Tapping 12v power for bed - with ignition vs always on

Guess you are a better engineer than Toyota
Not 8awg:

 

i still think 40A is way overkill going to any trailer...

 

I'll go try to take a look but in the off chance someone knows, what gauge are the positive and negative wires running to the 7pin connector? I have 10 and 12ga wire available and if different will get it. will want to match the gauge.

I have in-line fuse, receptacle, and t-tap connectors ready to go. I'm running out of decent weather though.

 

How is this project going? I'm thinking of doing something similar to provide 12V power for charging my Jackery while the vehicle is on.

Have people just T-Tapped straight into the OEM conenctor or have they used an intermediary harness like a CURT Extension cable or a Diode Dynamics one?

 

my preference is to always try to keep the factory wiring intact, and modify plug-n-play adapters. that way, if something messes up with my additions, i have one plug to disconnect to remove all of them, instead of having my cut-n-splice job in a factory wire ruin a very expensive factory wiring harness.

i already have the curt harness for use with my opt7 tail light bar, and supplemental reverse lights.

 

do you happen to have the P/N for the curt harness? The one I found was 20" which seems a bit excessive, I'd modify the shorter DD harness before that one.

 

Oh and do you have a pic of your supplemental reverse lights? (Are they bumper inserts?)

 

this is the one i'm using.

$38 CURT 56584 Replacement Vehicle-Side Custom USCAR 5-Pin Trailer Wiring Harness

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007EA6WQU

 

i went with some offroad lights, mounted underneath the frame, behind the rear leaf spring perch. it gives me a lot more light coverage than any bumper mounted options.


i used these lights, with some scavenged lenticular film from an LCD tv backlight stack to provide range as well as distribution.


this is with the film applied inside the lens

 

For the 12v, from pin 4 did you just t tap into the harness or did you splice, solder and waterproof it?

 

i cut into the curt harness, and used heat-shrink crimps, as they tend to be the more professionally-approved automotive wiring modification process.

$26 Sopoby Crimping Tool For Heat Shrink Connectors with 210PCS Marine Grade Heat Shrink Butt Connectors of Tinned Red Copper - Electrical Crimping Tool - 20-10 AWG

https://www.amazon.com/Sopoby-Crimping-Tool-Shrink-Connectors/dp/B0BZCDQM5X


i'm well-versed in soldering and sealing, however, what i've found in long term diagnosis, is that any quality stranded solder joint wicks solder up the wiring strands, and will create a small section of solid-core wire, with a defined breakage point. the heat shrink crimps create a solid connection point, but the heat shrink creates the flexing point at a spot in the wire where the stranded conductors can still freely move, minimizing breakage potential.

 

What I might do is cut back the insulation, solder the tapped wire on and then encapsulate it with a custom made hot glue wire splice mold.

 

Smart man. I think the same way...