Electrical Wiring(4)

 

12V Power Socket

Having batteries, doesn’t automatically mean access to 12V. Thus, two access points are planned in the van. One 12V socket is located at the solar components (controller, charger, inverter, etc.) compartment, under the bed. It’s immediately next to the pull-out shelf and serves to power my laptop.

 

It’s a standard 12V power socket, that includes a faceplate and wires.

 

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First a hole, the size of the socket, is drilled with a Forstner bit in the ¼” plywood. The hole sits at the top, right under the bed overhang and is largely out-of-sight.

 

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The 12V socket is held in place by the round rear cover, which is screwed onto the main body. The thickness of the plywood prevented that, so I shortened the cover by removing a short length with a metal saw.

 

68Next, two little wood blocks were needed, to support the screws of the face plate. Each of them is pre-drilled to hold the screw.

 

69And then glued in place with some ordinary wood glue.

 

70The included wires are easily attached.

 

71The job is finished by adding the two screws to the face plate.

 

I recently pulled the 12V wire from the battery compartment, but for now, I hold off connecting it to the socket, as I also plan to install a 12V fan at the same location and connect it to the same 12V wire. The fan should supply some needed cooling to the solar components.

 

 

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