Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 07:09
Hi scottp, even though it’s a Landy site, most of the info is pretty
well common place for any 4x4 and in the not too distant future we hope to do a project on setting up a dual battery system but unfortunately it will be to late to help you now.
As for the power outlets, there are two simple ways of doing it yourself.
In both cases, run some decent twin cable to the back of your 4by, say twin 6mm automotive cable. That’s a fairly common size cable to come by and don’t forget to put a blade fuse holder at the battery end of the cable.
You can then either fit standard cigarette lighter power sockets, their rated at between 10 and 16 amps but with any cigarette power socket there is the problem of the plug vibrating out.
The other cheaper alternative is to fit Anderson Power poles. The small ones are rated at 20 amps and come in a red and a black plug that are designed to be fitted together in different configuration, but are usually just made up as pairs, which is how you would use them.
The Power Poles are easy to fit to the cable, just solder the terminals on the end and plug everything together.
The biggest advantage to using the Power Poles is that once connected together, they won’t rattle apart. Add the higher current rating and then the fact that they are not set up as a male and female connection but as a mirror connection which means, even though they are polarised, you put the same plugs on all the different cables you want to connect, weather the cable is coming from the battery or from the device you want to power and everything connects the same.
A set of 2 red and 2 black Power Poles and terminals will set you back about $10 dollars, which is cheaper than a cigarette plug and socket.
You should be able to do the lot ( with 2 outlets ) for under $50 and it will probably be a better set up.
hope this helps and cheers
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