12 volts to rear

[Bear Lake Cruiser]

I run my ARB fridge on the stock rear 12 volt socket and this is fine as long as the engine is running. But during camp it would be better to have a dedicated line and socket with heavier gauge wire. That is easy enough to run a fused + and a - down the frame rail from the battery but where is the best place to make a weatherproof penetration to the interior of the rear quarter panel? left preferably.

 

[guardcompany]

There are a lot of threads of people doing this, just search for some ideas. I ran one 4awg welding wire (4 AWG Premium Extra Flexible Welding Cable 600 VOLT - RED - 25 FEET - EWCS Branded - Made in the USA!: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific) from the battery positive through the firewall into the passenger side kick well and popped up the door floor trim pieces and ran it back to the cargo area where the DVD player was. Then into a Blue Sea fuse panel (Amazon.com : Blue Sea Systems 5025 ST Blade Fuse Block - 6 Circuits with Negative Bus and Cover : Auxiliary Fuse Block : Sports & Outdoors). Grounded it to one of the bolts in the floor that goes to the frame. My ham radio, fridge and lights in the rear all are hard wired to the fuse panel. I also added a USB outlet and voltage meter that I put in the door of the DVD area. I'll have to take a picture of it finished, but here is a photo of this summer where I was getting it all setup:

 

[savirc]

I actually just did this literally last weekend, had a huge debate in my head over going under or in the truck. In the end I decided to go through inside of the truck even though its 10x more work than under. Used 6 GA and blue sea fusebox, two outlets all connected to a constant on the Aux battery.

I just didn't feel safe running such a thick wire under the truck with out conduit. Plus I needed to take off the inner quarter panel anyway to add the outlets and that was half the work anyway, rest is running under the door seals and thru existing firewall boot.

 

[Bear Lake Cruiser]

Thanks guys

 

[Bloomer]

^^^ On my list of things to do!

 

[Bear Lake Cruiser]

I actually just did this literally last weekend, had a huge debate in my head over going under or in the truck. In the end I decided to go through inside of the truck even though its 10x more work than under. Used 6 GA and blue sea fusebox, two outlets all connected to a constant on the Aux battery.

I just didn't feel safe running such a thick wire under the truck with out conduit. Plus I needed to take off the inner quarter panel anyway to add the outlets and that was half the work anyway, rest is running under the door seals and thru existing firewall boot.

View attachment 1367375

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at the battery on your 6 gauge red, do you have it fused or a circuit breaker? And where did you ground the blue sea panel? There is probably a body ground in there somewhere.

 

[savirc]

I highly recommend breaker over fuses.

1- Fuses have to be replaced, breakers do not.

2- If you replace your fuse once you've paid the price of a braker.

3- If you are in the middle of no where, and have no spares where are you going to find a 100 amp fuse?, breaker can be reset once you find the short.

4- More than twice I've turned off the breaker with out having to disconnect from battery to work on the PowerLine easy disconnect no tools when needed.


I have a breaker at the main and the aux.

Ground is on the body next to the Fuel Pump ECU in the back

 

[savirc]

Breaker is next to the wiper motor on the pic

 

[savirc]

Here is the layout of the wiring in the engine compartment. You can see the big red wire running around.

 

[savirc]

2 GA between batteries, 6 GA to the back. Right next to the Blue Sea isolator on the right of the pic above you can see the red 6 GA with the yellow tip going thru firewall.

 

[guardcompany]

@savirc we have almost the exact setup except I did 4AWG and ran it on the other side of the vehicle. I agree on running a breaker, I'm running the same one. Do you think your ground for the Blue Sea fuse block is too small gauge wire? It looks like 12? I did a 4AWG ground because I had extra wire from running the positive lead.

 

[savirc]

@savirc we have almost the exact setup except I did 4AWG and ran it on the other side of the vehicle. I agree on running a breaker, I'm running the same one. Do you think your ground for the Blue Sea fuse block is too small gauge wire? It looks like 12? I did a 4AWG ground because I had extra wire from running the positive lead.

I have extra 2 gauge black and was going to use that. But I'm only running a fridge and a small appliances (usb) out of the blue sea box, not running 1000 watt inverter or anything like that. I didn't see a need for bigger ground but not a bad thing, that's 10 GA ground I had laying around I think but could be 12.

 

[guardcompany]

I have extra 2 gauge black and was going to use that. But I'm only running a fridge and a small appliances (usb) out of the blue sea box, not running 1000 watt inverter or anything like that. I didn't see a need for bigger ground but not a bad thing, that's 10 GA ground I had laying around I think but could be 12.

Cool, just curious. Where did you run your switch for your Blue Sea ACR?

 

[savirc]

Cool, just curious. Where did you run your switch for your Blue Sea ACR?

You mean like a master combine switch? or a isolation override?

I don't have either not sure what version of the Blue Sea ARC you have but this one doesn't require that. It auto combines based on volts.

 

[guardcompany]

You mean like a master combine switch? or a isolation override?

I don't have either not sure what version of the Blue Sea ARC you have but this one doesn't require that. It auto combines based on volts.

Ah ok. I have this kit: Amazon.com : Blue Sea Systems Add-A-Battery Kit : Automotive Battery Products : Sports & Outdoors and it has the on/off/combine master switch.

 

[savirc]

I also have the voltmeter so I know when they are combined, have the LED too but the volt meter is cool.

 

[savirc]

The added benefit to the voltmeter it's on always and I know the draw of each appliance right away.

 

[savirc]

Ah ok. I have this kit: Amazon.com : Blue Sea Systems Add-A-Battery Kit : Automotive Battery Products : Sports & Outdoors and it has the on/off/combine master switch.

That's the one I have, the switch is really optional. I didn't need it, the only reason to override the isolation is if you kill your starting battery and want to draw from AUX to crank the truck. I can kill the isolator by the breaker if I want to cut it off too.

No need for a master for my prefrence. If I need to override to combine on a dead starter battery I will just use jumper cables from Aux to Main. Didn't want to pay extra for the switch and deal with extra wiring, space, bracket etc.

 

[guardcompany]

@savirc Good to know. I maybe I would have gone that route, I didn't know they sold just the ACR unit. I doubt I'll even touch the switch but its there if I need to. I have a voltmeter as well and its nice to have that always on so I can peek in and see where I'm at. But one day I'd like to put one of these in: Victron BMV-700 Battery Monitor - - Amazon.com for my Aux battery. It's been on my wish list for my solar setup on my trailer. It would be nice to know where I'm actually at in my AHs. Is it needed? Not at all. Is it another display to nerd out on, yes.

 

[savirc]

@savirc Good to know. I maybe I would have gone that route, I didn't know they sold just the ACR unit. I doubt I'll even touch the switch but its there if I need to. I have a voltmeter as well and its nice to have that always on so I can peek in and see where I'm at. But one day I'd like to put one of these in: Victron BMV-700 Battery Monitor - - Amazon.com for my Aux battery. It's been on my wish list for my solar setup on my trailer. It would be nice to know where I'm actually at in my AHs. Is it needed? Not at all. Is it another display to nerd out on, yes.

Haha yes I'm a nerd of information too! thats a pricey battery monitor/voltmeter!!!