Rear Seat Delete V2 - Electrical & Storage Solution

As part of my Super Pacific Switchback X1 build-out I wanted to find a solution to locating my electrical system. After contacting local company, LightHarvest Solar, I decided to run an all-in-one solution which would not only save precious space, but also my near-and-dear dollars.



Once the system was selected, the next project was to decide where the components would go. After much mental imaging, I decided to re-do my rear seat delete storage structure and build a platform. This would place the electrical in a location I do not necessarily access a lot, this would free up space in my camper area - which was already fairly crowded with my water tank and dual zone refrigerator.

I pondered a while on whether I could place the power station and retain access to the OEM cubbies. Finally, I determined that the smart solution would be to eliminate the top-access cubbies with the possibility of having storage, but access from the front side. Next up, what building materials. I compared 1" extrusions to 1" by dimensional lumber. At price per foot, the extrusions came out ahead.



After sketching up some options and taking measurements, I placed an order with Tnutz. In between ordering the extrusions and receiving them, I made a slight design change - where I would mount the AC/DC distribution panel. This change would give me a few left over extrusions, so not a bad thing.

First up was the assemble the base platform frame and see how it fit within the truck. My guestimates were fairly close, though I discovered the leg dimension I used was off a little. Also re-learning how vehicles do not really have "square" lines/panels.



Using the 6" legs where they lined up as planned, I tweaked a piece of "L" channel aluminum to be able to use the OEM seat belt bolt holes. This provided a very solid reference point to attach the frame's legs to the floor, also using original, OEM bolt holes - formerly used to attach the rear seat storage panels. The frame is very solid with no/extremely little movement when tugging and torquing on it.



I'll be doing some additional evaluation, but the space under the power station looks big enough that I could mount the inverter there which would give more possible storage space on the driver side of the platform.

With the power station located, I can now look at wire routing - truck battery to inverter; solar panel to power station; shore power connector to power station; and power station feeds to the AC/DC distribution panel, which I am planning to install in the camper side.

Feels good to be making progress.

 

Nice work. I did something similar a few years ago, and I've been quite happy with it. I have no idea if parts of it can help you, but if they do, great!

MOAR Power, More Redundancy – Dual AGM Battery Install
and
Infinite Free Power – Adding Solar to the Tacoma

 

Thanks! More info is never bad.

 

A bit more progress on my power station build. Lot's of little details, and a fair amount of "put-it-together", then "take-it-apart" - joys of dynamic design and build in a space that has absolutely no straight lines nor square corners.

Found an old, stowed away box of Dynamat (20+ yrs old), so used it up on the rear area:


Found that a generic door wiring boot mates up well to the body plug for wire routing purposes. The passenger side is the solar panel input:


The former seat belt hole is a nice spot to mount the Victron VE Direct dongle:


The tiny space in the center was just big enough to mount the brick that is the AC charging for the power station unit:


The inverter - used to run AC for charging the power station while driving - has just enough room under the framework. Since this is V0.5, I fabricated brackets to mount to the inverter, which are anchored to the framework.


Next part will be figuring out the AC/DC breaker/fuse panel location and routing wires.

 

More pics please!

 

Are there certain areas you are interested in, or pics in general. Thanks!

 

Today I learned that the Tacoma bed corners are open to the inner area and, essentially, the outside world.

Forward, driver's side running power into camper from cab:


I may change how it is routed, we'll see.

Grommet/boot is on the back of the cab, driver's side. Wiring goes up to the bed corner.

 

Great attention to detail. The putting something together then taking it apart is the right way to do it in the end. I just have 1 question.

Why run an inverter? I prefer keeping everything I use in DC so it is efficient and simple.

 

Thanks. Yeah, definitely a lot of put together and take back apart.

The separate inverter is solely for car charging. Folks at light harvest recommended this approach as more efficient power station charging while driving.

The power station itself has AC output.

 

Ahh I see. I have a bluetti EB55 that I charge off of a 24V circuit so it charges at 180W

 

24V, nice. I'm just set up for 12V everything ... for now. I will likely wire in 1 120V circuit, just to have in the camper section.

 

Ok... love this build!

What gauge wires you running up in that there corner? Or rather whats the overall diameter?

This is valuable information. Also for dust intrusion into your/my build haha

Edit: yeah just ran down and checked. There is enough room for some good size wires. Just need to make sure the edge is covered to prevent serrations. Again great info! You just saved many holes in my shell

 

Yeah, rough edges up in there. Wiring is inside that sheathing.

