Hey Everyone,Newbie here. Always enjoyed camping and since I've moved to Connecticut earlier this year the base I'm stationed on offers pop up campers for rent, specially newer model Aliner classics. Rented once and now I'm hooked! I'm considering buying a pop up in the future. Anyways, I have a question regarding 12 volt wiring. I've looked through the FAQ's and found similar subjects but not specifically what I'm trying to find out. Since the fridge takes some time to get cold, I want to run it while I'm on the road but the only issue I'm running into is the rentals don't come with aux batteries, so I'm wondering if there is a way I can run it off my vehicle's 12V power on the road instead. I have a 06 Jeep Liberty which has the 4 pin connector and I have to use a 4 pin to 6 pin adapter to be able to hook it up to the Aliner. Looking at a 4 pin diagram I don't think that will provide power to anything other then the turn lights.The only thing that came to mind is making a cable that connects to the leads where the Aliner's aux battery would normally be connected to (even though the rentals do not have the batteries the neg and post wires for them are still there) and have that go towards my Jeep's DC 12 volt connector that's inside near the trunk door. Not sure if there is a better way to go about this. I'd of course have to put a fuse in for protection, looking through the Aliners manual it looks like they use a 20 amp fuse for their aux battery hookup. I was considering running it off LP instead but wouldn't I still need some power to turn on the electronics portion of the fridge? Plus I've read many people have had issues keeping it lit on the road.Thanks in advance for any suggestions towards making this possible. I appreciate it.

Buy a spare battery, keep it on a battery tender and then just install when you rent the Ailiner.Easy---peasy 12V DC power for LP operation.Unless fridge can be run on 12V (3 way fridge....AC, LP, DC) you will only be able to run fridge on LP while enroute.

I believe it is a 3 way fridge. Yeah I also thought about buying a battery but was trying to see if there was at least another route before I resorted to that. Thanks for your help.

Old-Biscuit wrote:Buy a spare battery, keep it on a battery tender and then just install when you rent the Ailiner.Easy---peasy 12V DC power for LP operation.Unless fridge can be run on 12V (3 way fridge....AC, LP, DC) you will only be able to run fridge on LP while enroute.x2. Plus if the rentals have a 7-pin plug it is very likely just connecting to the tow vehicle will energize the pupups 12 volt system allowing you to run the fridge on propane. (check to make sure the pop up doesn't have a battery disconnect switch, if it does then you probably need to have it on for this to work)

hmknightnc wrote:Old-Biscuit wrote:Buy a spare battery, keep it on a battery tender and then just install when you rent the Ailiner.Easy---peasy 12V DC power for LP operation.Unless fridge can be run on 12V (3 way fridge....AC, LP, DC) you will only be able to run fridge on LP while enroute.x2. Plus if the rentals have a 7-pin plug it is very likely just connecting to the tow vehicle will energize the pupups 12 volt system allowing you to run the fridge on propane. (check to make sure the pop up doesn't have a battery disconnect switch, if it does then you probably need to have it on for this to work)I was wondering if this was the case, I wasn't sure since my tow vehicle was wired with a 4-pin plug when I had a hitch installed. I figured using the 4 pin to 6 or 7 pin adapter would mean those extra pins could not be used, and I know one of those extra pins is the 12vdc power. If that pin still receives power despite my vehicle only having a 4 pin connector that would be great.

Use propane. Most of these small PUP fridges do not have electronic ignition that requires battery power.Otherwise You need to install a 7 pin connector on your Jeep to properly send 12v power and brake controller signal to a trailer.

Question about 12V wiring | Good Sam Community

SeaDooDave
Explorer
Oct 01, 2013
4x4van wrote:
If the trailer doesn't have a battery, how does anything in it work (lights, water pump, etc.) once you are set up and camped? Hookups to an electrical panel?

