AC Outlets

[Proper282]

Well I searched and searched and didn't find what i was looking for, so here goes...

I'm looking for instruction/ideas as to how and where to install some plugs into my Suburban. Mostly for my laptop and cell phone chargers. let me see what you got. I have an inverter that I plan to cannibalize for this install. but would like to see how others went about it.


Thanks in advance guys!

 

[jcbrandon]

Your laptop and cell phone charger both run on DC power. If those are the main things you want to operate you might want to reconsider using an inverter as it will waste power and space. Converting the DC power that the truck runs on to AC and then back to DC is unnecessarily complicated. Simpler and more efficient to just change the DC voltage from the truck to whatever DC voltage your electronics require.

 

[Proper282]

Well that sounds like the simplest solution, but both my laptop and cell chargers plug into the standard household outlets. So wouldn't it be less work to permanently install an inverter and have the outlets flushed into the console, dash, or somewhere in the cargo area? Thanks for the input though. Never thought it through that direction

 

[olympiccop2002]

Some of the newer vehicles are coming with the standard outlet built right into the vehicle. I saw it on a Dodge Truck and a Ford Car but I can't remember which one.... I know it doesn't help you at the moment.

 

[telwyn]

I'm sure your cell phones can charge from usb as well. Here's the source I used to incorporate 5v USB chargers into my trailer build.

One Half Watt Electronics

Great customer service and works great charging my blackberry or an iphone or ipod. You can do a nice clean install with their usb sockets.

I'm of no help though on the laptop idea.

 

[1leglance]

I use a Targus multi-source dc adapter that came with a variety of laptop plugs.
It includes a cig lighter plug, wall plug and airplane plug. This way I keep my factory wall unit at home and keep the Targus in the rig with the extra wall & airplane plugs in the bag under the seat.
This setup gives me an extra wall plug if I want to go indoors with my laptop and uses 12vdc stepped up to the 15vdc that the laptop wants.

 

[spencyg]

Check out my build thread...I have a few photos of outlet installations in my rig. It is extremely handy to have outlets around for whatever charging or lighting needs you may have. There shouldn't be any need to cannibalize your inverter. I ended up wiring all of my outlets to a single standard male 3 prong 20A 120V plug, and then just plugged it into the inverter plug.

Spence

 

[GreenToys]

I will do the same thing like the Spencer route if I ever want an AC outlet in my vehicle. Simple and straightforward, just hide the Inv.box somewhere (closer to the battery the better) run a specified gauge wire for your DC in and just run an extension cord to wherever you want your AC outlet... tip. just make sure you label that outlet with your inverter's max power capacity (you wouldn't want my friend Overloada to plug in his circular saw to that outlet )

 

[Maddmatt]

Two comments:
1) As has been said, both your laptop and your cell phone run on DC - simply find the proper voltage plugs and you're good to go from the cigarette lighter. Converting the power back to A/C and then back to D/C is needlessly expensive and clunky. Be careful though! Check the Voltage! Do not assume that 12vdc is 12vdc, and hard wire something expensive into your car's power, without noticing that inside that tiny cigarette lighter plug the voltage was getting reduced to 7.5vdc, or something else. That's a brief and expensive puff of smoke. DAMHIK. :drool:

2) It is useful to have an inverter - I hardwired a 750w max (400watt constant) inverter into the back of my 4runner. Not enough power to run hairdryers, irons or other implements of heat production (although I have used it to run a soldering iron). Most hairdryers require at least 1800 watts, and you're over the ROI threshold for me. Plus I like to discourage things like that on camping trips. But it's great for blenders, coffee grinders, pump for the air mattress, I've used it for drills (although they turn a bit slow - not going to work for big jobs) and when somebody in the rush to leave the house grabs the wrong charger for their phone, and then has a scheduled conference call mid way through the trip. Also DAMHIK.

I had to go through several, as many these days have an "always on" fan, and since mine is hardwired I would always hear it. The draw is so minimal that there's no danger to the battery, but the noise bothered me. So I found one by Husky at Home Depot - has been working like a charm for 6 or 7 years now. Need it maybe once a year, find excuses to use it much more than that.

I mounted it in the rear so it would be out of the elements. It's small and looks like an amp. I went up a gauge in wire size because of the length of the run, grounded it directly to the battery (per manufacturer's instructions) and wrapped both power and ground wires with this kind of hard tape - forget what it's called right now, but more durable than split loom.