12VDC access. For new TV

roadnerd wrote:
This is in regards to my 2008 Keystone Sprinter 26BHS

For this season, I'm upgrading our ancient TV. I also decided that I wanted to change to an AC/DC TV, to allow for using the TV when off grid (yes, I know this may be ridiculous to some, but I have kids;) )

The trailer is a typical master bedroom forward, with a shared wall that divides the bedroom from the main house. The TV is on a swivel, to allow it to be viewed from either the master bedroom or the rest of the trailer - so, it's mounted in a wall, and all the wiring comes up though/down through the wall (there is also a Jensen DVD stereo combo)

The current (ancient) TV is AC only, and is powered via a 110 AC plug that is in a panel behind the TV. As far as I can tell, there is no 12VDC source in the panel.

So.. my question (finally ;) )... is... where do I get 12VDC that I can use to wire a cigarette lighter plug , that I can plug the new AC/DC TV into? Where, in general, would I look, and are there any "rv secrets" I should know? I've only done electrical in houses/cars.
Thanks!

I would be tempted to tap into the power for the stereo.. BUT, keep in mind that the stereo circuit may have a light ga wire and rather low amperage fuse.. That may not play well with a TV if it draws more than 1A or 2A at 12V..

No matter how you cut it, you will have to attempt to "fish" wire through the wall if you want the wire to be hidden. In RVs this can be rather problematic due to rather thin walls and no real specific pattern to the wood studs in the wall. You can try a stud finder, but I found that in RVs the walls are so thin that even high quality stud finders get pretty confused.

You might get lucky and be able to fish the wire from below the TV mount on the wall..

Worst comes to worst you can get wiremold surface mount wiring chase, use that on the back side of the shared wall.

As far as getting 12V, I personally would run a new separate 12V circuit back to the fuse panel. Use a decent ga of wire to minimize voltage loss (14 ga -12Ga) and make sure you FUSE the new wire (max fuse selection is for protecting the wire so 14 ga no more than 15A and 12 ga no more than 20A).

Alternately I would just opt for a REGULAR LCD TV which uses 120V and get a small low wattage inverter (300W typically plenty for all but the biggest LCD TVs). 120V TVs are dirt cheap, plentiful and easy to replace when they die.. Not all 120V TVs use external 12V supplies and typically the ones I have seen that do have a 12V supply are limited in size to 15"-19".

Mount inverter near the batteries with big heavy wire for the 12V side, then run some 120V to the TV (might be able to figure out the circuit the current outlet is on and rewire it to the inverter).