Parts list request: 12v outlet near tailgate

[WickedSharp]

Truck:
2015 Tacoma TRD Off Road Access Cab

I need a 12v outlet in the bed of my truck to power an Engel fridge/freezer.
I can guess what I need, but I’d rather hear specifics from those who’ve done this already.

I want the outlet powered directly from the battery, and want to turn it on/off via switch on the dash.

What relay should be used for this? Part number is requested.

What gauge wire to go from the battery all the way back? What type of sleeve to use? Source for that wire and sleeve?

Which outlet is most durable/reliable? Source?

Thanks in advance!

 

[luthj]

I personally would never use a cigarette style outlet for a fridge. They have many downsides. If you absolutely must use one, swap for the marine locking style units.

Something like this would be my preference.
https://powerwerx.com/panelpole-pan...FmP3JVm_zwiVsJBhtopr8PoOMJaQCYXRoCKPUQAvD_BwE

Unless your wiring path runs near the dash, you will be adding lots of length (and resistance) by running the wire up there and through a switch. A relay would consume power constantly (unless you use a mag latching relay). It would be a lot simpler to put a switch near the power plug in the bed.

What is the specific need with regards to the switch?

The wire size should be chosen to keep the voltage drop less than 3% on the whole run. Use your fridges start-up surge for calculations (usually 3-4 times its running current). Here is a good calculator. http://circuitwizard.bluesea.com/ You can reduce your wire runs if there is a good chassis ground location nearby. Run your negative there.

Fuse for the smallest wire in your circuit (max size fuse). The smallest size fuse will be driven by the items you will be powering. Most fridges this is a 10-15A fuse.

Fridges are very sensitive to voltage drops, and you don't want your fridge dropping out early.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I used an 8 AWG run from my battery across the lip at the top of the firewall and then down under the cab along the passenger side frame rail. I've got dual batteries in the stock location with a 6-circuit Blue Sea block near the main engine room fuse block. At the moment the aux wiring is bundled with zip ties and secured to the lip. Some day I'll clean up this mess with a loom.



I wrapped the cabling in foil at the bottom of the firewall back about 2 feet since it runs fairly close to the right side catalytic converter. After that it's bundled with the factory harness that runs from the cab floor to the back, where I looped it up to enter the bottom of the cubby.

I removed the small cover on the cubby next to the 120 VAC outlet in the bed of my TRD OR and put a plate there with an outlet and a small fuse block inside. I used the marine locking type and it retains the Engel plug enough that I've never personally had it fall loose. I have an MT45, running current on mine is about 2 amps.

 

[krick3tt]

I use this one and have not ever had an issue with it. From a fuse block (15 amp fuse) at the engine compartment close to the aux battery through a 10 gage wire to the plug at the mid point of the LR. Been over some very rough roads on at most 10 day trips.
https://powerwerx.com/blue-sea-1011-12-volt-dash-socket

 

[WickedSharp]

I personally would never use a cigarette style outlet for a fridge. They have many downsides. If you absolutely must use one, swap for the marine locking style units.

Something like this would be my preference.
https://powerwerx.com/panelpole-pan...FmP3JVm_zwiVsJBhtopr8PoOMJaQCYXRoCKPUQAvD_BwE

Unless your wiring path runs near the dash, you will be adding lots of length (and resistance) by running the wire up there and through a switch. A relay would consume power constantly (unless you use a mag latching relay). It would be a lot simpler to put a switch near the power plug in the bed.

What is the specific need with regards to the switch?

The wire size should be chosen to keep the voltage drop less than 3% on the whole run. Use your fridges start-up surge for calculations (usually 3-4 times its running current). Here is a good calculator. http://circuitwizard.bluesea.com/ You can reduce your wire runs if there is a good chassis ground location nearby. Run your negative there.

Fuse for the smallest wire in your circuit (max size fuse). The smallest size fuse will be driven by the items you will be powering. Most fridges this is a 10-15A fuse.

Fridges are very sensitive to voltage drops, and you don't want your fridge dropping out early.

This is great feedback!
I thought I might want the switch inside the locked cab so nobody but me could turn it on/off, but now I see that might not be worth the complications.

The fridge came with the standard cigarette style 12v plug. That’s the only reason I was thinking of that type of plug. Id rather have it be more reliable. I’ll look at PowerWerx.
Also, can you recommend a switch for use at the back?

Thanks

 

[luthj]

Contura Switches are pretty good. These are rated at 20A continuous.
https://amzn.to/2Q0JSkR

Powerwerx is selling anderson powerpole connectors. There are a variety of sizes, and a number of vendors sell them. These connectors are robust, self wiping, and resistant to corrosion etc.

