Hopkins 46255 Converter

[Cajunrider]

I received the letter below from Hopkins about my 46255. It originated from an e-mail I had sent them a couple of days ago. It is a completely different story from what the tech I spoke to on the telephone told me yesterday. Something I suppose all who are planning on mounting one should keep in mind.



The 46255 is not water proof. It is to be installed inside a vehicle out of the weather. If you have shorted I will replace it this time, but it will need to mounted out of the weather.
Thanks Gary

Send it to
Hopkins MFG
428 Peyton ST.
Emporia KS 66801

[coacha]

Glad I have mine in the left side cover.

[cactusjack]

If I recall, nowhere in the packaging or on the unit does it state that the unit is not waterproof or needs to be installed where it has no exposure to the elements.

It looks to me like it is designed to have your trailer connector plug into it - do they think people put their hitches in their trunk?

I'm guessing that you would mount the Hoppy in an enclosed area and then run an intermediate harness from the Hoppy to the hitch, then your trailer plugs into that. The documentation with the product leaves much to be desired.

[Cajunrider]

I agree Scott. Mine came with a harness that will plug into it and extend to the hitch. I will put it behind the left side cover like Coach did and run the harness to my hitch. You went through heavy rain didn't you? No problems at all I'd bet. The tech I spoke to by phone never told me that they weren't waterproof. As I stated in my other thread, he said that some are defective and allow moisture to infiltrate into the housing through micro cracks. Completely different story from the e-mail.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Cajunrider

I agree Scott. Mine came with a harness that will plug into it and extend to the hitch. I will put it behind the left side cover like Coach did and run the harness to my hitch. You went through heavy rain didn't you? No problems at all I'd bet. The tech I spoke to by phone never told me that they weren't waterproof. As I stated in my other thread, he said that some are defective and allow moisture to infiltrate into the housing through micro cracks. Completely different story from the e-mail.

Unless I want to mount mine in a saddlebag or my trunk, I don't have anywhere else to put it. My left side cover is filled with cruise control servo, a Cobra FI2000R and a fuse block.

Yes, I went through a lot of heavy rain, but mine must not be one of the defective ones.

[ringadingh]

Perhaps you could mount the converter in a small Tupperware like container on the bike. This should help protect it from the elements a little better.

[Cajunrider]

Or spray it well with some kind of sealant before mounting.

[macmac]

Is Hopkins one in the same as Hoppy? The one I had appeared to me as water tight...

If they aren't then I should think there would be a water tight box you could mount them in.

When I mounted the one I had to the 01 nomad I mounted it under and forward the seat, where there is a wire bracket holding wires and rubber lines to drain things on the bike.

I fed the long pig tail back with the OEM wire harness to the tail light. At least in that location I never had a hint of problem, and I was in lots of rain with the Hoppy in active use.

[Cajunrider]

Yes Mac, it is the Hoppy. I'm mailing my wet one back to them tomorrow and I'm expecting the new one by the end of the week. I'll figure something out on where to mount it to keep this from happening again. Not a good feeling when your trailer lights don't work right!

[butch]

Thats funny. The package mine came in, which I still have, clearly states that the unit is dual encapsulated to be WEATHERPROOF (my caps). To me that means anything but full immersion under water shouldn't harm it.

[Cajunrider]

Butch, My packaging states "Double molded weather proof design". I can't see why it would have to be tucked away where rain or road splash can't hit it. I think the guy who replied to my e-mail is full of it. The guy I talked to on the phone gave me a RAN and told me to be sure to put it to his attention.

[macmac]

I was in "LA" about a week and in Oct if it makes any difference, and if you ask me the whole place is made of water. No sooner did the sun go down and the grass sprouted water before your eyes! Tin roofs were green and growing things, everything was green and growing, except the sandy piles of soft soil, but because they were loaded with some wild ants that could kill a man!

My bike grew water at sun set too.

I assumed they killed the grass too... If a Hoppy isn't water tight, it can be made water tight..

I know mine got drenched many times.

[nomad561]

I'm looking at mine and it doesn't say that it is waterproof,but it appears to be sealed.
Thanks for the headsup,I'll mount mine in the side cover or another "protected" area.

[macmac]

I dunno, but maybe it is worthy of silicon sealer at the wires where they pass into the box and a smudge along the seams????? If you can find a old plastic ciggy butt box, maybe it can be altered to armor up the Hoppy too??? Myabe you will trip over one someday and can do it later? Like i said i dunno, and had mine wetted but good many times.