Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

[darecki Sooky & Banned Find all posts View Profile Close darecki]

Hi Guys,

I need to install an Anderson plug near front passenger seat. I need to run my inverter with up to 1000W load. I thought that maybe I should install an inverter under the seat yet it seems to be too far and I may need to use this inverter somewhere else.

I have to run cables (actually plus cable and use chassis as a grounding) from the engine bay all the way to that point. 6BS cord seems to be not expensive and since current density in such cord can be safely 8A per sq mm this cord seems to be thick enough. However, it is not due to voltage loss if I install anything below the sit. The path I've found - the battery, the firewall and central channel seems to be up to 5m long. I don't know much about chassis resistance so I assumed that in worst case I may need to run two cables. This is 10m of total wire lenght. Under 100A load it will be 2.6V lost on 6BS and 1.4V on 3BS. 2.6V means 10V on my inverter or less from full battery. This won't work.
So, If I can find any convinient place, say, around the glove box, it may work on 6BS cable. Yet I've been looking around for a while and I have no idea where to put an Anderson plug.

Any suggestions?

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

Use the thicker cable with a 175 A Anderson plug. Under the front passenger seat pointing to the rear sears so that you can access it from the rear seat footwell. That is how we have set up for the inverter previously.

Paul

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

Would highly recommend running both +ve an -ve leads from your battery to the inverter. Using chassis earths especially for high current applications can be notoriously unreliable.
1000W inverter draws a heap of current on full load ( by my calculation about 80 -100 amps ).
Have you though about alternator and battery capacity also ?

[darecki Sooky & Banned Find all posts View Profile Close darecki]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

Yes, I calculated whether I can draw this much current and this seems to be ok. From an AGM 90Ah aux battery I can draw it for around 5-10m without major problems and when I run the engine I will draw a whole 80A alternator output yet the car will still survive running from the battery for 20 minutes at least. I need this inverter to run for up to 10 minutes so this should be fine.

Putting an Anderson plug under front sit was my firts thought yet I'm looking for shorter wires. 3BS is very thick yet still not thick enough for 10 meters lenght. Well, maybe running it in left side channel under the passenger sit can make it shorter a bit but still for engine battery. This could be ok, as long, as I use the inverter for from the main battery only.

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

Hmm you might be better off with small petrol generator :wink:

[zerosecta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zerosecta]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

I feel there is some critical info missing here if you really want good advice and the best posible solution -

Like: What are you running off this inverter for up to 20mins????

eg: If it is a laptop charger then no matter whether its a 1000W or 150W inverter its only going to draw the amps needed for the load so in this case probably around 10 amps or so.

If you are running a large kettle or welding machine then its a completly diferent story and to be honest if this is the case then I'd have to agree with the last comment and have personally always wondered if its really worth while have large inverters drawing 80AH batterys almost flat just for a cup of hot water.... What ever happened to the go old little portable gas cooker.

Anyway like i said - What is the real life purpose for all this?

[darecki Sooky & Banned Find all posts View Profile Close darecki]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

The real life purpose is to boil a water using my 230V 800W kettle. This is very convinient, takes up to 5m and I don't need to get out to run my gas cooktop if it's raining. And the best thing is that I have everything already except a good place fot the socket.

[zerosecta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zerosecta]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

OK... Well there are 101 posible locations around the front passenger seat, just comes down to personal preferance really.

If it where me and roll playing it in my head --- Kettle full of water, coffee, sugar, milk stiring etc.

I think I'd be running 150 or so amp cables (+ and -) to the rear cargo area and install the inverter there permanantly then you have the added benefit of having a good flat base for making coffee etc. on and don't need to keep moving the inverter around.

[drivesafe Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close drivesafe]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

Hi darecki, and as zerosecta has pointed out, there is critical info missing.

First cab of the rank, most AGM batteries have a maximum load current tolerance of just 10 to 20% of the total Ah of the battery. In other words, a 100 Ah AGM can only supply up to 20 amps at a time and even at 20 amps, the battery’s life span will be considerably shortened.

In your case, just operating your jug for a few minutes at a time will stuff your battery very quickly.

Next again, you need to run both positive and negative cables. No professional worth his salt will try run high currents through the chassis, there is just no way of knowing whether the chassis has any for of resistance and even the lowest possible resistance, with those sorts of currents, will have serious consequences on the ability of your set up to get a decent current without causing a huge voltage drop.

Last, 240vac appliances like jugs, microwave overs and other high current appliances, DO NOT WORK in 12v set up unless you have banks of batteries.

