Passenger Bed Cubby Power Panel

Hey all,

First time really posting and looking for a little consensus for peace of mind before doing this project.

I’ve read lots of threads on bed power options, my approach is shaping up to be a little different but I think I have it down, but I’d like thoughts from the community

My plan is to run 6ga positive and negative to the passenger bed cubby and into a Blue Sea 6 circuit auxiliary fuse block mounted to the back inside of the bed cubby. Positive will go through a 30Amp breaker at the battery. I’ll use one circuit on the fuse block to run to a switched power panel with 3 12v sockets, 1 dual usb outlet and 1 voltmeter. I’ll do a 15-20amp fuse for this circuit. This leaves 5 open circuits for future craziness if I need it. Switch/outlet panel will be mounted somehow with 90 brackets inside the cubby behind the cubby door

stuff I currently plan to run on it -
Led awning lights - one strip, maybe a couple down the line, 12v water pump for my Joolca hot shower. So far that’s really it.

May use it to charge a 600-800 Jackery or something like that while driving etc. but I don’t own one currently

Down the line also a dual zone fridge, maybe an occasional 12v air mattress inflator.

if my researched math is right assuming the run to the fuse panel is 20-25ft with 6ga wire voltage drop is around 5-6%

Am I missing anything? Anyone feel this isn’t safe or a good idea?

I realize mounting the fuse block that far from the battery isn’t ideal, after speaking with Blue Sea they indicated that wasn’t a huge deal as long as voltage drop is ok. I’m mounting back there for a variety of reasons, obviously I’d also like to waterproof the cubby.

Appreciate the time and apologies if there’s a post covering this scenario somewhere!

 

Always use a large appropriate breaker within 12in give or take from Battery on your 6awg run to your bed.

That's some heavy wire, Will you need 50 or more amps service in your truck bed? If yes you’ll have the right wire size.

Is your truck a long 25ft fiberglass boat? No, Instead, remove toyotas 10awg wire to frame lead to (-) battery to frame and upgrade your entire trucks (-) voltage drop using your 6awg.

Then your entire truck has almost zero voltage drop using the steel frame for all your vehicle ground return(s).

Use copper welding wire and connectors, it's usually less money and still fine strong copper.

 

Thanks for the reply!

yes a 30Amp breaker will be installed next to the battery, and while I don’t see needing 50 I decided to go with 6ga because I didn’t figure it would hurt having a little headroom built in on the chance I wanna increase the load.

also the estimate length was just going off another thread where a guy said he used about 22ft of cable to run a hot line to his bed so I was playing it safe and going off that.

Regarding the bit about the factory 10ga…you’re saying leave the factory positive as is and replace the factory negative with a 6ga run to the frame? I believe the factory spot is that ground on the fender yeah?

Appreciate the help!

 

I think 6awg is fine. I like to oversize my wire mainly for safety margin. Most 12v charts you find will have numbers that vary so I typically use a composite of those including the blue sea chart which can be handy but is also conservative since it’s marine applications they are catering to.

The above poster is essentially saying you can upgrade your negative battery to body ground and run your future negatives off say this fuse panel and any other accessories to body/frame ground.

Debateable but the OEM ground is smaller gauge, though a short run. Either way a lot of people like to upgrade it especially if swapping out battery terminals. I usually upsize it to the size of the main battery negative cable.

 

Awesome thanks for the input! And yes I figured that’s what he meant, the thought never occurred to me so I’ll probably do that, not a terrible idea at all. Just wanted to make sure I understood correctly

Blue Sea advised still running a negative direct from the battery and not going to the frame but I never said anything about upgrading the factory ground point, that would also save from running two long wires to the back if I can ground the fuse panel to the frame in the back

 

Just upgrade the fender ground and run your aux fuse box negative to the frame, way easier. The problem with running + and - to the panel is you essentially reduce your wires effective ampacity over that length rather than just having the negative run to a massive chunk of steel, I.e. the frame, that is bonded to the battery negative if that makes sense.

 

Yeah that makes perfect sense, thanks again I appreciate it! I’ll post some pics when it’s all done!

 

If you run positive and negative all the way to the battery you no longer have a nominal 20 ft voltage drop you have a 40ft voltage drop.

Instead of a long 20 feet ground neg to battery with unnecessary 20 feet of voltage drop?

Why not upgrade the whole vehicle just R+R the 10awg ground with your 6awg and presto you've just improved everything with a short length of your 6awg you already have?

By making a short 6awg cable to ground your whole truck body has almost zero negative voltage drop.
Then you're all set for a couple of decades

 

Yeah, I asked the same question of the Blue Sea dude, but as others have mentioned this method above so that’s what I’ll be doing.

I’ll be replacing the factory ground with 6ga and grounding the bedside auxiliary fuse block on the frame in the rear.

 

Finished up and all is working well.

Waterproofed the cubby with combo of flex seal and epoxy (way overkill but the epoxy got messy so doubled up).

I wasn’t thinking and used copper for the terminals, not worried in the cubby for now, might just spray some terminal protect on them, but I’ll change them out at the other three connection points under the hood and rear ground.

I haven’t swapped out the factory ground but if the meter is in the ball park voltage drop is nothing, this is the stock battery. Positive run was as another poster mentioned about 22 ft. I ran it across to the passenger side in the engine bay then down along the frame to the back.

I wish I had a 3D printer making a custom insert for the box would be epic but this is a pretty good fit for now. Door closes over it perfectly, just need to get some weather seal for it.

 

very nice, now you can run a compressor or whatever

 

Thank you! Yeah I have the morrflate Ten Six, and I love it and I’d love to hardwire it but I think it’s too big for the drivers side cubby, I have a 2019 too so I’d have to cut an opening and do that expedition essentials bracket, but I think it’s too small.

 

Hey all wanted to update this. After posting it to Instagram I got a referral to a 3D printer to help build a custom bracket and it came out super sexy. Fits completely perfect tight on the sides with a tiny bit of play too and bottom.

check out @hotenddesigns on Instagram we went through a couple versions but got it right on the second version. They have the plans and can print them up for anyone who wants one. I saved the install as a story on my Instagram check out @desperado_taco if you wanna see.