?12-volt wiring: direct and simple plug?

[Gonefishin]

I am going to run a 12-volt plug from the battery on the tongue of my trailer to the inside front of the trailer. Just a straight feed, directly connected to the battery posts with ring terminals.

My question is what guage of wire to run the direct feed with? I know I should have an in-line fuse, but not sure as to what amp. ?? How about when I make the single cigarette-style plug into a 3 pronger?

Here's what I mean:

I'll make a contraption like this, only with ring terminals. I have some plugs I use on the boats.


Then, I'll add one of these so can possibly plug in a lap top, charge a cell phone, and still have one for "possibles' like a spot light, small electronic device, satellite radio, etc.) Will likely only use one or two at once, but might as well be wired for three if I'm going to do it, right?

Is this all overkill for one wire coming in directly from the battery? Would rather avoid a fuse block, but I guess I could do that too. (I have a new one hanging in the garage for my boats) I could also just wire three different receptacles separately to the battery. However, one wire direct seems simpler and less space consuming, if its possible and safe. If so, which wire, and what about fusing?

This one-wire way, I just drill a hole, put a rubber grommet around the outside of the hole, run the wire through, seal the hole, and done! Right?

(I've been electronically-challenged since birth. To get around that, I usually wire everything direct. I have 9 different pos and neg wires going to ONE battery on my primary boat. Never a problem!) Space and simplicity are more of a consideration here though.

[Ageless]

Why use the cigarette lighter type? Go to RadioShack and pick up these





[img]http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pRS1C-2264645t98.jpg[/img





They come in different sizes so take along a plug from you device. These will keep things tidy

[Gonefishin]

I guess was thinking cigarette lighter type because every electronic thing I have has that plug. Laptop, MP-3, spot light, other lights, cell phone charger, heat blanket, etc. Seems to be universal for most 12 volt accessories. If I use other type of plugs, they all seem to vary in size and compatability unless we're talking 110, and I'm not doing that.

[legojenn]

I'm not sure if I've misread your post, so please ignore it if I misunderstood.

A friend of mine who sometimes camps out of the back of his pickup (though he usually camps in the backwoods using a canoe to get to his sites) has a deep cycle battery back there. He runs his 12V devices from it. It is charged by the truck when it's running, but it has some sort of device that will not let the starter battery and the deep-cycle battery share electricity. He can drain one and not the other and be stranded in the middle of nowhere.

I'm thinking that might be better than running your 12V right off your truck. That being said, the cigarette lighter connections are horrible. They overheat and the connections are some dodgy. I'd wire with something like the posters above suggested and if you need a cigarette lighter connection, put a small male plug on the male part of that splitter-type thing and put it away when you aren't using it. Now that most people don't smoke, you would think that car companies would replace that cigarette lighter socket and replace it with something more modern like USB, but 12V, not 5.

[Gonefishin]

So, I need to cut off the male cigarette lighter connectors on the wires coming from the items I want to plug in? (electric blanket, cell phone charger, lap top 12-v adapter, etc) Then, put a connector on all of those wires so that they fit another type of plug I wire in from the battery. And, is there a plug other than the cigarette lighter type that allows me to plug in more than one accessory at a time?

I didn't realize cigarette lighter plugs were so unreliable. I've just never seen any adapters or small electronics that plug into 12-volts any other way.

[Gonefishin]

Legojenn: Yes, I do have a deep cycle battery mounted on my trailer tongue. Its charged by the truck, but only when running. Does not draw from the starting battery.

I'm just trying to figure out the best way to have 12 volt power inside the trailer for my accessory items. The newer vehicles these days are full of cigaratte lighter plugs for accessories. My '08 pickup has about 8 of 'em, but no ash tray! As as I've said, every 12 volt item I own has a male cigarette-lighter type plug in.

I guess I either cut them all off and replace them with ???, or take my chances.

Is everybody else just running 110 stuff, or directly wiring every 12 volt accessory with an on/off switch of some sort?

[Gonefishin]

No matter what type of power connector you select, you will have to build power adapters for each of the different type of equipment you want to connect to...

That's what I'm trying to avoid, I think. I have cig. lighter cords for everything I want to run, and some of them are already wired with those. I just need the female plugs for them wired to the battery. Just like inside a car, truck, or boat.

Maybe I'll just wire three separate single female plugs directly to the battery, running only the wires through the trailer. That way, they'll each have their own wire. I guess I still will need to fuse each one.

I hate electricity!

[edcasey]

Accessory plug sockets are come in many different amperage ratings. They can be anywhere from 2 amp capacity to 15 amp. What are the amperage draws of the items you want to plug in? Do you need to run all the items at the same time? As far as wire size goes, that will depend on the maximum amperage and fuse size of the socket or sockets you choose.

I wired two 12 volt wall outlets into my camper to charge cell phones, mp3 player, laptop....The ones I used are rated for 15 amps.

[Gonefishin]

Now that looks slick! A couple of those, with about a 10 or 15 amp fuse, would probably fit my needs. I thought for the fuse, I'd just start small, and work my way up until it didn't blow. Not sure on the amp draw of the "stuff" plugged in. I'm thinking 12 guage wire will be slightly over-sufficient, which is just right.

Thanks Ed!

[edcasey]

Just be sure to check the amp rating of the outlet before you buy it. They range from 5 amp to 15 amp. Most RV or Marine dealers will have them or there are several online retailers that carry them. You might have to call to find out the maximum amperage rating. The ones Camping World and Amazon sell don't list the max rating. As long as you get one of sufficient rating, you wont have any problems. I've never seen one fail and 99% of factory built campers come with them (usually built into the cable TV outlet).

12 gauge should be okay if your outlet isn't too far from your battery. If you use a wiring chart like this one you can verify that the wire size is correct.
http://www.affordable-solar.com/wire.charts.htm. The numbers listed in the chart are the maximum distances in feet you can use and only have a 2% voltage drop (caused by the resistance of the wire). For instance, a 12 gauge wire is good for up to 4.5 feet at a 15 amp draw or 7 feet at a 10 amp draw. If you exceed the maximum length indicated in the chart, you will increase the voltage drop due to the longer wire having more resistance.
Ed

[bc toys]

I have 3 of the ones Ed showed you. One on each side of bed and one on top of cabnet. Going to insall on by vent to use fan. The side wall ones you need to build out a little to keep them off outer skin of trailer and tape back of conectors good so they dont rub. But to your question if it was me i would run #10 at least with load of all 3