Newb wiring up a 6x12 cargo

[rpmawhinney]

Ok so my wife and our two kids are taking a three week road trip to the midwest (we are from Maine) and we were planning on staying in a tent on campgrounds. However, I have a 6x12 box trailer that I dont really use and I was thinking I should turn that into tent on wheels. I was amazed to see how many people have done this exact thing. So I have the trailer the shelving is already in there. I am just going to paint the inside white to brighten it up. I am going to install a vent with a fan in the ceiling, put a screen door on the side door, and set up a futon that we already have and call it good for now. The only other thing I want to do is set up a dorm refrigerator that we already have. There is a light in the trailer currently but I would like to add another one or two on 12v and then a couple regular 110 outlets.

I know the dorm refrigerator is not an ideal way to go however, we will be either hooked to the truck or shore power most of the time the only time the refrig. would need to run off battery would be if we stop and go in somewhere for dinner etc.

My question is how do I do this. I want to run the refig off the truck when we are driving, then be able to pull power from the batteries if necessary, and lastly be able to pull up and hook up 30 amp shore power. am really quite lost in the way this system would go. I can do all the practicle hooking up the system but designing the system so it works is beyond my electrical capabilities. I am kind of rushing the setup with this trailer but I want to wire it so I can continue to make improvements. Can anyone help or point me in the right direction?

The total system would be,

Trailer lights
3- 12 volt lights
3- 110 outlets (for a microwave and whatever else maybe a tv down the road)
1- dorm refrigerator

Needs to run off the truck, batteries, and shore power.


Thank you all for any help you can offer!

Ross

[CarlLaFong]

Aren't all dorm refrigerators 110 volt only? I have one in my shop and it only has a 3 prong 15A 110 plug. How will you get 110 from the truck?

[rpmawhinney]

I guess I would be charging the batteries off the truck right? Then through a converter to the frige does that make sense?

[michaelwpayton]

That 110v fridge is going to draw a lot... 600 watts, a little over 5 amps.

Depending on the distance and the type of wire used... between the truck battery and the trailer battery... your trailer battery will charge slowly or very slowly.

Depending on the size of your battery and how much "head start" you give it before the fridge begins to quickly suck the life out it... a fair sized inverter will feed the battery's power to the 110v fridge.

[rpmawhinney]

ok so you have me thinking scrap the mini refrigerator idea and build one of these 5 day chests you guys are talking about. so that takes care of the wiring for the frig.

Now i have to set up a system that can charge off the truck or shore power that will run the lights and a couple 110 outlets. Any ideas?


Thank you for the help so far!

[Goatdog]

I have a 12V danfoss compressor fridge in my 4Runner (my tow vehicle). They work very well, draw little amps, and I wouldn't dream of being without it. However...they are very expensive.

So for my 5x8 cargo trailer, I put a regular dorm fridge in there. If you cool it down the night before your travels/camping, and cool down all intended food/drinks, and throw a frozen half gallon milk jug (filled with potable water that you can drink later) or several reusable smaller freezer packs, it'll still be very cold in there after being unplugged 8 - 10 hours later. Then just plug it back in when you arrive at your next campsite, provided you have shore power. I would tell you to make sure the fridge has a freezer compartment (which means it has a compressor) and isn't one of those sucky peltier models.

You could charge your CT battery while towing and run your fridge off an inverter. I do tow charge but don't feel running the fridge off the inverter is needed. It will probably draw too much to run off your battery and inverter combo for long, but if you tow charge with at least 10ga wires, I'd imagine you could go a few hours without draining the battery too far.

Happy camping!

[8ball_99]

If your always either going to be driving or have shore power and as long as the fridge doesn't pull a ton of power I don't see a problem with it. You need to figure out how much power you fridge pulls exactly.. Not what it says on the side but use something like a kilowatt meter. If the wattage isn't to bad then the tow vehicles charging system should be able to handle it. And even if the setup pulls a little more power then what the charge wire is feeding in all you would be doing is slowly drawing down your trailers battery. Since your plan is to have shore power where your going as long as you have an onboard charger your golden.. With what your wanting to do a RV power converter would be the way to go. Has AC breakers in it, battery charger and 12v fuses all in one box thats about 80-140 bucks depending on amperage of the charger.

