12V constant power

[Enigma]

So I now need to wire up a 12v constant power source in the back of the 81. Canadian tire has some thing for 17 bucks or so that has a 16' wire and a 12v plug with a snap lid. There does not appear to be a fuse in it, should there be? This would be powering the ARB fridge. And just simply wire it straight from the one battery?
Also in our Sienna, it has a 12v plug in the back, but it only works on accessory. What would one have to do to that for constant power?

 

[ElectricDyck]

If you're coming right off the battery, there should be some sort of inline fuse installed to protect everything in the event of a short. My 80 has a little black plastic fuse block in the engine compartment with accessory and permanent power.

In your siena you would need a wring diagram to figure out how the factory wiring is done. Might be easier to just run a new wire to the back.

 

[canucksafari]

On your 81, I'd wire it from your non-starting battery. You should have it set-up so it can't draw on your starting battery. For the Sienna, if you are thinking about having it in there often, I'd do a dual batter set-up. As for the fuse, i always fuse any new electrical line - especially if it is coming direct from your battery. I'd also add a relay and a toggle switch so I could turn off the power from the driver's position.

 

[Enigma]

If you're coming right off the battery, there should be some sort of inline fuse installed to protect everything in the event of a short. My 80 has a little black plastic fuse block in the engine compartment with accessory and permanent power.

In your siena you would need a wring diagram to figure out how the factory wiring is done. Might be easier to just run a new wire to the back.

Mine has that power thing in the engine bay also, tap it off that perhaps?

 

[ElectricDyck]

They are both starting batteries unless you converter to a 12v starter. The right hand side battery polarity stays constant during starting. If you are tying to an existing circuit it will already be fused. Those firdges only draw like 2 amps right?

 

[Enigma]

On your 81, I'd wire it from your non-starting battery. You should have it set-up so it can't draw on your starting battery. For the Sienna, if you are thinking about having it in there often, I'd do a dual batter set-up. As for the fuse, i always fuse any new electrical line - especially if it is coming direct from your battery. I'd also add a relay and a toggle switch so I could turn off the power from the driver's position.

Both batteries are for starting, it's a 24v start system. The fridge has some kinda sensor stuff in it to tell if the battery is getting low, and it will shut itself off.

 

[Enigma]

Those firdges only draw like 2 amps right?

2.7 amps max I think I read. The literature says it draws .86 amps with the fridge at 3 deg and the ambient temperature 27 deg or so. But yah, pretty low.

 

[canucksafari]

Both batteries are for starting, it's a 24v start system. The fridge has some kinda sensor stuff in it to tell if the battery is getting low, and it will shut itself off.

Simple then. Take a wire from the high battery to a relay. Also add a fuse for the length and gauge of wire you are running (usually a 15-20 splade fuse). Take another wire from the battery and run it to your toggle or rocker switch inside. This is your relay power trip wire. Add a 5 amp fuse to this wire. Stone had a little diagrame on how to properly connect a relay for this in the 24V section. I think it was under Daytime Running Lights. Now from the relay, run your accessory wire back to the rear of the vehicle. Place your fuse for this wire as close as possible to your relay.

 

[Granite Grinder]

For both vehicles, run both power and ground to the accessory plug straight off the battery. A 15A inline fuse on the power side, use at least 14g wire. I prefer to run these wire inside the cabin, less chance of exposure and chafing. If your batteries are strong you won't need to worry about leaving it running overnight, just make sure to start the vehicles and run for 10 or 15 minutes, ideally not idling. Do a test run at home first
P

 

[canucksafari]

2.7 amps max I think I read. The literature says it draws .86 amps with the fridge at 3 deg and the ambient temperature 27 deg or so. But yah, pretty low.

You can make it worth your work by adding a few accesory plugs in the back. PA has the 6 spade fuse terminal blocks for about $12.00. I'd consider running a big enough wire to supply 30 amps. How many amps does your alternator ramp out? If its only 40 amps, you may just want 20 amps in the back.

