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Anybody know the max load I can put on my rear 12v outlet (06 H3)

RoadWarrior

Member
Messages
5
Location
Houston
I am building out some shelves and drawers in the back of the H3 and I'm thinking of installing a pure sine wave inverter back there. However, I am a bit worried that I'll overload the thing once I am always seeing a pair of 120v outlets there (my mind gets evil thoughts on use of refrigerators and power tools).

If you know, please let me know and save me some rewiring...thanks

RW
 

JPaul

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,436
Location
Way up north, UT
Max I would ever expect out of a 12v cig socket is 5 amps. I know that technically they should handle 15 amps or so, but it's just not worth the risk as the majority of the time the wires running to the cig socket are pretty small gauge. What size inverter are you wanting to run? Even a small 750 watt inverter needs at least 4 gauge for even a short run since they can pull about 70 amps at full power, and up to around 150 amps surge.

And if you're going to go to the trouble of running cable to the back you might as well run at least 1/0 gauge for anything else you decide to power back there. You can just run one positive cable from the battery and then use shorter lengths for the negative and just bond them to the frame rails at the battery and at the rear. That will save on both cost and reduce the voltage drop (the frame has a very low resistance drop compared to any cable you'll run since there is so much mass to it, and the more the voltage drops along the run, the more amps your load(s) will need to pull to make up for it).

You can get arc welding cable relatively inexpensively from what I've heard. It's a good source for large gauge cable.
 

Gunner_45

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
1,932
Location
Texas
Look in your owners manual for the fuse block and see what amp rating the fuses are for the aux power ports.

#'s 45 and 51.

20 amps I think is what I saw.
 

cbetts

NERD!!!
Messages
3,188
Location
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Can you post a picture of your setup? Not sure if it's in your build thread.


www.getlostoverlanding.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sorry for the long delay. I have been sick for almost a week.

Here is the best picture I can find right now:
tCATjeDPv8nCBRv0NG6yNmSEUyfGlg_l-hKXuRXFYfjVN4SbrNggHhlj2f0d6knDOuYAyK851qMJaTvntDBSc-winnf5vJgobix9Ed53vqlWbP9PK4MIREFv7HpQa7Mb0j5sMLsVPrrJs9SY2DtNlvtqQdmAyPe7cVZ_NZ7AWHx5FI2nQH9KsmK_N_aj9_B9NTrd7Vf3-_P69reJlFLt2QPk0AISHo8gRts90AS_s9vil6o109MqZdSgXwPUYLVsIQmR58Lqp8GpjWfMEqP_7Xh2YPQGppF8NF1C4XbTvAx4Ac-ZM9rDMSgi8NobhIlTjE1aj1iKNa7-xYxL2lQO3Og_Ud8pisYZld69k5dmMtooDmIKzQKfo-bLfhIXLQQSB1H1ddIY8_pUT3EP2X8ffypnQXq2LopY85RgakOHZ6TmPCAUfJqlNYpdKAkVsxQLzefy31RrPlCHvAksi1Nxhpj7Fimx3o1QlRgAtI9UKWpZDYgGp25knQPlobdFw63tlbFlUn7HvxzZs3oeNzEgIyXtVRIWwH6BN4LvWsfcdJGCfhSXtjp3HTsp9LHu2d6zUaNX4PMGfgismmLLEDFjLybpDGUeJonwZxJNLmfAKwpjKpxSD92424_w4WDxX5zXFEl8f2xC0h2iCy8iPCkewxUuoRM8fnpL1_DmOivnfK4=w807-h454-no


I snipped the thick red wire from the harness for my constant 12V. I also ran a wire from a switch on my console to a relay. The switch is fed power from an ignition source so the compressor isn't always on. Also allows me to keep compressor off in case something happens, like a blown air line.
 

RoadWarrior

Member
Messages
5
Location
Houston
Thanks all, sorry I've been tardy in reply....I figured 5A max, more like 3.5A to be safe. I am thinking of a very small cooler and/or an inverter, which I'm thinking now is a dicey proposition without a rewire.

Going to do the dual battery soon and I guess I'll address the back-end power at that time.
 
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