12 Volt Receptacle on TT
Good evening, I'm brand-new to this forum and appreciate your patience until I learn the rules. I'd like to install a 12 volt/cigarette lighter-type receptacle on the rear of my TT. From time to time...
Forum Discussion
10 gauge wire might be a bit overkill, depending upon how you intend to use the power outlet. For a 25-foot long cable using 12 gauge wire, the voltage drop: is only 0.79 Vdc for a 10 ampere load, or 6.58%. That still leaves you with 11.21 Vdc at the plug. Increasing the cable size to 10 gauge, you can still expect a 0.50 Vdc drop for the same 10 A load, or a 4.7% drop.
A few additional suggestions:
1) Install a separate inline 10-15A fuse at the battery/power supply end of the circuit. That way, if there is a short circuit somewhere along your 25-foot cable between the power supply end and the plug end, the fuse will blow and protect against a possible fire situation. You can purchase inline fuse holders that are equipped with an LED that illuminates if the fuse is blown (yet the circuit is still intact). Conversely, you can also install a standard fuse holder and purchase individual fuses that are each equipped with an LED that illuminates when the fuse is blown. Doesn't cost much more than a non-illuminated solution, regardless of which way you go.
2) Include a "drip loop" at each end of the cable so that condensation occurring along the length of the cable will drip onto the ground and not run into the back of your connectors. Most weatherproof and water resistant connectors aren't exactly waterproof, so do what you can to seal the connections (e.g., silicone RTV sealant or connector grease) and direct water away from them as much as possible. Most of the failures of connectors on boats that I have examined have occurred due to water intrusion on the backside.
3) Use the trailer chassis to carry the ground circuit, but make sure the connection at the plug end is protected as much as practical from the elements. If you're planning the typical nut/bolt/washer/lock washer combination in conjunction with a crimp-on ring terminal, then a) use a weatherproof terminal, and b) use stainless steel or brass hardware.
A few additional suggestions:
1) Install a separate inline 10-15A fuse at the battery/power supply end of the circuit. That way, if there is a short circuit somewhere along your 25-foot cable between the power supply end and the plug end, the fuse will blow and protect against a possible fire situation. You can purchase inline fuse holders that are equipped with an LED that illuminates if the fuse is blown (yet the circuit is still intact). Conversely, you can also install a standard fuse holder and purchase individual fuses that are each equipped with an LED that illuminates when the fuse is blown. Doesn't cost much more than a non-illuminated solution, regardless of which way you go.
2) Include a "drip loop" at each end of the cable so that condensation occurring along the length of the cable will drip onto the ground and not run into the back of your connectors. Most weatherproof and water resistant connectors aren't exactly waterproof, so do what you can to seal the connections (e.g., silicone RTV sealant or connector grease) and direct water away from them as much as possible. Most of the failures of connectors on boats that I have examined have occurred due to water intrusion on the backside.
3) Use the trailer chassis to carry the ground circuit, but make sure the connection at the plug end is protected as much as practical from the elements. If you're planning the typical nut/bolt/washer/lock washer combination in conjunction with a crimp-on ring terminal, then a) use a weatherproof terminal, and b) use stainless steel or brass hardware.
