Running 6B&S wires to camper trailer deepcycle battery

[Barry]

Running 6B&S wires to camper trailer deepcycle battery

O.K.,

Like Silver (and probably others) I have a camper trailer. I need to run twin 6 B& S (i.e. each conductor 13.5 sq. m.) from the engine compartment to the towing hitch, where it will connect via a 50 amp Anderson Plug to the wiring on the trailer.

These are thick cables, so here are my questions:

1/. Has anyone run similar cables in an Outback?
2/. Where / how did you get it out of the engine bay? [Through a firewall grommet (where?) and into the cabin, OR out of the bottom of the engine bay]
3/. If internal, how / where did you run it inside the car?
4/. If external, did you run it through the sills (and how did you get access to the inside of them?) or
5/. did you run them above above those plastic 'tray' things under the body?

Also interested in any other solutions you may have discovered.:iconwink:

Pictures would be fantastic if anyone has any.

 

[Fabes]

Hi Barry,

I have just ran twin 6 b&s cable in my 04 Outback, after a lot of procrastination, not wanting to damage my baby.

I installed a redback battery isolator on the inside of the left strut guard, two threaded holes already to go, ran the twin next to the three fuel lines throw the firewall into the passenger compartment behind the kick panel. Lifted the door sills and ran under the carpet to the rear set (a bit of a ***** passing the center pillar and getting throw the firewall). Under the rear seat throw to the rear left inner guard then to the tyre well where you will find a 40mm grommet.

Best of luck.. Hope this helps..

 

[Barry]

Fabes, I know what you mean about not wanting to damage your wheels.
Did you find an existing hole to get through the fire wall?

My car has the plastic external 'sills' and I was thinking that I might be able to remove those and run the cable through them.

Alternatively, thinking of using ties or cable anchors to mount them to the body underneath the plastic under-body tray.

Either of these routes would give a well protected 'external' route as far as the rear hitch, where I will mount the Anderson Plug next to the flat trailer plug.

I would also splice in a high amp. twin cable line into the rear quarter panel, to fit twin Hella / merit plugs. One for the fridge and the other for run my compressor / charge the jump start kit, etc.

I am intending to use this Traxide kit, https://www.traxide.com.au/CWK_2B.html , so will need to build a mountin bracket, but hope to fix to existing threaded holes, as with yours.

 

[Fabes]

Hi Barry I have attached a few pics



Redarc Battery isolator and 50 amp inline auto reset fuse



Access point through firewall existing grommet. There is a grey grommet with 4 nipples 3 of them used by the fuel lines with one spare.



Cable ran under carpet and the thing that stores the jack handle to spare Tyre compartment



Exited via 40mm grommet under spare tyre

 

[Barry]

Thanks for those pics Fabes, that will make the route finding a lot easier for me. It was the firewall that had me a bit stumped.

 

[Barry]

Fabes,

What are you towing?

You might be interested in https://myswag.org/forum/index.php
It is to camper trailers what ORS is to Subies, full of heaps of good members with lots of fantastic info, tips and local 'gen' on places to camp, especially away from caravan parks, all in the 'off road' spirit of ORS.
Seeing as how I publicise ORS to subi owners on that site, I thought I'd do the reverse here.

 

[Barry]

Firewall problems...

Opened up that grommet as Fabes did , but so far have only managed to push the grommett into the car, and that was with a piece of twin core 6mm cable I was using as a test. :sad:
Have removed glove box and still can still just barely get my fingers up in there. Stuffed if I can see how I will run cable without removing the air con unit.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

 

[Fabes]

Hi Barry, I used a 4mm rod about 400mm long pushed it down from inside the engine bay down behind the glove box, Started with a draw string and then attached the 6 b&s twin. Had some assistance one to feed and one the pull.

 

[Kevin]

wipe on a bit of detergent/water mix if necessary to the cable; makes it nice and slippery.

 

[Barry]

Finally got the 6B&S through late on Sunday.

Not sure why the pics aren't linking, will try and rectify at some stage. (10/10/'11)

Extract from my thread on myswag.org

Fed 6B&S through the 4th (blanked-off) 'eye' in the big grommet for the fuel lines. Pic will follow (so hold the "

" 'emo'!

)

Had to take out the glove box, undo 2 of the 3 bolts/nuts holding the air blower - just can't get to the top one without removing the entire dash - and remove the cover over the 'computer' on the floor of the passenger wheel well!

