Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-04-2018, 05:28 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 235
12v fridge outlet routing from frame mounted batteries E350 super duty

I am planning to install a dedicated 12V outlet for our ARB fridge inside of our 2006 E350 6.0 which has the passenger frame mounted dual batteries. Since I can’t run through the firewall as you normally would in a vehicle with an engine bay mounted battery, I was wondering how others with batteries in this location have run wiring? I have the ARB kit with inline fuse, getting the battery boxes down is a pain enough as it is but crawling down there I’m not seeing any existing penetrations into the passenger area that I can piggyback onto. Ideally want to have it just behind the front passenger on the B pillar. Would like it to be water right. I’ve used one of those wiring glands on the roof for lighting and could do the same down below but I feel like there must be a simpler solution. Hoping someone has done somethint similar and has some advice!

ndubes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2018, 05:35 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
If this is an unconverted van you're probably just going to have to drill a hole in your floor somewhere. If you are planning on doing anything additionally to the van I would recommend running an 8 or 10 gauge wire from the positive of one of your batteries to a fuse box inside the van somewhere. For light duty I usually use a small fuse/power distribution panel. That way you can add other circuits for lights, power points or whatever you choose. Your fridge will definitely perform better with as close to a direct run as you can make (not piggybacked off another circuit). Give it it's own fuse, 15 amp or so, and you'll be happy and trouble free.

You can make a grounding block anywhere inside the van. Just drill a hole and attach a nut/bolt to put a ring terminal on. The inner sheet metal behind your trim anywhere in your van is ideal for this.

https://www.amazon.com/KKmoon-DC12V-...=dc+fuse+panel
86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2018, 05:45 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 235
Quote:
Originally Posted by 86Scotty View Post
If this is an unconverted van you're probably just going to have to drill a hole in your floor somewhere. If you are planning on doing anything additionally to the van I would recommend running an 8 or 10 gauge wire from the positive of one of your batteries to a fuse box inside the van somewhere. For light duty I usually use a small fuse/power distribution panel. That way you can add other circuits for lights, power points or whatever you choose. Your fridge will definitely perform better with as close to a direct run as you can make (not piggybacked off another circuit). Give it it's own fuse, 15 amp or so, and you'll be happy and trouble free.

You can make a grounding block anywhere inside the van. Just drill a hole and attach a nut/bolt to put a ring terminal on. The inner sheet metal behind your trim anywhere in your van is ideal for this.

https://www.amazon.com/KKmoon-DC12V-...=dc+fuse+panel
I should have mentioned, the van is a Chateau version so it's a ford passenger van but Sportsmobile did a 4x4 conversion when new (none of the RV type interior though). So there's not a great space to have an "electrical box inside", but it is something I've been thinking about - it would be nice to have an inverter, solar controller, etc all in one spot tucked away someplace. Your reply has me thinking more about it, maybe I should be more "forward thinking" with this situation and make sure it provides a wiring solution for future projects as well. So you think best way to do it is just to drill a hole in the floor then? Seal it up with some silicone? I was hoping for something a little more elegant, but maybe that's the only real option.
ndubes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2018, 09:11 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
arctictraveller's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,234
A hole in the floor sealed with a cable gland will be far better at preventing chafe and water intrusion. At a minimum, a rubber grommet. In addition, best electrical practice says you will have a fuse within a few inches of the battery. The fuse protects the wire in the case of a short circuit, and any length of wire unprotected by a fuse can cause a fire if it shorts out.

"ABYC E-11 recommends that each ungrounded conductor connected to a battery, battery charger, alternator, or other charging source, shall be provided with overcurrent protection within a distance of seven inches (175mm) of the point of connection to the DC electrical system or to the battery."

https://www.bluesea.com/support/arti...uit_Protection
__________________
Arctic Traveller
KC6TNI
2001 GTRV
Advanced 4wd
Agile Ride improvement package
arctictraveller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2018, 09:35 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 235
Thanks. Yeah the ARB wiring kit has the inline fuse already I was just hoping there was some pre-existing penetration in the floor someplace that I hadn’t seen. A hole and gland it is then! But I am going to think a bit about maybe making an electrical box inside someplace... just a little harder to find a spot in a passenger van.
ndubes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2018, 11:50 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 235
One more question - is it acceptable to connect to the (+) jumper post on the frame, or do I have to get the battery boxes all the way down and out to make my battery connection? The jumper post looks like it's connected with 2 or 4 gauge wire directly to the battery, only about a foot or two away.
ndubes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2018, 06:15 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
As Artictraveller said above use a gland or grommet or something better than a hole with silicone for sure! Yes, it would be fine to connect from the jumper post. Also, you don't need much space at all in the interior to hide the stuff discussed above (small fuse panel, solar controller, etc.). You could put it all underneath the driver or passenger seat if you didn't want it visible.

86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2018, 07:50 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 235
Quote:
Originally Posted by 86Scotty View Post
Also, you don't need much space at all in the interior to hide the stuff discussed above (small fuse panel, solar controller, etc.). You could put it all underneath the driver or passenger seat if you didn't want it visible.

We have a swivel on the passenger and driver is a power seat so there isn’t much space there, but maybe there’s just enough. The rear seats are all quick release and i want to maintain that functionality so this can be our hauler when we need it. Also have to make sure it’s tucked away somewhere where our little little ones can’t touch it. thinking about those little wall “pockets” along the driver side in the rear, but would need to make a door to them somehow to hide it all away.

Hole and silicone was me being silly, my bad. I have a box of glands that I’ll use.
ndubes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2018, 09:21 AM   #9
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 37
Quote:
Originally Posted by ndubes View Post
We have a swivel on the passenger and driver is a power seat so there isn’t much space there, but maybe there’s just enough. The rear seats are all quick release and i want to maintain that functionality so this can be our hauler when we need it. Also have to make sure it’s tucked away somewhere where our little little ones can’t touch it. thinking about those little wall “pockets” along the driver side in the rear, but would need to make a door to them somehow to hide it all away.

Hole and silicone was me being silly, my bad. I have a box of glands that I’ll use.
I just had my amplifier moved from under the passenger seat to make way for a swivel base. It fit entirely under the panel on the passenger side under the glove box/in front of the door. The other place is behind the driver side in the wall panels...we installed a cell booster and it fit entirely within the wall there, so there ther certainly should be some room available, but it might take some work to remove the panels. Good luck!
__________________
"Life moves by pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." -Ferris Bueller
lavolpe79 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2018, 10:04 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
arctictraveller's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,234
Quote:
Originally Posted by ndubes View Post
Thanks. Yeah the ARB wiring kit has the inline fuse already
Just to be clear, in line fuses installed by the manufacturer are usually there to protect the load like the fridge, not the full length of the supply wire. The difference can be in the location of the fuse. If the fuse is quite close to the connection at the power source, such as the jumper post, it can serve both purposes, but often times supplied power wires have it located close to the load, leaving the length of wire between it and the battery vulnerable to a melt down. In an idea world, even the jumper wire from the battery to the post would be fused at the battery for the ampacity of the wire. At a minimum, inspect the wires closely and eliminate any possibility of chafing.
__________________
Arctic Traveller
KC6TNI
2001 GTRV
Advanced 4wd
Agile Ride improvement package
arctictraveller is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:07 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.