I need 12 volt power in the bed, back at the tail gate, any suggestions. It must be powered all the time and not tied to the ignition. I will use a cig. lighter type device, but need help in finding the source.

Particulars are a 2004 Scab, 5 1/2 bed, tow package, so there is the harnesss plug, but was told it's only hot with the ignition.

Thanks.
Dennis

 

I bought a 12volt power outlet at Wal-Mart and put it in my boat, they're pretty cheap and not that deep so you could probably mount it in the lip of the bed (at the top). It would sit flush on the surface. You would have to run a hot wire into the fuse box or maybe tie into the other 12V outlet beside the glove box, its always hot.

shane

 

Maybe you could tap power from your brake lights, they’re always hot and you could easily find a wire near the tailgate. Might have to beef up the fuse, depending what you plan on doing with it.

 

Brake light...good thought, I'll take a peek and see what shakes.

 

rchflyer,
Before you go tapping into the brake light, you need to make sure your not going to overtax that circuit. How much current (amps) are you going to be using? I would suggest going with the hotwire in your towing harness.


-Michael
www.studmonkeyracing.com

 

To make it real simple, I would run a hot wire with an inline fuse right from the battery. Then run the ground wire to the chassis somewhere close. This way, you know it will always be hot. Your not altering the original wire harness in anyway, and if you ever have a problem with it, you will know theres only 2 wires and a fuse in the circuit. Just my idea and exactly what I woul do if it were my truck.

 

The max amps I need is 15. I would prefer to find a source close rather than running a dedicated wire the entire run.

I agree with the inline fuse thing, as I will have one prior to the connection.

Since I do not do any towing, it might be better to pull from the towing harnesss and perhaps use the supplied plug.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

i've put a 12v plug in the bed of my 04 easy to do i use it to run
a fridge to keep my stuff cold on my way to my cabin in se okla
go to the parts store a good one you can buy a type of fuse
that will reset it's self i cant rember what it's called . i have photos
if you need them just remember that 12v falls off real fast so use
10 or 8 ga wire and it will never let you down. wire from the batt
to the fuse to plug use the metal kind. check an make sure that
the wire does not rub on any sharp edges. i use the same wire
to run the lite on my roll top

 

Your thinking of a self resetting circuit breaker.

 

correct thats what i was talking about
and about the 12v falling off what i ment was DC
falls off the longer the run. so use larger wire

 

Well after probing around, it looks as all the power is switched, ie: key must be on, not what I wanted.....

Well looks like a single run to the battery.....

 

Just a reminder to place the inline fuse as close to the battery as possible. That way if you get a short to ground in the line you run it will blow the fuse (or circuit breaker) and you won't melt the wires or start a fire.

Can't tell you how many I see that put the fuse right at the end of the wire run.

I carry two spare batteries in the front of the bed and use only the switched power from the trailer plug. But if you need it on all the time you gots to go to the battery.

Good luck!