12 V outlet in bed

[72 Bronco]

anybody add a 12 v outlet into the bed?
if so how did you do it and are there any kits?
pics or part #'s would be great, thanks!

 

[TJ Carr]

The dealer that is installing my bed rug & topper said it’s extremely easy to do & that they do it quite frequently, I’m thinking about having them install a dual plug outlet

But I’m also thinking about having a overlanding shop install a power system in the bed

NATIONAL LUNA DC-25 Power Pack

The National Luna Power Pack DC25 blends the convenience of a portable battery system and the performance of a DC-DC battery charger with MPPT solar regulator. This combination results in a self-contained split-charge system that is at-home in the vehicle or in camp and can be used to power...

atoverland.com

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

I have the 5th wheel prep and plan on using a 7pin trailer to 12v conversion plug.

Amazon.com

 

[Doerrby]

I have the 5th wheel prep and plan on using a 7pin trailer to 12v conversion plug.

Amazon.com

U will need and adapter with resistors in it to “trick” the truck into thinking it’s hooked to a trailer

 

[Avslash]

I haven't done it in my Tremor, but I have added/altered lots of wiring in the cargo area of my Land Rover.

My preferred method would be to mount a marine grade auxiliary fuse block hidden behind the bedwall, but accessible from underneath. Then run wires from this, directly back to either battery with a low voltage cut-out relay in between to provide power to the fuse block. The cut-out relay will ensure you don't drain your battery below a level where starting is a problem. Once you have that in place, it is a piece of cake to add circuits in the rear for any number of accessories such as a fridge, charging ports, work lights, etc. Also a good time to add a drop to plug in a solar panel if that is something you might be interested in down the road.

These guys make everything you would need except the wire itself.

https://www.bluesea.com/

 

[Backslider]

The dealer that is installing my bed rug & topper said it’s extremely easy to do & that they do it quite frequently, I’m thinking about having them install a dual plug outlet

But I’m also thinking about having a overlanding shop install a power system in the bed

NATIONAL LUNA DC-25 Power Pack

The National Luna Power Pack DC25 blends the convenience of a portable battery system and the performance of a DC-DC battery charger with MPPT solar regulator. This combination results in a self-contained split-charge system that is at-home in the vehicle or in camp and can be used to power...

atoverland.com

That pack is bigtime overkill.

Install dual deep cycle batteries in the vehicles. Install a solar converter. Install an interface panel from BlueSea or similar. You have everything that this box offers in a more integrated, more space-efficient way. Further, it's full-time connected to a generator (your truck) and can be supplemented with solar.

 

[7.3Tremor]

Here is mine post about adding it.
Thread '12v in bed.'
https://www.fordtremor.com/threads/12v-in-bed.2701/

 

[Backslider]

This is what I did in the back of my 4runner. It runs the refrigerator/freezer and has an additional outlet and USB ports. It's for marine application and would be suitable in the bed of a truck. It runs of of a single Odyssey 34r deep cycle batter. I have run a refrigerator and lights off of this battery for several days at a time in the Utah desert without ever having an issue starting the vehicle afterward.

There are different modules you can get with different outputs.

I do all of this myself - no point in paying a shop to run some wiring and drill holes in your truck bed when you can do a better job for less $$.

Sorry for the bad picture - it's dark in the garage and this is tucked away behind the fridge in my 4runner.

Note that the unit is switched off in this image. When on, the battery voltage would show on the display to the right.

 

[TJ Carr]

That pack is bigtime overkill.

Install dual deep cycle batteries in the vehicles. Install a solar converter. Install an interface panel from BlueSea or similar. You have everything that this box offers in a more integrated, more space-efficient way. Further, it's full-time connected to a generator (your truck) and can be supplemented with solar.

True it is overkill, but it also ensures a stand alone power supply that is rechargeable when off the grid and not dependent on the vehicle in any manner

 

[TJ Carr]

This is what I did in the back of my 4runner. It runs the refrigerator/freezer and has an additional outlet and USB ports. It's for marine application and would be suitable in the bed of a truck. It runs of of a single Odyssey 34r deep cycle batter. I have run a refrigerator and lights off of this battery for several days at a time in the Utah desert without ever having an issue starting the vehicle afterward.