 

Saw that. Haha cant hammer that pinch.
If I can I might try and fit a peice of edging also. I will let you know if that works.

You have any ideas on sealing those up? Haha greatstuff?!

 

The only thought so far was to actually figure out how to close off the bed rail lip. Some sort of removable panel(s).

 

A bit more progress with a slight regression and redo thrown in. My first-choice case for the distribution panel had a catastrophic failure due to one section being too thin, structurally. Hey, we tried. Anyway, V2 panel box turned out great with some improvements.


Next up was to run the AC and DC IN lines (to be connected to my power station located in the cab).


The AC line is marine-grade 10/3 awg, the DC line is 10 awg, bonded wiring. Individually, they fed into the upper channel "relatively" easily. The marine wire is much easier to work with than Romex. In the upper corner (DS) to prevent wire chafing, I took a section of 1/2" PEX tubing and ran the DC wire through it, then zip tied the wire to keep the PEX in place.

I attempted to use a split sheath wire cover over both cables and then to push them through the bed rail "slot". Unfortunately, the bundle was just a bit too large to fit. I wanted to keep the cables together, as they will be routed into the cab at the lower corner of the cab, DS.

That "first cut" always hurts the worse. Fortunately, that decision made cable routing easier. In the corner, there is just enough room to be able to use my drill and hole saw. I also don't feel too bad as the metal piece is one of those bolt-in covers, so no structural change was made.


Since the cables would not fit through the bed rail gap, I decided I would need to add a new hole in the bed. I chose to drill into the corner which would feed nearly directly to the hole at the back of the cab.


I definitely have some sealing tasks to take care of once I get a bit further along.

I taped the joint between the sheathing and wiring boot (that goes through the original body plug that I cut the center section out).


On the inside, the cable entry point is clean, almost like it was meant to be that way.


One of the electrical add-ons is a 12V/USB outlet assembly in the forward, DS corner. The 12V plug will be dedicated to dual-zone refrigerator. (Not wired to the panel, yet.)


While I was messing about with wiring, I decided to clean up the wire connections for the 3rd brake light. The OEM wire length makes modifying a bit tight. Also, the SP wire lengths were just a little short. I soldered in "jumper/connector" wires, then used Wago connectors to connect up the SP wires.



Next bit of work will be finishing up the connections to the power station and, then, running wires to the camper outlets and components. Getting closer.

 

Completed wiring from battery to inverter (Victron 12/800W) and tested that it will run only when the vehicle is running. So, that puts me at around 90% of my foundational electrical system.

The AC and DC out cables built and run from cab to camper's distribution panel.


The flip-open panel will be nice for adding components (like LEDs).


The rear corners are too thin to all straight spade connectors - ugh! Re-wired with right angle connectors. (I am going to swap these out, though, the ones I got are not very good, but function for now.)


For ease of pump maintenance, I used a 2-pin connector for plug and play (ish).


To test the plumbing, I set up a temporary panel at the tailgate for the hose quick connect and pump switch. I did not wire the label light, just the faucet light to be on when the pump is on.


The last item I wired up was the inverter (to be used to charge the power station while driving).


Special thanks to @turbodb for sharing his battery install. I ran the battery cables along the firewall and through the big grommet on the passenger side (though I did tear a bit of the end off the boot, bleh), then down along the passenger scuff plate area.


I fabricated the breaker mount using 2" "L" aluminum. Looks like I need to look at different battery terminals.

Routing along upper firewall:


I should be good for now. Water pump works great, expected power at the USB/DC ports and the fridge port. (I have the fridge on its own 12V circuit). I do believe it is time to get out and see how everything works.

Found that my hammock rainfly (Eno) works nicely as a work sunshade. My 270 awning is mounted on the driver's side.

 

Post beach trip shakedown:

Overall, very pleased with the performance of the electrical system. The solar panel charging is impressive (especially given the inverter settings caused a little hiccup), keeping the all-in-one charged enough to power my dual-zone fridge and water pump. The hiccup with the inverter was a factory setting that kept it from turning output on.

Just about ready to head out for the trip:


Water pump switch located in PS lower access panel (actually, cut a piece of plastic left over from my AC/DC panel enclosure.


I am using a modified coat hook as a spray nozzle holder:


Here is the schematic I am working from, always in change, as well as recording the circuits.

 

Badass build here. Subscribed

 

Thanks!