The cig port style should not be used for more than 6A, or for voltage drop sensitive items. This is especially true in areas that can be damp.

 

[DaveInDenver]

This is great feedback!
I thought I might want the switch inside the locked cab so nobody but me could turn it on/off, but now I see that might not be worth the complications.

The fridge came with the standard cigarette style 12v plug. That’s the only reason I was thinking of that type of plug. Id rather have it be more reliable. I’ll look at PowerWerx.
Also, can you recommend a switch for use at the back?

Thanks

This is the outlet I used.

https://powerwerx.com/blue-sea-1011-12-volt-dash-socket

His link is to a Power Pole outlet, which would require cutting the plug off your Engel cable and crimping on Power Poles.

If you do that you may consider putting fuse holder back inline near the Power Poles. Engel uses a thermal fuse with reverse polarity in the tip of the stock cable. Strictly speaking, though, you don't need the reverse polarity if you know you've wired it right and the thermal aspect is to prevent the plug itself from getting hot enough to melt plastic.

https://www.engelcoolers.com/engel-thermal-fuse.html

That's part of the reason I still run a cigarette plug, since we use the fridge in the back of her Forester plugged into its standard rear power point. So I felt having the thermal fuse might be a nice backup. Engel put it there in the first place to satisfy the Japanese regulatory bodies.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I hope thats not a suggestion as the only fuse.
OCPD should be located as close to power source as practical.
Fwiw, my buddys truck, fitted an on-off switch to the base of driverseat.
As conductors path along framerail, its insignifigant extra distance to that switch.

No, of course it was not.

There should naturally be a fuse at the head end of the run. I fused my 8 AWG, 105ºC PVC marine cable run, which was about 18 feet IIRC, at 25 amps in the main distribution fuse block.

Just saying the Engel cigarette plug has a thermal fuse with a reverse polarity diode that I felt was worth mentioning should it happen to be of interest to anyone else. It's 10 amps and there to protect the cable between the outlet and the fridge.

BTW, Engel also uses a plain 10 A blade fuse on back, just above the cord receptacles, as the actual device protection.

 

[WickedSharp]

This is the outlet I used.

https://powerwerx.com/blue-sea-1011-12-volt-dash-socket

His link is to a Power Pole outlet, which would require cutting the plug off your Engel cable and crimping on Power Poles.

If you do that you may consider putting fuse holder back inline near the Power Poles. Engel uses a thermal fuse with reverse polarity in the tip of the stock cable. Strictly speaking, though, you don't need the reverse polarity if you know you've wired it right and the thermal aspect is to prevent the plug itself from getting hot enough to melt plastic.

https://www.engelcoolers.com/engel-thermal-fuse.html

That's part of the reason I still run a cigarette plug, since we use the fridge in the back of her Forester plugged into its standard rear power point. So I felt having the thermal fuse might be a nice backup. Engel put it there in the first place to satisfy the Japanese regulatory bodies.

We have an Outback that we plug the fridge into sometimes as well...

Hmmm

 

[JPaul]

When I picked up my used ARB (Engel) fridge I cut the cord about a foot before the cigarette adapter and added Anderson Powerpoles to each of the new cord ends. This way when I finally get around to wiring in my rear power system I can plug it directly into the distribution center using Powerpoles, but in the meantime, and if I need to use the fridge elsewhere, I can hook back up the cigarette adapter.

You could also purchase a second cord to cut up, but to me that's an unnecessary expense.

If the fridge is going to be located in an exposed environment then I'd make sure to load up the plug at the fridge end of the cord with dielectric grease and go with the Deutsch weatherproof connectors for the other end of the cord:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/253602129867

There are different types of pins for the connectors based on if you are crimping and what type of crimp you are using. The pins in that auction are crimpable but also do well for soldering if you choose that route (though personally I only reccomend crimping for automotive environments).

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[rkfoote]

Here is the complete write up for you! https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/12v-bed-outlet-install-write-up.378833/

 

[DaveInDenver]

Here is the complete write up for you! https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/12v-bed-outlet-install-write-up.378833/

That's a nice looking installation.

 

[WickedSharp]

1st step..
Ran a new cable from battery positive to the starter. Switched to a military terminal that my power wire to the back can attach to.

Changed my oil too

 

[WickedSharp]

Cut some holes.

Now to find a place for the busbar and run the wire.

 

[WickedSharp]

Finally ran the wire...

This project is done. Everything works well. First camping trip in July up to Burlington VT