 

[canucksafari]

For both vehicles, run both power and ground to the accessory plug straight off the battery. A 15A inline fuse on the power side, use at least 14g wire. I prefer to run these wire inside the cabin, less chance of exposure and chafing. If your batteries are strong you won't need to worry about leaving it running overnight, just make sure to start the vehicles and run for 10 or 15 minutes, ideally not idling. Do a test run at home first
P

When I did mine, I did take the ground off the engine grounding strap. You should get ground off the frame in the rear but like Phil says, a ground wire to the back is more secure.

 

[Granite Grinder]

Ahh your 81 is 24v. Like John said, tap the high side, use a meter to make sure your getting 24v. You won't need to start the 81 when running the fridge, at least for a couple of days. Use the same instructions I posted earlier, personally I wouldn't worry about a switch or relay, you'll never be drawing more than a couple amps back there, just don't hook your 200w amplifier to this circuit. I had trouble running 24v straight into my fridge, I had to bypass the factory accessory plug. Have you tested the fridge in both vehicles?

 

[ElectricDyck]

I used the the little factory fuse block for my sub amp, keeps things looking neat. I took off my inside rocker trim ran the wireto the back that way under the carpet. A 14 guage stranded wire should be more than enough for + and find a good ground location in the back for a - .

 

[ElectricDyck]

The only thing 24 volt in the truck is the starter, everything else is 12 volt.

 

[Granite Grinder]

You can make it worth your work by adding a few accesory plugs in the back. PA has the 6 spade fuse terminal blocks for about $12.00. I'd consider running a big enough wire to supply 30 amps. How many amps does your alternator ramp out? If its only 40 amps, you may just want 20 amps in the back.

John has a good point, I thought about this when I was wiring the 62. In the end I just put an accessory plug back there. I couldn't think of anything else I would be running back there, of course I do have a rigrunner under the front driver seat, so my power needs are pretty much met with that.
West Mountain Radio - RIGrunner Description

 

[canucksafari]

But if you want to add and outlet for a work light or LED camp light or another for the kids DVD player, then you might want the extra juice and the security of a relay protected circuit.

 

[Granite Grinder]

15 amps is more than enough to run the DVD player, LED lights and fridge. You could probably run two of all these items and still be under 15A. I like relays, but I use them on 30A + circuits.

 

[Enigma]

So from what I've read on in the 80 section, they have seemed to use up to 10 gauge wire. Canadian Tire has 2 12v outlets (5 amp max), basicly the same just one has a 16' long lead, but they are 16 gauge. I stopped at PA, but they were out of stock of whatever it was they had.
And ***youverymuch to Lordco, who has the exact same brand (Casco) of 12v outlet that Canadian Tire has, but they want 42$ vs. 17$.

So........where did you guru's get your outlets?

 

[canucksafari]

So from what I've read on in the 80 section, they have seemed to use up to 10 gauge wire. Canadian Tire has 2 12v outlets (5 amp max), basicly the same just one has a 16' long lead, but they are 16 gauge. I stopped at PA, but they were out of stock of whatever it was they had.
And ***youverymuch to Lordco, who has the exact same brand (Casco) of 12v outlet that Canadian Tire has, but they want 42$ vs. 17$.

So........where did you guru's get your outlets?

I just have a Walmart double outlet for now. I will likely head off to Captain Crunch and pick a few of the nicer ones off of the vehicles they have there. For that sort of thing they only charge a few bucks for a hand full of them. If you want new ones, then give the RV/Boat places a try.

 

[Granite Grinder]

I picked some flush mount one's from Walmart. These need a hole drilled or mounted below something, like a dash. 10g is serious overkill, the fridge cable is probably 16g... maybe 14g at best. You could split the difference and use 12g, but that is pretty thick wire. I used 10g to feed my RIGrunner and it's 40A. Of course a lot has to do with distance travelled, but in a Land Cruiser that is a moot point. Most of the receptacles are barely rated for even 10A, so no point in running thick cable when the weak link will be the receptacle.
P