PJScullyJr
Member
Over the past few weeks I was looking of a nice clean way to add AC power to my JK for the different toys and electronic gizmos that are part of our everyday lives.
After a lot of web crawling I saw a few neat and not so neat ideas, as well as some nice clean installs and some not so clean downright scary installs.
So I picked up an inverter I had in my garage and went to work trying to build a mouse trap I would like, not a better one, but one I would like.
I started out buy figuring out where to put the inverter, I wanted someplace dry, out of the way and out of sight. And the space in the dashboard next to the glove box was perfect.
From there, I decided the first outlet should go in the rear of the jeep, after some poking and head scratching I decided the tailgate would be a neat spot for it.
So after snaking some 14 gauge SJO wire through the factory wire loom into the tailgate I crossed my fingers for a moment and drilled a hole for the outlet. After not screwing up I managed to wire up the outlet and snake the power cable to the front jeep and into the dash zip tying it to the existing wire loom and keeping it under the trim work for greater protection.
Next I went to work on the inverter itself, knowing one of my goals was to have a nice clean and nearly invisible install I was going to have to rewire part of it.
I opened up the inverter and rewired both the power button that in an IC controlled momentary on/off switch and the power on indicator.
I wanted the power on indicator because with the inverter tucked away in the dashboard I didn't want to have it accidently turned on and kill my battery.
so I cracked it open... and started rewiring it to a new switch and indicator light...
So after I had all of the preliminary wiring done to the momentary rocker switch and the LED indicator (as well as switches and leads for future add-ons)
Came the fun part of wiring up the inverter itself with some carful wire soldering the unit was rewired (fingers crossed correctly) . I reassembled the unit and snaked the wires through the dashboard to the switches and connected everything up and installed the switch pod.
Next using 10 gauge wire I wired the inverter to the battery and snaked the wires through the fire wall.
So from here I did the finishing up connector work and finished connecting the SJO wire to the inverter and buttoned every thing up...
With everything all back together, and all wires secured to prevent any pinch points I can say it ACTUALLY WORKS!!! and with it being an 800 watt unit it can run a blender... so margaritas anyone???
But in the end I think I accomplished my goals.. AC power.. clean install.. functional.. and I still have the ability to add an additional outlet down the road.
What to add next.. the compressor or the lights?????????
After a lot of web crawling I saw a few neat and not so neat ideas, as well as some nice clean installs and some not so clean downright scary installs.
So I picked up an inverter I had in my garage and went to work trying to build a mouse trap I would like, not a better one, but one I would like.
I started out buy figuring out where to put the inverter, I wanted someplace dry, out of the way and out of sight. And the space in the dashboard next to the glove box was perfect.
From there, I decided the first outlet should go in the rear of the jeep, after some poking and head scratching I decided the tailgate would be a neat spot for it.
So after snaking some 14 gauge SJO wire through the factory wire loom into the tailgate I crossed my fingers for a moment and drilled a hole for the outlet. After not screwing up I managed to wire up the outlet and snake the power cable to the front jeep and into the dash zip tying it to the existing wire loom and keeping it under the trim work for greater protection.
Next I went to work on the inverter itself, knowing one of my goals was to have a nice clean and nearly invisible install I was going to have to rewire part of it.
I opened up the inverter and rewired both the power button that in an IC controlled momentary on/off switch and the power on indicator.
I wanted the power on indicator because with the inverter tucked away in the dashboard I didn't want to have it accidently turned on and kill my battery.
so I cracked it open... and started rewiring it to a new switch and indicator light...
So after I had all of the preliminary wiring done to the momentary rocker switch and the LED indicator (as well as switches and leads for future add-ons)
Came the fun part of wiring up the inverter itself with some carful wire soldering the unit was rewired (fingers crossed correctly) . I reassembled the unit and snaked the wires through the dashboard to the switches and connected everything up and installed the switch pod.
Next using 10 gauge wire I wired the inverter to the battery and snaked the wires through the fire wall.
So from here I did the finishing up connector work and finished connecting the SJO wire to the inverter and buttoned every thing up...
With everything all back together, and all wires secured to prevent any pinch points I can say it ACTUALLY WORKS!!! and with it being an 800 watt unit it can run a blender... so margaritas anyone???
But in the end I think I accomplished my goals.. AC power.. clean install.. functional.. and I still have the ability to add an additional outlet down the road.
What to add next.. the compressor or the lights?????????
