$50 Center Console Power Inverter Install

what material you using to make it?? interested in making myself something like this. thanks! and good lookin inverter and organizer man, looks great!

 

I am doing similair mod but it will only cost me roughly $3...lol Any TRD equipped Tacoma already has 400w inverter in center console, all you need to do is tap 3 wires and get outlet from Home Depot to have 400w in cabin...

 

X2

 

I like the divider!


I did a similar invertor setup but I mounted it under the console and wired the outlet out the back of the console and ran the on/off switch and power light up in the dash left of the steering wheel.
I'll have to snap some photos when it light out and not freezing

 

I like using the home depot inverter because it will automatically shut off it is going to over drain the battery. I also don't love tapping into factory wires.

 

I pulled power off 4ga running to my amp under the seat

 

I'm not exactly sure of the name. I just looked for a clear plastic like material at Home Depot. It's pretty cheap. cut's with dremel 1in saw..

apparently it's 8 times stronger than glass and is super scratch resistant. ( Mine has 0 scratches after a year ).

make sure that if you drill the holes for the bolts, drill as absolutely slowly as possible. This stuff loves to crack all the way across a piece while you drill into it. Use some pieces as scrap to practice on before you work with your real piece.

 

Sounds good! Thanks for the tips man!

 

Have you thought about using pop rivets? That would be a bit faster, and they would be flush.

Just had the thought haha.
Looks good!

 

It looks like lexan. It can be glued too and is surprisingly strong.

 

not sure what a pop rivet is? do I need a special tool?

I tried using glue, but didn't have luck... I was probably doing it wrong.

Yes it is lexan. this stuff is awesome. I can never remember that name though.

 

if I've got time guys, I'll make a blue print of the pieces in a PDF and post a link on here. Then you could all build this on your own. Normally I don't like to give my ideas away, but everyone on heres so great, that I'll do anything I can to help you guys build them.

I'd hoped to make some money on this, but it just really doesn't seem like a profitable product.

 

It is a great product, just hard to sell since it takes so much labor you know? Plans for it would be awesome.

Not really sure how to explain a pop rivet... But I don't know why I didnt think of it before. All you need is a pop rivet gun which you can get for less than ten bucks. Its like sticking a bolt through the hole (but smaller) without anything on the other end. Then pull the trigger, and it cuts the end off so it is just about flush on both sides.

 

I can't rember the glue I used. But it melts the plastic and bonds it together..... it will take a hammer blow. It was 1/4 " lexan thou much larger area to bond to

 

Some drawings on this would be amazing man! It truly is a great product just would be hard to produce with the amount of time it takes ya know?

Thanks again for the information and I hope I get time to do this during the weekend! Thanks again man!

BTW if you can remember the type of glue you used with the lexan, that would be some good information to have.

 

Super glue works this way, but it is known by a more formal name among the plastic model building crowd. Cyanoacrylate glue, or "CA glue". It is super thin, and penetrates deep within the microlesions of the material. If you get the right stuff, it will literally melt the plastic and fuse it together; and is incredibly strong. The plastic will break long before the glue will sperate. Just be careful with getting it on your skin.

I get my stuff at hobby shops, but I'm sure Home Depot or simliar will have it.

 

Hi! Do you have any heat buildup issues with your inverter? I use a 300W inverter tucked into the front center tray in my taco for cellphone charging. On a warm summer day the cooling fans are pretty much constantly running with just the charger plugged in, and if it's really hot it keeps blowing even after disconnecting the phone. I've put my hand near the fan output and it's hot! The annoying whir is one thing but it seems free air circulation for inverter cooling is important especially under heavier loads, otherwise inverter life will likely be compromised. Doesn't your center console get rather hot?

Also, I personally wouldn't use less than 8AWG wire for powering a 500W inverter, connected to a 40A fuse right off the battery. 500W/12V=40A. Line voltage losses can negatively affect your inverter's performance and longevity, I would prefer to be able to make use of all the inverter's power if needed.

Anyway a great console setup and writeup!

 

Thanks for the info on the glue man, going to possibly go look into material cost and locations this weekend for building one of these boxes!

 

I won't be able to get any drawings up till after this weekend probably. Sorry. I've got a ton of stuff going on (visiting colleges)

Not yet. It seems to be fine. About the wire, we went over it in this thread. I found that I can run about 25 amps on my 12 AWG wire, so I fused the inverter at 20 amps. This will give me 240 watts before it blows the fuse. I'm going to keep it like this. If I start blowing fuses I'll upgrade the wire.

Cost should be less than 20 bucks. Most expensive part is hinges. then fasteners, then the plastic.

Post pix of what you guys build on here!

 

A few pics sorry no pics of the the after market invertor under the console...... didn't want to take it apart again.
Disassembled the invertor and relocated the AC outlet and ran a cat5 cable up front for the power light and switch