3rd Gen - AC Outlet in Cab and 400w Anytime

The doors are next up. I'm bouncing between sound mat and speakers or just the sound mat. The back wall is really asking for it on concrete roads. With the Subaru speakers, I am not really feeling the need for the door speakers?

 

Good door speakers are affordable, you can get kickers at crutchfield and they give you the harnesses. The stock door speakers are literally paper.

 

It isn't so much about cost, but that they seem to do well enough. It is amazing that OEMs are still using paper cones and tiny magnets. Still, it sounds decent for what it is. The muddled sounds out of the tweeters was the biggest issue. If the sound mat helps with a bit of bass response, I would be content.

 

For what it's worth, I've stuffed some black Noico in the doors (not full coverage, maybe ~50%) and some Kicker door speakers from Crutchfield. I'm no audiophile but I do believe the sound is better and the bass is oomphier. I definitely recommend some sort of solution for reducing vibrations and/or blocking sound (Noico = CLD which is not technically a sound blocker like MLV is but it does help).

 

I'm not sure how detailed I am going to get, but closing an insulated door on another 3rd Gen was remarkable. I'll get enough to do the doors, back wall, and roof and knock it out in stages.


I like good, clear sound and enjoy music, but I don't think I am an audiophile either?

 

It does make closing doors oh so satisfying.

 

Looking into doing this mod, but reading the reviews for the power grommets at Amazon, the same sold at ebay, seems like lots of people report poor quality and USB ports not working right or failing after a short while. Wondering about how it is working for those of you that installed them a while back. Thanks.
I guess if the 120v outlets work well, I can always use a power strip to plug in chargers for the tablets, cell phones and walkman and camera battery chargers. The USB port or power point with USB adapter on the dash with cables plugged in gets in the way. Thanks again.

 

My 120vs are holding up well. I installed one single in the front next to the cup holders and one combo 2 plug + usb in the back. The USB plug didn't supply as much power as the stock USBs and couldn't charge an iPad faster than it could drain it with the watt limiter in place. I ended up doing the 400W anytime to get the power up and it's OK now. If I did it again I'd get a separate USB plug to tap into a 12V source (to not loose extra power in the conversion) and add the 120V plugs separately.

Also, tamper proof plugs keep stuff from falling in. I put a kid plug protector on the front one because dust and crumbs were falling in, or I keep my kid's reading light plugged in. The back one is tamper proof and auto covers the plug holes. That back one is in the perfect spot to get kicked out if your kid crosses back and forth. Not sure of a better alternative.

 

@rdw930

 

I added the same mod as well. This was very helpful!

 

Where did you hook up the "night light?" Which wire(s)?

 

Has anyone tried to upgrade the inverter to get more than 400W max output or would that drain the battery? What about putting in a high-output alternator (more than the 130A tow pkg) and upgrading the inverter?

Asking for a friend...

 

If I just wanted to keep the outlet in the back and make it so when you put it in gear the inverter was still supplying power, can I just snip that sensor wire that prohibits this function?

I want the stock TRD outlet in the bed anytime.

Thanks,
Dave

 

I just finished. This was actually way easier than I thought. Thanks for the great post.

 

I don't want to move the outlet but only to get the outlet in the bed to stay on while I'm driving.

I cut the purple speed sensor wire this morning and took it for a drive, no change? The 400W and 100W come on when I am idle, in Park. The 100W will stay on for a few seconds if I turn it on when I am in gear, but turns off nearly immediately when I start moving?

Is there a way to get the out in the bed to work when driving rather than adding a new outlet in the cab?

 

Yes read the link again on how to do it.... you missed a step i think. did it 4 years ago and i think there is a ground wire also.

You really may want to do this as it can be very useful at times for something that's $20

Mine

 

I stopped at step 2 where you cut the speed sensor wire and talked it off.

I guess I need to do the next step (cut the pink wire) the Park/Neutral wire and ground one side? Can someone verify this?

An additional question comes to mind. Do these words related exclusively with the rear outlet or does the speed sensor wire I cut affect other systems?

 

Ground the pink on the inverter side. Tape the harness side
Speed sense affects inverter only, unless you short it out by not covering it with tape n such

 

That looks like the trailer brake connector.

 

Wow, that's some small wire. It's hard to believe that 22AWG wire could safely carry 3 to 4 amps of 12V current all the way back to the power receptacle in the truck bed. Has anyone confirmed that the wire on the backside of the truck bed outlet is really that small and that there aren't two different wire size outputs from the inverter?

It is what it is. Just curious--and somewhat fascinated--if the wire from the inverter to the receptacle really is that small.

Makes me rethink my knowledge about the carrying capacity of different wire gauges. Several of these charts--that cover lower amperage--float around the interwebs and they all seem to have about the same numbers. I'm not sure if there's an official, verified source for these numbers...you know, engineers and scientists who have actually confirmed these number. 40 amps over 18AWG if it's less than 3 feet? 40 amps???