Installing rear power to the Prado

[Big Fella Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Big Fella]

Well I thought I would show some photos of my install of rear power outlets. It is not yet complete as I am waiting on parts from Wait Awhile (WA). But so far it has been done in less than a day with my 2 junior helpers in the shadows. So here are the photos and some brief notes. Hope it helps with someone elses install:

I chose an 8B&S wire (85amp) bought a roll of 30mtrs


Got the cable and stuffed it in some split tubing from a previous job. I ran 3 cables through the car. One for an anderson plug for a trailer, one for an inverter (300watt) and one more to a distribution box for a fridge and other power requirements.


Distribution Box on order (without labels) I will install this in the box in the left hand storage box in the cargo area


Removed the cover from under the glove box. Undo one screw and pull down at the front and all is revealed (found the 'Power Turbo Motor, I thought it was near the exhaust!!!)


Removed the scuff plate (pulled up) and then the kick panel to expose a mass of wires (note to self: don't cut any!)



Ran the wires around the firewall against the dual battery wires and through the grommet on the right of the second last photo




Wires run behind the kick panel and then under the scuff plates





Then I got out my old trusty coat hanger to get through the rear panel trimming. Tried to remove it but just wouldn't budge.


Pulled up the rear carpet to expose the grommet/bung in the back left corner for an anderson plug for the trailer (one day)



In the engine bay I installed a circuit breaker for each cable run and attached to a now crowded battery terminal




Wires have been taped off in the back for a week or so untill I get some more time and parts.

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Nice work Big Fella .... your project is moving along nicely.

I did notice your rig is looking a tad clean :roll: :roll: :lol:

Cheers
Chippy

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

Nice work and beaut pics!

[MTpockets Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MTpockets]

Just one question big fella.
Are you going to use the body for an earth?
I noticed you only ran power leads.

cheers
Les

[Big Fella Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Big Fella]

Earth??? Bugger forgot it

Nah, all good running earth to the body/chassis with a dedicated earth point. Saves a heap in costs on wire and space as well.

[clifton Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close clifton]

Hi Big Fella,
Nice job, you will need to run a dedicated Aux batt heavy earth point for those three feeders.
I use a lot of that Blue Sea stuff on boats it is great stuff.

[Big Fella Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Big Fella]

Clifton,

Cheers mate, Blue Seas has some damn fine stuff, pricey but nice. Got a nice chunky earth point and dedicated lug ready to go in.

[LiveFreeAndRoam Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LiveFreeAndRoam]

The worse thing about such excellent instructions and really helpful pictures is that it makes even a dummy like me think "I could do that"!

Really, terriffic stuff Big Fella.

LFaR.

[Big Fella Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Big Fella]

......
I did notice your rig is looking a tad clean :roll: :roll: :lol:

Cheers
Chippy

Chippy,

Check out the 9th photo mate, see all the crap (dust!) around that grommet. Uggh disgusting, when I saw that photo I had to go out and clean the engine bay .

Alas my work is never done..

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Hey Big Fella

For that dirt to be so localised I figured it must have been from a can of spray on dirt ... added for effect ! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Cheers
Chippy

[Byrnsie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Byrnsie]

Re: Installing rear power to the Prado

In the engine bay I installed a circuit breaker for each cable run and attached to a now crowded battery terminal

Big Fella

I like the circuit breakers and the heavy duty lugs you have used. They look much better than the crappy connectors I used. Where did you get them, and more importantly, what do you use to crimp them. I don't think my crappy crimper that came with my crappy connectors would be up to the task.

Cheers - Byrnsie

[Byrnsie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Byrnsie]

you will need to run a dedicated Aux batt heavy earth point for those three feeders.

It may be a dumb question, but I am unsure as to why you need to run a dedicated earth. I simply earthed my sockets to the body. What risks do I run by doing this.

DIY'er looking for guidance.

Cheers (& Merry Xmas) - Byrnsie

BTW. This was my set-up. Very similar to Big Fella. I ran 4G cable from my aux battery to distribution box and then 8G cable to three sockets.

[Big Fella Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Big Fella]

Re: Installing rear power to the Prado

Big Fella

I like the circuit breakers and the heavy duty lugs you have used. They look much better than the crappy connectors I used. Where did you get them, and more importantly, what do you use to crimp them. I don't think my crappy crimper that came with my crappy connectors would be up to the task.

Cheers - Byrnsie

Byrnsie,

The Cable lugs I got from 2 sources (forgot to get enough :x ) I got them from:
Road Runner Parts LUG10-6 Lug 10mm2 cable 6mm stud $0.99ea
http://www.roadrunnerparts.com

John R. Turk CABCAL10-6 same description as above $1.68ea



The crimping tool used that is a Pre-insulated Terminal Crimper Red, Blue, Yellow and avilable from http://www.aussieelectrical.com.au Part Number Cabac-KTC1 its a bit pricey at $112.67 but it works with those 'cheap' type insulated lugs as well. This was not the correct tool for those heavy duty lugs, but they did a top job and looked better than a hit from a hammer.




You're not too far away from me so if you ever need to borrow the tool just give myself or Lacey a PM and you can grab it.

[Byrnsie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Byrnsie]

Re: Installing rear power to the Prado

You're not too far away from me so if you ever need to borrow the tool just give myself or Lacey a PM and you can grab it.

You're a good man. Thanks Big Fella.

Cheers - Byrnsie

[clifton Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close clifton]

Hi Byrnsie,
I prefer to run a dedicated earth return back to the battery for high current carrying devices or for camper trailer battery charging, if not as is in this case I ensure that I attach an earth lug of suitable diameter to the vehicle body from the Aux Battery which will handle the highest expected load I am going to apply to my rear cabling plus a Factor of safety.

The reasoning is that the vehicle builder's strategically placed earth points only allow for installed electrical loads not all our additional gadgets and camper trailer battery charging loads.

Hope this makes sense Byrnsie, there are some good articles in previous posts about cable/ fuses CCB's selection etc.

Now to answer your cable lug dilemma, the types of lugs that big fella has used are what I would use, to correctly attach these lugs you need a professional hydraulic crimping tool which are great but for the DIY bloke/girl you can use a good quality flux cored solder and a butane torch with a pencil flame directed at the lug base so that the heat dissipates into the copper wire and lug then apply the solder until it has run well into the copper wire and do not allow the flame to impinge on the solder let it cool a Walla there you have it.

To finish the job correctly I then use colour coded heat shrink and seal the lug and wire insulation interface. One must remember to thread the heat shrink on the wire cable before attaching lugs ops: .

You can find some very good quality lugs, tinned cable, switchgear, fuses etc. at ship chandlers such as Whitworths.

Sorry about the waffle, but hope this helps, Merry Christmas