If you've ever had to climb up on a trailer in the middle of a rainstorm just to crank a manual handle, you already know why an electric tarp wiring kit is such a massive upgrade for your truck. It's one of those things you don't realize you need until you have it, and then you wonder how you ever lived without it. But, as with anything involving electricity and heavy machinery, getting it hooked up right is the difference between a smooth-running system and a frustrating afternoon spent staring at a blown fuse.
When you buy an electric tarp system, the motor usually gets all the glory, but the wiring kit is really the unsung hero. It's the nervous system of the whole operation. Without good wires, a solid breaker, and a reliable switch, that expensive motor isn't going to do much more than sit there and look pretty.
What Actually Comes in the Box?
Most people think a wiring kit is just a roll of wire and some tape, but a decent electric tarp wiring kit is actually a bit more involved than that. Usually, you're looking at a heavy-duty dual-conductor wire—often 6-gauge or 8-gauge because these motors pull a lot of juice. You'll also find a circuit breaker (don't skip this, or you might start a fire), a rocker switch or a solenoid, and a bunch of connectors and terminals.
The switch is usually designed to be mounted inside the cab so you can operate the tarp without even unbuckling your seatbelt. Some kits even come with a wireless remote option, which is great if you want to stand back and watch the tarp move to make sure it's seating correctly on the rails. But even the fancy ones still rely on that core "spaghetti" of wires running from the battery back to the motor.
Why Wire Gauge Is a Big Deal
I've seen plenty of guys try to save a few bucks by using thinner wire they had lying around the shop. Don't do that. An electric tarp motor under load pulls a significant amount of amperage. If your wire is too thin, you're going to deal with a massive voltage drop.
Think of it like trying to put out a house fire with a garden hose. The pressure just isn't there. When the motor doesn't get enough voltage, it runs hot, moves slowly, and eventually burns out. Most kits use a 6-gauge wire for a reason. It's thick enough to carry the current over the long distance from the truck's battery all the way to the back of the trailer without losing steam. If your trailer is particularly long, you might even need to step up the thickness even more.
Installing Your Kit Without Losing Your Mind
Installing an electric tarp wiring kit isn't exactly rocket science, but it does require some patience. The first step is always the same: find a good path for the wire. You want to stay away from anything that moves, anything that gets hot (like the exhaust), and anything that might pinch the wire.
Running the wire along the frame rail is the standard move. Use plenty of heavy-duty zip ties, but don't pull them so tight that they cut into the insulation. You also want to make sure you have enough slack at the pivot point between the truck and the trailer. If you forget to leave a "service loop," the first time you make a sharp turn, you're going to rip the whole harness right out of the socket.
The circuit breaker is your best friend here. It should be mounted as close to the battery as possible. Its job is to trip if there's a short or if the motor gets jammed. If you don't have that breaker and the wire shorts out against the frame, that 6-gauge wire will turn into a glowing heating element in about three seconds flat.
Protecting Your Setup from the Elements
Since we're talking about trucks and trailers, these wires are going to be living in a pretty hostile environment. They're getting hit with road salt, rain, mud, and whatever else you're hauling. This is where a lot of DIY installs fail.
When you're connecting your electric tarp wiring kit, use heat-shrink terminals. Plain old crimp connectors are okay for a radio inside a cab, but they won't last a season on a chassis. Once moisture gets inside that copper wire, it starts to corrode, and before you know it, you've got a green, crusty mess that won't conduct electricity.
A little bit of dielectric grease on the terminals goes a long way, too. It keeps the moisture out and the connection clean. If your kit includes a plug-and-socket setup for disconnecting the trailer, make sure you use the dust caps. Leaving those pins exposed to the elements is just asking for a headache the next time you try to hook up.
The Importance of a Good Ground
If I had a nickel for every time a "broken" motor turned out to be just a bad ground, I'd be retired by now. Electricity has to have a path back to the battery to complete the circuit. A lot of guys just bolt the ground wire to the trailer frame and call it a day.
The problem is that trailer frames are often painted or rusted. If you're grounding to the frame, you need to grind a small patch down to bare, shiny metal to ensure a good connection. Even better, run a dedicated ground wire all the way back to the battery. It's a bit more work and uses more wire, but it's the only way to be 100% sure you aren't going to have intermittent power issues.
Common Troubleshooting Tips
Let's say you've got your electric tarp wiring kit all installed, but you hit the switch and nothing. Don't panic yet. First, check that circuit breaker near the battery. If it's tripped, there's a reason—usually a short or a mechanical jam in the tarp arms.
If the breaker is fine, grab a multimeter or a test light. Start at the battery and work your way back. Is there power at the switch? Is there power leaving the switch? If you have power all the way to the motor but it's still not turning, check that ground connection we just talked about.
Sometimes, the issue is just a loose nut on a terminal. Vibration is a constant in the trucking world, and it can wiggle even the tightest connections loose over time. It's worth doing a quick "tug test" on all your wires every once in a while during your pre-trip inspection.
Wrapping Things Up
At the end of the day, an electric tarp wiring kit is about making your life easier and your job safer. No one likes climbing around on top of a load, especially when the weather is trash. Taking the time to install the wiring properly—using the right gauge, protecting it from the weather, and ensuring a solid ground—means you won't have to worry about it for a long time.
It's one of those projects that feels a bit tedious while you're under the truck with a handful of zip ties, but the first time you sit in your warm cab and watch that tarp slide shut with the push of a button, you'll know it was worth every bit of effort. Just keep it clean, keep it dry, and don't take shortcuts with the safety components. Your motor (and your back) will thank you.