Adding new 12v Power Cord reel -- how best to connect to 12 volts?

[rv rick]

While in Forest City last week having a few items done on our Tour, I dropped by the Winnie Surplus store -- and there was a 50 amp power cord winder and housing (CableMaster) at a great price. I could not resist and picked it up. Easy install so far, but I am now ready to connect the 12 volt power to the unit and wanted to bounce my plan off the experts out there. To avoid trying to tap into an existing circuit, I plan to wire directly to the chassis side of the breaker (battery cable comes to to the breaker, then feeds the coach afterwards) for positive and connect to the chassis ground buss for the negative. I will be using 12 gauge wire and include a 20 amp fuse inline (as suggested by the unit's maker). All wires will be encased in plastic wire protectors.

Seem reasonable to you all?

[rv rick]

While in Forest City last week having a few items done on our Tour, I dropped by the Winnie Surplus store -- and there was a 50 amp power cord winder and housing (CableMaster) at a great price. I could not resist and picked it up. Easy install so far, but I am now ready to connect the 12 volt power to the unit and wanted to bounce my plan off the experts out there. To avoid trying to tap into an existing circuit, I plan to wire directly to the chassis side of the breaker (battery cable comes to to the breaker, then feeds the coach afterwards) for positive and connect to the chassis ground buss for the negative. I will be using 12 gauge wire and include a 20 amp fuse inline (as suggested by the unit's maker). All wires will be encased in plastic wire protectors.

Seem reasonable to you all?

[John_Canfield]

Rick - in the electrical bay on our coach (where the power cord winder is located), there are many good sources of 12V. Don't know how yours differs from ours. In our bay, there are 12V circuit breakers for several things including a 55 amp breaker for the house 12V supply. That's a great candidate for your 12V source.

Put the fuse as close to the source as possible and protect the wires from chafe.

I don't get too concerned about the 12V branch circuits getting into trouble - I think they are all well protected. I am concerned about the 3/0 and 4/0 ?/? cable to/from the alternator, starter and battery banks - those can carry huge amounts of current and are probably the cause for lots of vehicle electrical fires.

It seems that Winnebago and Freightliner do a real good job of wire protection with liberal use of cable clamps and wire looms, but I still scoot around underneath the coach every once in a while to have a look-see.

[John Hilley]

John Canfield has the right idea. The shorter the cable the better. It is unlikely that you would be using anything else while reeling up the cable so it wouldn't be overloading any circuit you were tapping into. I like to use Anderson Power Poles for all my connections. It makes it easy to do trouble shooting and makes for an excellent connection. I put them on water pump, mascerator, 12vdc compressor lights and etc. I use them instead of the cigarette lighter sockets. I put jack in several compartments to plug in accessories.

[rv rick]

Many thanks for the great ideas -- in my bay, the only 12v sources I have found are the compartment lights and power door locks. The lights would be fine since I could switch them on when using the winder, but I noticed the breaker was only 15 amps and the winder specified a 20 amp breaker. Still, I gave it a try and it seems to work OK -- just want to do it right.

Thanks again