I would like to add more than one outlet from my battery to the inside of my trailer. My question is: Do I have to run a separate wire for each outlet or can they be connected together and then have the same wire and fuse going to the battery?
Posted 2012-08-12 8:30 PM (#146295 - in reply to #146287) Subject: RE: Adding multiple 12volt sockets
Member
Posts: 26 Location: East Texas
You can use the existing run of wire. However you don't won't to overload the wire. So check the amperage rating on the load(s) and match the wire size. Then make sure the up stream fuse is the correct size to protect the wire.
Posted 2012-08-12 9:13 PM (#146297 - in reply to #146287) Subject: RE: Adding multiple 12volt sockets
Regular
Posts: 99 Location: Phoenix AZ
The existing wire goes to the tow vehicle battery so I will be adding a new wire (12 awg) and fuse (15 or 20 amp) that will go directly to the battery mounted on the outside of the trailer. I didn't know if it were possible to some how connect the wires of the sockets together in a "string" leaving only one wire exiting the trailer to the outside battery.
Posted 2012-08-12 10:28 PM (#146306 - in reply to #146287) Subject: RE: Adding multiple 12volt sockets
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
As was stated, you have to know the total load, that all the sockets added together will be expected to handle. Then your single wired circuit from the battery, will have to have the proper AWG wire and circuit protection for that amperage draw.
The sockets can be wired in parallel, with the hot wire jumpered from one to another. You will have to case ground each receptacle.
Posted 2012-08-13 9:22 AM (#146322 - in reply to #146287) Subject: RE: Adding multiple 12volt sockets
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
If you are going to use the automotive type of 12V receptacles, ( the cigarette lighter type), the grounding part of the case, the external circular tube, has to be addressed. The fixture has a hot wire lead that goes to a centralised, internal spring loaded terminal. Some fixtures have an additional ground lead that is affixed to the case.
Many times an adequate ground is effected, simply by attaching the fixture to a the vehicle's metallic structure. If this is not possible, an external ground wire will be necessary. There are two ways of addressing this. One is to run a lead to the nearest point, where a stud can be insterted into the metallic frame, and the ground wires are individually terminated. The second is to use a common grounding point such as a terminal strip, and run a two wire system, with one being the hot leads, the other the ground wires.
There are advantages to each method, the best will be dictated by your individual circumstances.
Adding multiple 12volt sockets