Also needed to remove the centre console so as to unhook gear knob and various trim to get out the box!

Finally, there is a plastic cover over the fuel lines up under the dash with a large plastic slotted screw on knob holding it in place.
1. Remove knob.
2. Bend / twist cover out of way.
3/. Push grommet out into engine bay.
It is then easy to 'modify'

grommet and thread wire through.
Once wire is fully thread through the fire wall (i.e with just what is needed for connection remaining) refit the grommet into the fire wall. Can be easier said than done!

DON'T try and cut gromett while it is in the fire wall. Way too many wires, and remember, those 'tubes' are FUEL lines!

Relatively simple to run the cable through the 'ducting' against the door sills.

Will do the 'fit off' next weekend.

 

[Barry]

Completed wiring for 2nd battery and ancillaries.

Well 'long time no post' in this thread.

Here are some pics of the finished job.

Please note: I have NO qualifications in electricals, auto or otherwise! Anyone contemplating a similar project should do so based on their own independent enquiries and research.

6 B&S wire feeding through from the front of the car, tied off to the existing loom.

Wire tied off to body, inside quarter panel. (Note: Red dust from Cameron Corner still in situ! :biggrin

Quarter panel lining back in place.

• Negative 'busbar',
• 50amp circuit breaker (red cover)
• Anderson plug (grey) to connect to removable battery box.
• Wire on the lower right of the photo feeds to the connection for the battery in my camper trailer.

• 30 Amp Anderson 'power poles' (above blank for ciggie lighter)
• Timer switch for the fridge in the rear quarter panel accessory pocket.

• Another pic showing the fuses for the power poles. Fitted them here so that I don't need to remove the quarter panel lining to change them.
• Also shows a 'merit' socket connected via power poles.
• Note 6 B&S twin core wire visible through the tap hole in the bottom of the quarter lining.

The battery box I am fitting.

Further pics to come, as soon as they are up-loaded, including the proper 'shake proof' anderson power pole clip, to connect my fridge and jump start power pack to the power pole 'sockets'.

 

[mr turbo]

Thanks for the update & pics Barry.
Looks great & a very neat job too. Well done mate :ebiggrin:

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[Kevin]

Looks good Barry - make sure there is a fuse / breaker between the vehicle battery and the cable run at the front of the car.

 

[Barry]

Looks good Barry - make sure there is a fuse / breaker between the vehicle battery and the cable run at the front of the car.

There sure is Kevin, a 50 amp circuit breaker. Here is a link to the circuit diagram. https://www.traxide.com.au/CWK_FPC.html


I am using Option B. The only differences being:

• I am using anderson 'powerpoles', rather than 'Merit Plugs'.
• I have used a 'busbar' for the negative wires, so that there is only one wire going to the negative terminal of the battery.
• My auxiliary battery is mounted in a removable battery box, connected via a 50 amp 'Anderson Plug'.

Incidentally, I would thoroughly recommend 'Traxide'. The proprietor, Tim, is really helpful, service is great and products are are terrific. [ I have no association with either Tim or Traxide]

 

[Kevin]

Beaudy! They are nice clear diagrams too.

 

[Barry]

Yep, I love the diagrams. I know NOTHING about electricals, so usually cant make head nor tail of circuit diagrams. Using these diagrams I was able to install the entire dual battery system myself - even learnt to solder and do proper crimping! AND, because I did it myself, I know where everything is if it ever needs fixing.

 

[Barry]

My 100 Amp Hour AGM* Deep Cycle Battery arrived Friday, so I can now fit the battery box and have auxiliar power on board for the fridge all the time!. (* Absorbed Glass Mat i.e. no liquid acid.)

 

[Kevin]

Good one; I bet you'll get a real charge out of that! :rotfl:

 

[Barry]

Good one; I bet you'll get a real charge out of that! :rotfl:

You are one bright spark Kevin! :lol:

 

[El_Freddo]

Hey Barry, where did you get your circuit breakers from? I'll need to get one for my dual battery system as currently it's hard wired.

I also decided not to run my wiring along the fuel lines. Main reason is that IF I happen to be in a major accident, I don't want a leaking fuel line near my power lines that could short out - I'm talking about a serious crash though. While I'm not planning on one some little voice was bugging me about it when I was installing the wiring, so it now runs along the passenger's side of the trans tunnel in the cab like so:

I had to drill two holes but I lined them with some rubber hosing that was cut down the centre

Dual batteries are the bomb!

Cheers

Bennie