A much cheaper option would be to get a small gas cooker. Your can set for as little as $40.

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

or a 12V kettle .....e.g.

http://www.4thecar.com.au/Products/1166 ... 0-12n.aspx

still not my cup of tea :wink:
I prefer my little coleman dual fuel burner for boiling water and save the battery for things better suited to it.

[darecki Sooky & Banned Find all posts View Profile Close darecki]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

I know, I know, this is not very common solution, but....

I already have my gas cooktop and I use it when I camp. I have my inverter as well and I use it as well but rarely. Yet the inverter works fine and the only problem I have is that I have to connect it under the bonnet. Well, you may think that I'm so lazy so that I won't even get out of my car to connect my inverter :P
I understand but I'll tell you an real story.
When I travel I use my 4wd as camper during long distance driving. I don't like to waste my time looking for motels, etc. I simply drive as long as I can and when I can't, I stop and sleep. I'm perfect in moving all my stuff from the back to the front and pumping my tiny air matrac on the back. And I found the back of my 4WD as very comfy place to sleep in. So - when I went last time to Cairns (from Sydney) I went into constant rain when I passed Townsville. Driving for a few hours at night in heavy rain I was unable to get to Cairns so I decided to stop and sleep around 150km from Cairns. Well, I was verry happy that I didn't need to get out of my 4WD that night yet the only option to make a night and morning tea was my kettle. Well, but I wasn't happy to get out and boil the water outside with my bonnet lifted up. The same reason why I didn't use my gas cooktop instead. So I thought that I need a socket for my inverter. Finally I boiled water using my 180W 12V kettle yet this one is very unreliable as all others povered by 12V directly.
So - why not to install the socket? I have inverter anyway with me and I have a kettle. I don't have to spend much to have this socket yet I need to install it very close to the firewall or it will be too far. And I have no idea where. Under tge glove box seems to be fine yet it will be obstracing a few things.

Running 100A from the main battery is not an issue. From an AGM battery it could be yet I may install a gel battery which is meant to be discarded by 30 minutes current or I may simply remember to switch miy ignition on first to draw from main battery only.

[hammob Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close hammob]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

Hi Darek, this is off the wall but ever thought about carrying a Thermos flask. You can fill it just about anywhere you get fuel etc. No need for a second battery, Anderson plug or carrying your kettle and inverter. When you stop for the night tip the hot water into your cup, add coffee and milk and you are done. We carry one every time we travel and find most servos etc will fill it for nothing.

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

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

Darecki,
I've got to say, that's one hell of an expensive cup of coffee. Have you considered buying those self heating coffees? I bought a few from Coles as it was on sale (discontinuing i think) for $4 each. I was surprised how nice it tasted - rich and creamy, better than instant coffee thats for sure! You simply twist the bottom cap and it'll activate the heating agent which in turn heats the coffee... After about 5 minutes it'll be piping hot... hot enough to burn yourself.

BTW I like your driving style! I've slept in the back of a Rav4 once, it was very comfortable but I'd much rather sleep in a tent when camping.

Cheers

[zerosecta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zerosecta]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

Hi Dercki, earlier in the thread i said what ever happened to the good old portable gas cooker....

Well before you go installing a small power plant in the front of your Prado just to boil some water once in a while I thought you may want to know..

I went into BCF today in Laverton (Melbourne) and they have the small gas (i think gas anyway) cookers on sale for 19.95. they are small, light single burner and come in a nice hard case that will easily fit under the seat when not in use.

Do yourself a big favour mate - Do a nice permanent install of the inverter in the rear cargo area where it doesnt nead to be moved all the time and will be way more pratical and get a gas cooker for your water.

Just had another thought :idea: :idea: If you are stuck on using the inverter, why not do the proper install if it to the rear cargo area where it never has to be moved and simply use an extension cable (temporary) to the front for your kettle when you need it.

[darecki Sooky & Banned Find all posts View Profile Close darecki]

Re: Where to install Anderson plug near front seats?

Well...

Why not in cargo area? A few reasons:

1. Third row of sits

2. This is too far. I will need 60mm2 wire or I have to move the battery. Again no space either way - for the battery or for such cables.

In fact I thought about installing inverter under the bonnet yet it is not water proof.

Why not thermos? Vacuum thermos is very fragile inside. It is easy to break it's neck and have all this water/tea/coffe spilled around the car. This is very unsafe when driving. Styropor thermos doesn't work well with hot. And I can't have enough water and hot for long enough to go, say, from Sydney to Darwin :P

Why not gas? It is very unsafe in moving vehicle.