We just got a new Tacoma, and I'm trying to figure out if there's a way that we can keep the bed outlet always powered on from the battery vice only on with the ignition. With our Jeep, we're able to keep power on all the time. I'm trying to keep the fridge powered up in the bed when out camping etc. Thanks!
Tacoma truck bed inverter power always available?
- Thread starter subdewd
- Start date
CaliMobber
Adventurer
my advise would be to switch over to a 12v cord once stopped since the inverter uses much more power and it goes 12 into 120 -120 back into 12. I notice battery drain much faster when powering the fridge off the 120.But I do remember reading about it online a few years back if you want wire it up for off use, search google.
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
On the 4th gen 4runner (which is also on the T-120 platform) the "always on" 12v power conversion is a fairly simple one. There is a writeup on the T4R.org message board. I would imagine that if you go to a Tacoma specific board they can probably tell you how to make the 12v on all the time. As CaliMobber said, probably better to use the 12v rather than 120, for less power drain.
I just read that the battery protection only works when it's in the 12V or 24V mode, so it wouldn't be good to use the 110V outlet in the bed, bypassing the low voltage cutoff on the fridge and potentially killing your battery. Probably easiest/safest to wire the Arb permanent power sockets in the bed. Plus that avoids power conversion back and forth.
WRT to 12V always on possibility, all of the posts I have found thus far pertain to keeping the 12V outlets in the cab always hot. I haven't found anything about the 110V bed outlet. Doesn't matter now though as that looks like the worst way of going about it.
Thanks!
WRT to 12V always on possibility, all of the posts I have found thus far pertain to keeping the 12V outlets in the cab always hot. I haven't found anything about the 110V bed outlet. Doesn't matter now though as that looks like the worst way of going about it.
Thanks!
Andy@AAV
Old Marine
If you do install a 12V outlet in the bed I would suggest using a powerlet locking type outlet. Avoids getting to camp and finding out your fridge has been unplugged all day. I found the easy install location was the bed pocket. Out of the weather, out of sight, protected, and can be replaced for resale on the cheap.
robert
Expedition Leader
As others have said, do not plan on powering the fridge off the inverter while the truck is off as it drains too much power. Converting 12v to 120 then back down to 12v is very inefficient at best. What I would recommend doing is modding the inverter to run at 400w all of the time (easy mod- see Tacomaworld.com for detailed instructions) and adding a couple of outlets in the cab for charging laptops, camera batteries*, etc.
*Switching to Wasabi batteries with their convertible 120/12v charger is more efficient and the batteries tend to last longer anyways.
*Switching to Wasabi batteries with their convertible 120/12v charger is more efficient and the batteries tend to last longer anyways.