Colorado 12 volt plug for refrigerator

locrwln

Expedition Leader
Checking to see where you might be hooking up your 12 volt source for powering a refrigerator in your Colorado? I have a platform in the rear cab area for my Waeco 40l and will need to power it. I tried (knowing that the odds were not good) the factory power point in the rear of the center console, but it would only power the fridge if the truck was running. I moved the fuse to power the 12v points on all of the time, but I'm sure the wire is too small to carry the amperage required for the refrigerator.

I know the battery lug on the the positive and negative are always an option, but I was hoping to see how others did it as I will have my winch and ARB Dual compressor hooked up to those lugs. Is anyone using any of the other fused lugs under the black cover?

Thank you,

Jack
 
Last edited:

1stDeuce

Explorer
Wait, you have a Colorado now??? ******, Mate?? :)

I can't help you with your Colorado issues, but I can tell you that most 12v fridges are pretty low amp draw... 3-4a perhaps... That's probably not too much for the tiny factory wiring, but getting it fed with some 14ga should help it out by keeping voltage drop to a min. More important when the engine is off than when it's running.

Cut the POS cigarette lighter plug off the cord too and switch over to 30a rated Anderson Powerpole connectors if you end up running a new feed from the battery. Much less power drop. I've had cigarette lighter plugs heat up pretty good with even just 5a of constant draw...

Guess I better go look for the build thread for your Colorado... :)
 

locrwln

Expedition Leader
Wait, you have a Colorado now??? ******, Mate?? :)

I can't help you with your Colorado issues, but I can tell you that most 12v fridges are pretty low amp draw... 3-4a perhaps... That's probably not too much for the tiny factory wiring, but getting it fed with some 14ga should help it out by keeping voltage drop to a min. More important when the engine is off than when it's running.

Cut the POS cigarette lighter plug off the cord too and switch over to 30a rated Anderson Powerpole connectors if you end up running a new feed from the battery. Much less power drop. I've had cigarette lighter plugs heat up pretty good with even just 5a of constant draw...

Guess I better go look for the build thread for your Colorado... :)

I know, I know... We had the JK for several months and we liked it, but certainly didn't love it. We did a 1600 mile trip to So. Utah and back and that kind of finished it off for us. It just didn't fit our needs and my wife didn't fit in it very well and could only drive it for about an hour. She's wanted a ZR2 since they came out, and so we decided it was finally time.

I used 12 gauge wire to run the fridge plug. I tried the factory plug and it just didn't have the amps to run the fridge.

We converted the refrigerator in our camper to an Anderson plug and I probably should convert this one as well.

Jack
 

TwinStick

Explorer
I highly suggest that you wire direct to the battery, with an inline fuse and use 10 awg wire. Stock wiring is simply not up to the task. I used the 12v plug in our 2017 Toyota 4 Runner for our ARB 50 qt. I caught it just in time. It would have burned to the ground. The wires got so hot it melted the plastic on the wires and around the 12v plug. Cabin was filling with smoke. ARB makes a great install kit, that includes a threaded 12v plug, 18' of 10 awg wire & connectors, for around $45.
 

verdesard0g

Search and Rescue first responder
#10 wire is way over kill! 12 gauge is rated for 20 amps which is almost 10 times what your fridge will need. If you go directly to the battery fuse both + and - lines.
 

driller

old soul wanderer
I ran 10ga from battery to a terminal block I put behind the drivers side back seat. If I remember right there is a plastic plug in the floor of the back seat the i entered the cab area. Then put a flexible solar panel on the roof of cab. Been running frig non-stop for 9 months now. Also changed battery out for the diesel battery. direct bolt in.
 

Danavision

New member
I ran 10ga from battery to a terminal block I put behind the drivers side back seat. If I remember right there is a plastic plug in the floor of the back seat the i entered the cab area. Then put a flexible solar panel on the roof of cab. Been running frig non-stop for 9 months now. Also changed battery out for the diesel battery. direct bolt in.
How did you run your Solar wires down into the cab? I think my cables for the solar are 10 AWG so I'm having trouble running the wires down the back of the cab.
Thanks, Dan
 

driller

old soul wanderer
I ran the wires from the panel down the back of cab, under the bed to the back of bed where I mounted the controller. Then I ran two 8 gauge wires to battery.
 

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