Rear of bed hookups - suggestions please

If the following chart is anything to go by I don't think I'd power much of anything with 18 AWG. Too small to even be on the chart. I am seriously considering this for my switch-relay wiring loom though since thats not even an amp. Just be careful!

http://assets.bluesea.com/files/resources/newsletter/images/DC_wire_selection_chartlg.jpg

 

my 10awg will be overkill for my needs. cheap led lights, some usb phone charging and a small 12v ice chest. My solar panel trickle charger only feeds 5a max.

 

Better safe than sorry! I'm going with 12 awg for general wiring, 10 awg for a bus to the rear (maybe), and a multi-conductor bundle of 22 awg from switches to relays. Everything should be slightly oversized in the event I upgrade any components.

 

Does that mean the wire running power back to the bed can also be used to send power back to charge the battery?

 

thats what im hoping for but not sure if the relay will block it. its just a trickle charge solar panel

 

phase 1 today, engine area. 30amp breaker housing broke while i was drilling its mount hole so i have a new one ordered. I also don't have enough 10awg for the ground so ordered that, same gauge. also dont have a 30a fuse for the battery post extender i added to clean up the mess I had there, so ordered those. Ran wire from battery to breaker and zip tied and added outer shell.

 

went a little crazy with my dremel and cut the rectangle a little too big but easily hacked. also wired the relay switch in the cab to the battery.

 

todays work:
Run wire from bed to cab. spend an hour trying to get the wire into the split wire cover.
connect breaker from engine to relay
wire all 4 connections on relay.
Wired dash switch backwards, spend 15 min testing which wires go where.
Connect fuses at battery
Test back panel, all good.
turn on USB panel, no power.
pull out USB panel, connection came off, reconnect
reinstall. still doesnt work, reverse wires, works fine. reinstall.
test brake lights after, left side brakes are not working. hit them, they work. disconnect, check socket, refit and they work. reinstall and they dont work. reverse LED bulb in socket, they work again. Ugh.

 

and just checked it again, left taillight out, looks like i rewire the whole mess tomorrow.

 

Make sure you tape over those holes in the plastic bedliner. Dust is going to enter through those holes if you do some driving over dirt roads.

 

This was the route I went - might give you a few ideas.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/show-off-your-aux-fuse-panels.308677/page-50#post-22048046

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/show-off-your-aux-fuse-panels.308677/page-50#post-22000946

 

my truck rarely goes on dirt. today i get to install the TRD battery hold I got and fix that tailight.

 

took some steel wool to the sockets and led metal and works reliably, for now. Might replace the tailights soon, the left one has a big scratch on the side. may go with

$159 Spyder Auto ALT-YD-TT01-LED-RC Toyota Tacoma Red Clear LED Tail Light

https://www.amazon.com/Spyder-Auto-...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A39ZVATRNGK3RQY12C7D

at some point.

 

Just don't do what I did and fish 0 gauge all the way through the inside of the chassis. That shit is going to short one day and it's going to be an absolute bitch to fix.

 

all done, but im sure the tape wont stick to the carpet lining very well so I may velcro them later, but everything works. Switch for the top ones is near the tailgate, switch for the side ones is near the cab for when i sleep.