wiring for a cooler

[wilcoy02]

I am refurbishing a harbor freight trailer. I want to put a 12 volt cooler on the trailer. Can I use the trailer plug for lights to run a live wire to a cooler?

Or Do I need to run a seperate wire from the battery / alt to run the cooler? If so what gauge of wire should I use? This would be two seperate plugs from the bike to trailer OR is there a way to use just one plug for both lights and cooler?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

 

[joedrum]

im not sure what those rthings consume in power....maybe others have something more to say ....but i would say seperate wiring from the lights and all ...this will be the kind of thing the external alt sould be huge upgrade for over stator

 

[detdrbuzzard]

i think you would want a seperate hot wire for the cooler

 

[toytender01]

+++

 

[slabghost]

I'm no electrician but I would think if you want to power any items in the trailer you should run separate wires for power and ground. Size the wires for the anticipated amperage load and fuse accordingly. Stock charging system doesn't have much surplus available.

 

[dan filipi]

Yes, run a separate hot from the battery to the trailer since the only source for a constant hot in standard trailer lights wiring would be the running lights which isn't a large enough circuit.
You should also be running a ground wire from the battery, that would be in the trailer plug for the lights.

I don't know how much power those DC chillers use but you may be ok if your not running extra driving lights and converted the others to LED.

 

[Tory]

I don't see why you would need a seperate plug at all.Thats irelivant.

Run a good 6 terminal plug, like a STANDARD TCP6M,TCP6F,thats the same one I use and its nice and heavy duty with good brass contacts yet is only about an inch in diameter.
Use one dedicated terminal for the cooler.Run a fused wire direct from the battery through a power switch,or add a relay that trips when the key is off (These coolers will drain a battery dead fast if you where to forget about it) through the dedicated terminal to the trailor.
You could use this same power wire for a light inside the trailor or cell phone charger in there as well.These coolers are designed for a cigerette lighter plug I think.

With that said,I wouldnt recomend it with the stock stator,they sell ice everywhere you buy gas.In my cooler I can make one bag last 24 hours.I buy a bag every morning when traveling.

Option 2 is to mount a small deep cycle battery,(they make wheel chair batterys the same size as a lawnmower battery)or gell type on the trailor somewhere,and purchase a small battery isolator to mount on the bike or trailor.This will allow you to draw off the auxilary battery with out putting an extra load on the bike battery and will insure you not only will not suck the bike battery dead,but have the added benifit of beeing able to jump start yourself. :Egyptian:

Similar to an RV

 

[wilcoy02]

Thank you for the input. I like the idea of the deep cycle battery idea.
Will look for the tcp plug

After I figure out how to post pics I will show what the trailer looked like before and after. I did get the info how to put pics on just not enough time in a day for everything.

 

[mcgovern61]

Option 2 is to mount a small deep cycle battery,(they make wheel chair batterys the same size as a lawnmower battery)or gell type on the trailor somewhere,and purchase a small battery isolator to mount on the bike or trailor.This will allow you to draw off the auxilary battery with out putting an extra load on the bike battery and will insure you not only will not suck the bike battery dead,but have the added benifit of beeing able to jump start yourself. :Egyptian: Similar to an RV

Interesting idea!

Just something to add that I am not sure is available, but in maritime, we use shaft generators all of the time. Basically, they are generators that are belt driven from the main propulsion shaft. Most commercial vessels are underway continuously and since the propeller shafts are already spinning and the main engines have power to spare we tap them for power.

On the trailer idea, I wonder is there is a possibility of running an alternator off the shaft? :headscratch:

 

[Anonymous]

I would mount a small battery somewhere and charge it with a solar plate - the one shown here would work nicely. Mount it to the tailer somewhere that it will see the light and forget it.

 

[joedrum]

now your your cooling this down to size ..id say....