Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Step 12: Run 12v Wiring – security cable

This step is a mouthful. I've posted my rough draft today, but there will be changes, and additions... definitely additions... If you see anything I missed, please let me know...

Thanks,

Mike...

Wiring. The mere sound of the word scares some people. But it’s really not that hard.
Lets look at an overview of the inside wiring first.

Just like in the first Benroy I built, this design has an electrical raceway under the cabinets in the cabin. This raceway is nothing more than a box to hide all your wires and plugs in. The electrical comes in once side of the raceway, and there are 12V plugs and 110V plugs on both the cabin side and the galley side of the raceway. The first plug on the 110v side is a GFI plug, which acts as your fuse. The 12v side has a fuse for every circuit. Finally, there is a 12v converter that turns your 110v power into 12 v power for lights, vents, fans, mattress warmers, tvs, etc.

Here’s the parts you need to get
110v Inlet
12 gauge wire for 110v circuit
Electrical box for every plug you want
Electrical outlets
One GFI electrical outlet
12 v converter
12 gauge wire for 12v circuit
12 volt plugs
12 v fuse box
Bus bar
Sound cable 16-2
¾” pvc conduit

Make the electrical raceway by screwing a piece of 1x4 underneath the cabinet and another 1x4 5 ½” below that. The front of the raceway will be a piece of 1x6 either screwed on or hinged. Michael W did a beautiful hinged version of the raceway.
http://tnttt.com/viewto ... 6278#36278

At the end of the raceway, on the drivers side, drill a hole for the 110v inlet, and install.

Cut out your rectangular holes for your 110v plugs in the bulkhead wall and also in the raceway front.

Drill your holes for your 12v plugs in both the bulkhead walls and the raceway front.

Mount the 12v converter on the bulkhead wall, either the cabin side or the galley side.

Run the wires from the 12v converter to the fuse block and the busbar

Drill a hole through the top of the cabinet, through the bottom of the cabinet and thru the raceway for a piece of conduit. Press the conduit into the hole, so that it’s flush with the top and bottom of the cabinet.

Pull 16-2 wires from all the lights locations, vent fan location, and 12v plug locations down through the conduit in the cabinet to the fuseblock and busbar. You’ll be drilling holes thru the roof spars to pull your wires. Try to place the wires exactly 1 foot from each edge. Later when you attach your roof, you’ll avoid the area 1 foot from the edge, so that you don’t accidently put a nail or screw into your wiring, causing a short.

As you attach each light to the wall, you’ll connect the other end to the fuseblock and bus bar as shown in this photo.

Connect the 110v wiring as shown in this photo. Test the 110v circuit.
http://www.electrical-online.com/howtoa ... esters.htm

Turn on the power converter. Test the 12v circuit
http://www.pilotstore.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=1544

Later when we install the hatch we’ll be pulling some more wire into the electrical raceway.

Mike, While I'm waiting for my Fantastic vent to arrive, where should I stub the wire for it? Should I leave it hanging in the 14 1/4 X 14 1/4 hole, or should it be just outside the hole? Jim

It's easiest to leave the wiring hanging inside the hole.

My memory is a little fuzzy, but I thing the fan wiring was on the street side of the teardrop. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks,

Mike...

mikeschn wrote:It's easiest to leave the wiring hanging inside the hole.

My memory is a little fuzzy, but I thing the fan wiring was on the street side of the teardrop. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks,

Mike...

That's a big 10-4, mine was on the street side before I moved it to the rear.

asianflava wrote:

mikeschn wrote:It's easiest to leave the wiring hanging inside the hole.

My memory is a little fuzzy, but I thing the fan wiring was on the street side of the teardrop. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks,

Mike...

That's a big 10-4, mine was on the street side before I moved it to the rear.

Mike/A.F., Thanks, I can continue my wiring so I can insulate now. Jim

Mike

I'm sure I've missed this somewhere but how do we get all these steps in one place?

Geron

Geron wrote:I'm sure I've missed this somewhere but how do we get all these steps in one place? Geron

Try here. http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=34

The end result will be a pdf that you can print out at home. But I'm not that far along yet! Today I have to work on the sidewall notch for the hatch!

Mike...

Gottcha!

g

Geron wrote:Mike

I'm sure I've missed this somewhere but how do we get all these steps in one place?

Geron

I have been copying and pasting them into a Word document. Can't wait for the PDF

Kerry

Mike, What are the next steps. Doors, roof and hatch I would think. I just don't know how. 1-12 are now complete (mostly). BTW, I like the new drawings.

I'll have some time tomorrow to work on the next steps. Let me know if there is one step that you'd like more than the others, in case I run out of time tomorrow.

By the way, for you the next step is to insulate with pink EPS. The stuff that needs to bend around can be kerfed, or you can use R-tech which bends easily. Did you already cut your 3/8" relief for your hatch?

Mike...

P.S. How did you run the wire for your porch light?

Mike, as far as which steps it doesn't matter. I am trying to build doors right now. I haven't cut the 3/8 yet. I'm scared. I have insulated. Here's something I did that makes it easier. I used the ridgid foam board on the flat surfaces and the R-tech for the curved surfaces. It bends much easier.
http://www.tnttt.com/gallery/image.php?image_id=2973
I didn't go with a porch light. If I do, I'll post pictires.

I happen to already own a Radio Shack 110v to 12v converter. It's only 3 amp at 13.8V though. I see a number of them online at 10 amp. What 12 volt devices will need more than 3 amp? Need to know if I can get by with the one I have.