Welderman85
Member
- Jun 17, 2021
- 86
I bought these to add to my camper they are low amp draw but only use 20 gauge wire thst seems to small? Anyways i would like to add them by my to outlets just for phones. Can i just tap into the out let witing
Adding usb out lets.
- Thread starter Welderman85
- Start date
TSQ
Active Member
Do you a link or a picture?
Are you referring to 120VAC (household) or 12VDC (round car type) outlets?
Are you referring to 120VAC (household) or 12VDC (round car type) outlets?
Welderman85
Member
- Jun 17, 2021
- 86
I would like to the usb charger ports. I would like to install them by the current 120v outlets currently in the camper. My concerns are can i just tie in to the 120v wire for power and is the 20gauge wire on the charger ports big enough for the amp draw
Attachments
TSQ
Active Member
Those are powered off 12VDC, so you will need to find a nearby source of 12V power or run a cable back to your converter. If you need to extend the wires I would recommend using #16 or better.
tfischer
A bad day camping beats a good day at the office
If you wire these to 120V bad things will happen.
The good news is if you wire to your 12V system you can even use the when you don't have Shore Power.
The good news is if you wire to your 12V system you can even use the when you don't have Shore Power.
Welderman85
Member
- Jun 17, 2021
- 86
Thank you . If i run a 16 or bigger back to the Inverter will the little bit of 20 gauge on the usb be ok. It came on them and is soldered in.
LilRed
Super Active Member
20AWG can carry max 11 amps of load. If a typical 2-3amp USB output plus some loss (even at 1 amp) in stepdown voltage, you'd still be fine even running 20AWG all the way to the DC distribution fuse panel. DO NOT connect to your 110VAC outlet wiring.
LilRed
Super Active Member
On a side note, I'm glad OP at least asked this question. it's rather concerning that so many don't understand the different power systems 12 DC vs 110VAC, make bad assumptions, and potentially create safety issues for themselves and/or their camping neighbors.
LilRed
Super Active Member
if you really want 120VAC fed USB outlets, you can have the wall outlet replaced with something like this. As @tfischer mentioned, with the 12v DC ones, you can at least use those without Shore Power. the 110VAC outlets will only work while the pup is plugged in (think of them as nothing more than an extension cord).
I don’t know about your AC outlet, but a lot of the ones (mine included) installed in RVs are of a press fit type, so you can’t easily change them to a house type outlet that just has the 2 wires pushed into little holes. I think it would be much easier to just tap into an existing 12 volt line. I wouldn’t bother with that 20 awg wire, 16 awg or higher would be what I’d run. The bigger the awg the less resistance.
davido
Super Active Member
- Jul 17, 2014
- 1,340
Powering up a 115vac Inverter to supply a usb charger from a 12v system introduces plenty of inefficiencies. Maybe you're lucky and the USB outlet is being powered off the 12v system, not off the Inverter's 115vac side. But for me, I would get a 12v USB adapter and plug it into the trailer's 12v system.
True statements, but not really that consequential to USB devices, unless your installing 65w PD ports. 5v 2a =10w. 12v 1a=12w. The 65w pd ports also don't operate at 5v.. they operate at higher voltages. That's how that are able to use the same thickness cables.
Also it's advisable to do as you say, go direct for the 12v. It would be very energy wasteful to change from 12vdc to 120vac back down to 5vdc.
TSQ
Active Member
True, but most regulators require #16 minimum for power distribution wiring, if not #14.
Even the propane/CO detectors in trailers, which have similar power draws, are typically wired with #14.
I'm assuming the OP meant converter, not Inverter.
tfischer
A bad day camping beats a good day at the office
No he's not. He linked to the product he's looking at using in post #4
The 12V circular usb adators work very well for charging and all kinds of accessories. In our pop-up reno, we got rid of all the AC wiring in favour of DC. We ran #12 from the main fuse panel to distributions buses in three zones and then #14 from the buses to the USB chargers, lights etc. So far so good - they appear to be very efficient. The USB outlets were a game changer for us in convenience.
unplannedbbq
New Member
- May 30, 2017
- 7
x3 on the USB wired to 12v system... I upgraded my 12v side when I added solar. Battery -> Blue Sea fuseblock, USB plugs and other 12v goodies off of the block.
FleetwoodDrak
Member
- May 1, 2018
- 10
Interesting. So this 12v system you wired in is totally separate from the Shore Power/Inverter? Or do you have a wire coming from the trailers main fuse block to your 12v subpanel? Sorry I’m pretty new to the world of trailer wiring.
