it contact it.

Mastic tape, remember it's permanent, don't stick it to the connector, only around a thick layer of backwards electrical tape so it's easy to cut off. It gets gooey and will sink into the connector and bond to it:
https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-...94857497&rt=r3

 

I had trouble with the grey/cream colored in your picture but even worse was one on the other side of the truck which is black. I had the harness changed and both connectors in question

 

Looking at the photo one thing glaringly jumps out at me ... There's no "drip loop".

I've worked in manufacturing since 1990 (first for Ford, and then HVAC industry since 2006). I've worked all manner of supervisory and quality and engineering jobs in my career. I cannot fathom why there's no "drip loop" in those wire looms. A "drip loop" is a portion of the wire harness that hangs BELOW a connector or entry port, immediately before the connector, so that condensation and moisture do not run down the length of the wire and surface tension carries the water into the connector.

The best way under this truck example to protect these connectors is to remove them from their clipped positions and then move them to a position so that there exists a small dip in the wire PRIOR to connector. Image, if you will, a "W". The two wires are the outside of the "W", and the connector is the inner upper section. The two lower parts are the "drip loops" that make the wire a lowest point, rather than the connector itself. Simple easy physics solves this. I cannot believe they don't do this. In the products we produce in HVAC, all wire looms and harnesses must have enough slack, and be positioned such that any condensate runs AWAY from the connectors, not towards them!

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=image+of+wire+drip+loop&FORM=HDRSC2


The wire looms under the truck bed are completely wrong. I don't care how good of a connector they use, common sense says connectors should be at the high point, not the bottom of the loop.

Doh!

 

^^^^^^^ Now that makes a lot of sense! What a great nugget of info!

 

My solution:

 

Installed Curt front receiver hitch, installed custom fit Torklift front camper tiedown mounts, drilled OEM rear receiver hitch sideplates and installed universal Torklift rear tiedown mounts (replacing OEM receiver hitch with B&W 2" receiver in a week or two), installed truck camper electrical 7way outlet in front bed of truck (prewired pigtail inline cable from rear RV outlet on Bumper), added dielectric grease to numerous connectors under bed.

Dropped my Hallmark Camper into truck bed, but the rails are a tad higher on the '18 relative to the '11 F350 and the leading overhang on the camper just kisses my truck roof so de-installed camper and going to add spacer to truck bed/camper interface.

Off to a national Mototrials event at Haystack OHV area outside of Roswell NM tomorrow morning. Will report on performance of my new 6.2L 4.30 F350XL 4x4 CCLB as an RV.....


Missed the drip loop comment, fantastic comment. Will relocate the connectors with a "rolling grade dip" drip loop in two weeks when I replace the receiver hitch.

BTW the problematic connector junction was clean, no corrosion, but completely dry. I have had my truck a week, live in the mountains of AZ Flagstaff.....

 

Was this ever corrected in production, or are we all driving electrical time bombs?

If so, does anyone know the build date for the updated harness?

 

My truck was manufactured less than a month ago

Location of my camper electrical plug front left corner of the bed