Now all that said A good inverter isn't all that cheap. And with what your wanting to do, I would probably consider a built in transfer switch. Allows you to hardwire the inverter in but if you plug the trailer in while the inverter is on no biggie.. I mean you could plug the fridge into the inverter for travel and the plug it into a built in outlet once your there.. Its how ever you wanted to do it.. I have a 600 watt true sine wave inverter in my cargo trailer hardwired with a automatic transfer switch to one of my 110v circuits. On that circuit I have a few outlets, TV, ect. My inverter was 175 another 40 for the automatic transfer switch. If the inverter is on for what ever reason and I fire up the generator or plug the trailer in NO biggie. Transfer switch keeps things in order by switching the load to shore power and not crossing the inverters 110v output with the shore powers 110v I do not use the setup with a fridge though because my fridge is a 3 way.. I run it on 12v on the road and switch it over to either 110v or Gas depending on if we have shore power or not. ( We don't about 1/3 of the time which is why I wanted a gas fridge)

Also like others said. Dorm fridge is a insulated box pretty much like a cooler.. So depending on travel time and whats in the fridge keeping it powered might not be an issue.

[rpmawhinney]

Wow you guys I am so thankful for all your help. So first thing I have to do then is test this refig out and see what its drawing thing make some decisions from there. Ill will do that asap and let you know what i get. It does have the mini freezer in it.

[MDAcresDirector]

This seems so complicated

I am new-beee also, I can wire outlets as I only want (2) two and a light above, there is no power
now inside, how do I get power to the outlets with using a plug-into a regular 110 outlet (20amp)
from outside or a house and / or to a generator if I have one available at times ??

I really cant use a 30 amp inlet box on outside as I am never at a camp ground using it
more for work, or is there a 30 amp conversion plug

Also I want to put a deep cycle battery will that wire to a RV converter to the box

Someone explain in simple terms, as I realize I am making it harder then it is

Thanks

[pmowers]

This seems so complicated

I am new-beee also, I can wire outlets as I only want (2) two and a light above, there is no power
now inside, how do I get power to the outlets with using a plug-into a regular 110 outlet (20amp)
from outside or a house and / or to a generator if I have one available at times ??

Many people have drilled a small hole through the side and covered it with one of the power outlet covers available from most rv places. Just slide the extension cord through it with a 3 prong outlet inside the trailer.

I really cant use a 30 amp inlet box on outside as I am never at a camp ground using it
more for work, or is there a 30 amp conversion plug

You can get what is called a "dogbone", which is a 30A male end connected to a 15A female on the other. You just plug the 30 amp into the post and your extension cord into the other. I got mine at Walmart.

Also I want to put a deep cycle battery will that wire to a RV converter to the box

A converter takes 110 VAC and converts it to 12 VDC. Think battery charger, in fact, if you are just starting, a battery charger to recharge the deep cycle battery when you have 110 is not a bad way to go, just remember not to charge the battery in the trailer as many produce explosive hydrogen gas.
An inverter converts 12 VDC to 110 VAC. These are available in many sizes, ranging from 100W to 2000W+. The problem with inverters is that they will drain your battery pretty quick, leaving you unable to start your TV (Tow Vehicle).

Can Someone explain in simple terms, as I realize I am making it harder then it is

It seems pretty daunting when you first think about doing a conversion, but there are a lot of really great people on this board who are willing to look over your shoulder and share their experience. Also check out the other forums for specific areas, electrical, plumbing, wiring.

Welcome, and let us know how you are doing. Where are you planning on going in the Midwest? I loved it when I was up in Maine.

Pat