There are different modules you can get with different outputs.

I do all of this myself - no point in paying a shop to run some wiring and drill holes in your truck bed when you can do a better job for less $$.

Sorry for the bad picture - it's dark in the garage and this is tucked away behind the fridge in my 4runner.

Note that the unit is switched off in this image. When on, the battery voltage would show on the display to the right. View attachment 38929

Now this is a clean installation, you stated it runs off a battery, where is that battery and how is it charged?

I am not even close to having skills to install/wire such a critter & am looking at having the shop that installs the topper and bed rug install something like this & I’m assuming they would tap into The same power supply they use for the topper lights and lock

 

[Backslider]

Now this is a clean installation, you stated it runs off a battery, where is that battery and how is it charged?

I am not even close to having skills to install/wire such a critter & am looking at having the shop that installs the topper and bed rug install something like this & I’m assuming they would tap into The same power supply they use for the topper lights and lock

The battery is the vehicle battery. It charges off the alternator. You can set up a dual battery system where you have one battery in reserve for vehicle use, and a second battery than can run completely dry for accessory use. You can set it up to charge both off the alternator, and off solar panels - that's what I was saying in my first post. So now you have a dedicated start battery and a dedicated accessory battery. Solar convertor allows for plug in panels. Lots of guys in the Toyota community will do this and either run panels on a roof rack or just use folding panels that they can open after they are set up.

I've never had the need to go deeper than I currently am - but if I wanted the capabilities of that box I would do it this way: Dual battery setup, solar charge controller, inverter, bed-installed I/O ports. Will save a ton of space and have the same capabilities as the box.

 

[Backslider]

Now this is a clean installation, you stated it runs off a battery, where is that battery and how is it charged?

I am not even close to having skills to install/wire such a critter & am looking at having the shop that installs the topper and bed rug install something like this & I’m assuming they would tap into The same power supply they use for the topper lights and lock

This will isolate your batteries for auxiliary use so that you cannot deplete your charging battery - this would also allow a smaller battery for starting the vehicle and a larger battery for auxiliary use:

https://www.bluesea.com/products/7622/ML-ACR_Automatic_Charging_Relay_with_Manual_Control_-_12V_DC_500A

After dual batteries are set up, find a place to mount the solar controller and connect to isolator, run solar panel input to truck bed. You can then run your outputs from the aux battery to the truck bed. You could mount an inverter under the hood and run A/C power next to D/C to the truck bed.

 

[Greefin]

Use blue sea on my boats. Good product and lots of info on web site.

 

[TJ Carr]

This will isolate your batteries for auxiliary use so that you cannot deplete your charging battery - this would also allow a smaller battery for starting the vehicle and a larger battery for auxiliary use:

https://www.bluesea.com/products/7622/ML-ACR_Automatic_Charging_Relay_with_Manual_Control_-_12V_DC_500A

After dual batteries are set up, find a place to mount the solar controller and connect to isolator, run solar panel input to truck bed. You can then run your outputs from the aux battery to the truck bed. You could mount an inverter under the hood and run A/C power next to D/C to the truck bed.

Good grief, I’ll be studying this for a week trying to learn and understand it all, the closest I ever got to doing electrical work was doing CPR on a electrician who zapped himself & then I zapped him with a defib, otherwise electrical work freaks me out

I did get the dual alternators/dual batteries on the Tremor with the 7.3L, but had no idea you could isolate one battery and use it for other things instead of powering the truck

Thanks for the schooling, I’ve got a ton to learn

 

[Backslider]

Good grief, I’ll be studying this for a week trying to learn and understand it all, the closest I ever got to doing electrical work was doing CPR on a electrician who zapped himself & then I zapped him with a defib, otherwise electrical work freaks me out

I did get the dual alternators/dual batteries on the Tremor with the 7.3L, but had no idea you could isolate one battery and use it for other things instead of powering the truck

Thanks for the schooling, I’ve got a ton to learn

honestly not a ton of electrical work - mostly just running and terminating cables.