Wiring questions and advice

[SimpleSi Member Find all posts View Profile Close SimpleSi]

Hi all,
I'm about to send my Prado to the autoelecs in Bris to get some work done, and just want to put a few questions out there. Only have a single battery, as I carry an AGM battery (pack) in the boot when required.

1- Hiring a camper trailer in Sep and I need to install an Anderson Plug at the tow bar. Fairly straight forward job running 6B&S wire along the door sill or chassis, but I'm not sure if I need to install a VSR (which I think are normally only used between dual battery setups?), or just have a normal 50A relay with "accessory" trigger? Once we get to our destination, I obviously don't want to continue charging the trailer off my starting battery.

2- UHF install: Bought a GME 3540 (all controls on the hand piece) and intend to install similar to Dave here. I realise the current draw on a UHF is low, but given I'll be unplugging the hand piece when not in use, I'm concerned if I have the radio wired direct to the battery and accidentally leave it on, it will drain the starting battery. Would most not worry about that or also use a 5/10A relay (with accessory trigger)?

3 - Planning an Anderson outlet and 12v ciggy/merrit outlet in the boot. The Anderson outlet would be to charge the spare battery pack when I take it, and the cigarette 12V outlet would be for the fridge when travelling (not taking on Sep trip). I would only need these charging while the car in running, so would a standard 50A (Anderson)/10A (ciggy socket) relay do the trick? Would a direct connection from the Anderson outlet in the boot, to the battery pack terminals work (using something like this which the sparkie said he can make up), without requiring a DCDC charger? Do most people install these outlets in the door of the small compartment on the rear left side of the boot, or is it easy enough to flush mount them on the forward face of the rear left wheel arch void (does that make any sense?).

Instead of multiple Relays, would some kind of VSR/Isolator between the starting battery and a distribution/fuse block near the rear of the car work better?
Thanks for any advice.

Simon

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

For 1. & 2. I would fit a Redarc SBi12 or equivalent. Run from the SBi12 through a manual cct breaker in 6B&S to an Anderson plug on the towbar. Then I would run the same again to an Anderson plug in the back and piggy back that to the merit plug or 12V socket. I can't recommend using the standard 12V socket for the fridge though as they can move with vibration and arc and even fall out. Best piggy back another Anderson plug or the merit connector. Still have a 12V outlet so you can charge things. This way you can energise either or both Anderson plugs. Going to do pretty much exactly this for my mate's Challenger. When he has the van on the back he will charge the batteries there and run his fridge. Without the van he trips the rear Anderson plug and can still run the fridge inside on the drawers.

As for 3 someone else can help you out but no big deal if you run off the 12V sockets or run direct. I haven't bothered with a dedicated install.

[SimpleSi Member Find all posts View Profile Close SimpleSi]

Thanks mate.
So could I run 2 sets of 6B&S off the SBi12, one to the trailer plug and one to the boot?
To be honest (given the cost of that wire) it's probably an over kill. The Anderson plug on the tow bar will be a one off use this September, and I won't have a fridge or battery box in the boot during that trip.
Would it be feasible to just do one run of 6B&S from a SBi12 to 2 Anderson outlets (tow bar and boot) on the proviso I only ever used one at a time?

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

The SBi12 is rated at 100A so you can take off any load through any number of consumers up to that.

Guess you have a couple of options including jumping on Redarcs site and seeing whether you need 13mm2 (6B&S) cable or could get away with 10mm2. Or run the 13mm2 inside to the Anderson plugs and then for the one off use run a patch cable out the back. Not sure if there is room to run such a big cable through the door seal but you could drop it down through the grommet in the jack compartment. Make sure you seal it all well because this is an area where dust will get in. This will save you 6m of 6B&S and a manual cct breaker so maybe $100 cheaper?

[Pie Eater Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Pie Eater]

Hi Simon,

This is how I did it with a SBI12 isolator/relay and it work fine.

http://youtu.be/0pouMN9-CXI

[SimpleSi Member Find all posts View Profile Close SimpleSi]

Thanks guys, back from the sparkies.
Ended up taking the simple option. No isolator or DCDC charger to rear anderson plugs. Just a accessory powered relay to the Anderson plugs, one on the towbar, one in the boot.


UHF install all good, except for the fact SWMBO isn't happy with the aerial directly in front of the passenger seat. Why does ARB put those antenna tabs there as opposed to out above the left headlight? So I may need to remove the antenna cable, pass it all the way back through the engine bay and install on a bracket further toward the edge of the bar. Should be a fun half day job.....



All good!

[joel231 Find all posts View Profile Close joel231]

Im an auto sparky by trade and installed my 2 way directly to the power feed off the back of the radio. If you are worried about power draw when unplugged my car sits for 2 weeks at a time when i go to work and always starts first time so if its switched off you should be right. Other wise you could wire it up to the cigarette lighter plug and it would just turn on with the ignition, only drama i find with this is you need the ignition switched on to use the 2 way which could be a pain in some situations.

Cheers Joel

[Dropbear1978 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Dropbear1978]

Hi everyone

Which grommet did you guys use to go from the engine bay thru to behind the dash

I need to run wires for spotlight switch, electric brakes, and in time a winch switch

[maulbeagle Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close maulbeagle]

there's a big one roughly behind the glovebox which has a couple of spare nipples on it. cut one off and you're good to go. seal around it when you're finished if you want to.

[Dropbear1978 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Dropbear1978]

Thanks maulbeagle, is there one on the drivers side as well? If not is it easy to get wire across behind the dash to the driver side? My last car was a grand vitara and it was a real pain to get wires across to driver side

[joel231 Find all posts View Profile Close joel231]

You can do the wiring under the dash, by to difficult just tight behind the stereo but I'd say easier to go to the other grommet behind the steering wheel

[Dropbear1978 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Dropbear1978]

Thanks i will have a look

[Poppy Joe Member Find all posts View Profile Close Poppy Joe]

USB Re-Wire
Don't know if any one is interested or cares but it annoyed the crap out of me that Mr Tojo put the USB in the dumbest place on a 2010 Prado so I shifted it.
It involved taking the lid of the console and undoing the wire (There is plenty ) and repositioning it to a vertical not horizontal position were it can get full of crap.
Funny part is I never use it . Just annoyed me.

[Nova Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nova]

Good job on the usb move, I have been looking to do the same, going to put it next to the 4wd switches in front of the gearstick. Should get it out of the way from most things when there is something plugged into it. Good to know there is some spare cord available.

Cheers,
Nova