I've been hooking up to 30 amp power when I'm at a camp site.
SeaDooDave
Explorer
Oct 01, 2013
2112 wrote:
Just a thought to be tossed around:
If you are just trying to keep a fridge operating on propane for a short time, a small 12V or 2 6V gel cell battery connected to the fridge control board will do it. Unplug the 12V connectors on the fridge control board, plug in your battery and secure it in the fridge compartment. Secure it on the left side away from the burner of course. Disconnect yours and reconnect the original connction when you get to shore power and recharge yours.

Depending on the size of the battery it will keep the fridge operating on propane for many hours. It will need to be recharged after a day or so, depending on the Ah of the battery.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have a smaller 12v battery that should work for this then. I'm trying to keep it cool for about a 6 hour trip so it's good when I hook up electic at the camp site. I guess I can also pack the fridge with cold packs too in the event it doesn't stay lit during the drive.
4x4van
Explorer III
Sep 30, 2013
If the trailer doesn't have a battery, how does anything in it work (lights, water pump, etc.) once you are set up and camped? Hookups to an electrical panel?

For 12V power on the road, you'll need the same 6-conductor plug on your tow vehicle with the additional power conductor wired in to your hot/alternator/battery, or an auxilary battery; a simple 4-6 adapter won't do you any good, as only 4 of those 6 will be operational, although I suppose you could also run a single additional wire from your tow vehicle to the trailer.
2112
Explorer II
Sep 30, 2013
Just a thought to be tossed around:
If you are just trying to keep a fridge operating on propane for a short time, a small 12V or 2 6V gel cell battery connected to the fridge control board will do it. Unplug the 12V connectors on the fridge control board, plug in your battery and secure it in the fridge compartment. Secure it on the left side away from the burner of course. Disconnect yours and reconnect the original connction when you get to shore power and recharge yours.

Depending on the size of the battery it will keep the fridge operating on propane for many hours. It will need to be recharged after a day or so, depending on the Ah of the battery.
westend
Explorer
Sep 30, 2013
7 pin connector harness
time2roll
Nomad
Sep 30, 2013
SeaDooDave wrote:
Thanks for the info. What's the minimum size battery that would be able to run the fridges electronics while it uses propane? Since the rentals don't have batteries I'm clueless on an approx battery size to buy.
Small group 24 deep cycle should be fine. If you have a 12v charge line you may not need the battery. If the pilot lights manually you don't even need 12 volts.
Allworth
Explorer II
Sep 30, 2013
The 4-pin has:

Ground
Left turn and left brake
Right turn and right brake
Tail lights (and running markers)

No matter how many pins you have on the output side of the adapter, those are the only signals present at the input.

Buying a battery is probably best

(a seven pin on the tow vehicle adds: charge line, electric brakes, and backup lights (surge brake disable).
SeaDooDave
Explorer
Sep 30, 2013
tatest wrote:
Both 6 and 7 pin coonectors should have a "charge" line. Your trailer connector should bring that line the the TT battery, but the connection on the tow vehicle also needs the heavy gauge line to the alternator. Usually comes with a factory tow package.

Just because the pins are on the connector, doesn't mean there is apprpriate wiring to the pins, particularly pins dsignated with alternative uses.

Thats why I was thinking that my current setup probably did not have a charge line. My jeep does not have the factory tow package, which from the Jeep's I've seen that have it, they have 7 pin connectors. My hitch and everything was installed by Uhaul so I only have the 4 pin of course.
SeaDooDave
Explorer
Sep 30, 2013
Thanks for the info. What's the minimum size battery that would be able to run the fridges electronics while it uses propane? Since the rentals don't have batteries I'm clueless on an approx battery size to buy.
tatest
Explorer II
Sep 30, 2013
Both 6 and 7 pin coonectors should have a "charge" line. Your trailer connector should bring that line the the TT battery, but the connection on the tow vehicle also needs the heavy gauge line to the alternator. Usually comes with a factory tow package.

Just because the pins are on the connector, doesn't mean there is apprpriate wiring to the pins, particularly pins dsignated with alternative uses.

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