AT Habitat, Atlas, & Summit Pictures, ideas, aaand BS

what happened that caused the hole? Do you have pics?

 

Had Habitat open in buddy's garage to dry, after camping in the rain night before. Had to pull in with habitat open since couldn't open inside. When driving out I just barely caught a screw head on the door...

 

Oof! glad you were able to fix it

 

Added l track to the side and it’s awesome. If anyone is looking to add some stuff to the sides of your topper I highly recommend.

 

Those of you that use the provided electrical pillars on the back side, where do you mount the relays for the switches? Engine bay is has limited space.

I assume the small circular red switches are being used with relays.

 

What are you installing that needs a relay? I have a couple of those small switches in the pillar running LED strips, as well as a usb port, and a voltage gauge. I don't have a relay in any of those circuits as from what I could tell they did not call for them. (I think the switches themselves are good for 10 or 15 amps?) I do have one switch in there with a relay in the circuit and that is for my viair 450 compressor. That relay I have mounted under the hood on top of the factory fuse box.

 

Just a couple lights for the bed! Hmm they really don’t require relays?

 

I have the setup that @excorcist mentioned. I run some bed lights, a USB port, and a 12v plug for my fridge. All going off of a blue sea fuse panel, but no relays. The fuses are no more than 15 amps. I also have a solar panel that charges that battery.

EDIT: I do not have a Habitat, but I come in here for some good ideas

 

yeah I have a blue sea under the hood and one power running to the back for the bed lights. I have an Amazon switch box but I have had to replace it twice already and I feel it is on the outs again. So the next time I goes, I want to redo all my wiring with hopes to simplify it

 

Definitely do your own research, but my understanding is if the load (accessory) on the circuit is not higher than the switch capacity you do not need a relay. You should be able to look up both the amps of the switch, as well as your accessory load pretty easily. LED bed lights will almost surely be under the load limit of the switch.

 

Not unless they are drawing a crazy amount of power. Some small LEDs or whatever are totally fine to just run through the switch.

 

I’ll echo

I have a positive line off the battery through a 60amp breaker, to a 6-circuit bluesea grounded fuse box, ground runs to two points on frame. Box runs fridge, USB/volt meter combo plug, and some LED strips. No fuse is greater than 10a now. Unless you are running some serious watts, then all you need is a good fused link.

I’d suggest doing some study on basic electrical, with focus on automotive DC systems if you are going to start getting deep. Wiring is one of those things that should be approached with cautious appreciation.

 

I never got the relay thing. And to that point, I bought an sPod for my under hood accessories - bumper light bar, compressor, and roof/rock/rear lights (which I am in the process of redoing). Yes it was expensive, but when I hook any light to it, all that needs to be connected is a positive and negative. The sPod takes care of the rest, and I can dim/strobe/momentary any light connected.

For the rear, and when I get my GFC, I am not planning on having that many things connected, but basically all running from the 6 blue sea, and no relays.

 

Purchased circle rocker switches and a USB plug for the a pillar. As per the info here, I should be able to daisy chain the switches and run the load outputs to the light strips without issues.

Can I daisy chain the USB plug into this group or is it best to keep the power for it separate?

 

Depends on the amperage required for the USB and the lights, and the limit of the switch.

Also by daisy chain, do you mean in series or parallel?

 

Max dual smart USB output is usually 4.8 amps (example Blue Sea 4.8A Dual USB). That 4.8 amps is at 5v, NOT 12v, so it's only about 2 amps. Actually less than that since your 12v is probably 12.6-13v.

Obviously folks can correct me if that sounds off.


O yeah... And when I installed the Blue Sea USB ports... they were like 1mm bigger than the 12v plugs... written right on the package, so it wasn't a fluke. I had to use a wood paddle bit to just shave off enough aluminum for it to fit in the hole... Different brands may be different diameter. Just don't be surprised if it doesn't fit!

 

I THINK he means run one switch as a master switch that runs to the USB port, as well as to the other switch. The second switch would power his lights.

 

like daisy chain the constant and ground. The usb has a switch on it so I don’t think I’ll run a separate switch for it but I might as a just in case.


Basically like most other rocker switches except these are 3 prong so power, ground, accessory.

example

 

Anyone know a way to safely remove a habitat and lower it down to the ground or a trailer WITHOUT a forklift?

 

I get inside and lift it up with the floor and scoot it back till 2-3 people can grab it than lift it off