Update: Added second set of battery posts in back of truck

Need some group think.

I'd like to run my

$91 Viair 88P Portable Compressor Kit (12V, 120 Psi, Forup to 33" Tires)

Viair 88P compressor from the back of the truck without cracking the hood. Seems like I could run a + wire off the battery to a bolt inside one of the bed storage lockers, with another bolt grounded to the frame.

Anybody who's good at wrangling electrons see a downside? Hazards? Random thoughts?

edit: It's done and here's a walk through if you care...

edit 2: was offered some pretty good advice about running a fuse on the hot side of the new setup and was pointed to a Bussman 50amp breaker. Bought and installed said breaker. From this angle I see I've got the battery cables crossed. I should fix that. Thanks @Sandman614 for the breaker heads up.

Battery end to the new cable running back to the bed...

Down under the master cylinder...

Behind the mud flap in the front wheel well and out to the wire run over the frame rail.

That wasn't too hard, but a beer helps anyway...

Looking towards the front of the truck, the positive cable keeps with the other factory wires over the frame...

Now we go up and over the gas tank...

This is the driver's side wheel well liner, looking towards the front of the truck. The + cable is behind it. You can see a loop of cable to the left of the springs. The second picture is the liner pulled to the side to continue snaking the cable back...

Go ahead, have another beer...

Continuing to feed the wire...

And that's the driver side bed locker, our final destination...

Take the box out and...

Cut two holes. Did you know these are fiberglass? I know now. Run a shop vac while drilling these...

Add the new lugs...

Wire up, ground the ground wire and reinstall the locker...

 

Marine battery in truck bed with a trickle charger hooked to the 120V outlet in truck bed.. problem solved. Only thing you need to do is figure out a way to strap the battery down which shouldn't be too difficult - get a ... marine battery box and strap/tie that down.


If its just for inflating tires get a 120V compressor - use the truck as designed. Sell 12V compressor on craigslist.... easier than running an extra set of 4-6ga wires to the truck bed.

 

I get your point, but that's gonna take lots of room away from an already small short bed. And cost many more money. I'm trying to come up with a smart, inexpensive, takes up no room solution that's more thought out than popping the hood...

 

Could you mount the compressor under the hood and get a long hose to reach all 4 tires?

 

Hm... hadn't thought of that. In my mind, onboard air was for the big ARB type setups.

 

Run it all under the hood, then out air hose disconects up front and back. Then you just hook up your 6 footer.

 

Subd

 

I see a few things wrong with this. 1st I don't see any fuse or circuit breaker on the 12v wire at the battery. Maybe there is one further down the line. Second. You have the positive wire ziptied to the negative terminal/wire. If it ever chafes then it could ark and even if that positive wire is fused, it's before the fuse so you can kiss that truck bye bye because it will go up in flames. Thirdly, those terminals are pretty close to each other in the rear, and that could be a hazard as well. Especially if the 12v wire isn't fused

 

Bah, could've used your post 3 weeks ago!

So -

- I didn't fuse it. The only things I run off the terminals are fused, so I thought that would cover that base. I suspect you're right though, I should fuse it.

- The +/- wires aren't zip tied. They lie close to each other when the box is pulled out, but they're not tied together, and they separate when the box is reinstalled.

- The terminals seem to be about as close together as terminal kits have them pre-assembled on mounting plates. Of course, that's eye-balled.

 

Hmm, an interesting idea and I love it! When he said zip tied, I believe he was referencing up at the battery where they're zip tied together.

 

Ah! Yeah, that was just to keep the + line from falling. I use white zip ties for temporarily securing things, switching to black when I'm done.

 

Yes please fuse it or use a breaker! Completely dangerous if not. That ever shorts out and that truck will look like that one taco where the fire department is cutting the hood off on to make sure they got the fire out.

Also I was talking at the batter for the ziptie. You can see how that ground terminal bolt is touching the look of your wire, for some reason if that ever chaffed through from off-roading or maybe just over a long period of time from wind and bumps, that wire will light up and the truck will catch fire. Just route it differently or ziptie it a little further down the wire.

I'm just trying to help ya out not pick apart your install. Everything else looks good!

 

Bussmann or MP breakers are awesome. I would get one with a manual shut off so you can disconnect if you don't want people dicking with it.

$33 Bussmann CB185-100 100 Amp Type III Circuit Breaker

https://www.amazon.com/Bussmann-CB185-100-Type-Circuit-Breaker/dp/B00139FQSS

 

I was reading this post before I mentioned that. Good call.

 

I appreciate everyone looking and saying things. I'm a confessed bad hearder of electrons.

So these are available in different amps; I see 30, 80 and 100. How does one know which is too little (is always popping) and which is too much (pops as the truck bursts into flame)?

 

Base it off of the accessories you will be running and the gauge of the wire/length. You want enough to run your accessories but not too much to over draw the wire. I.E. 4 ga @ 20 ft(3% drop), 50 amp max.