Need help: Back of the vehicle power station (pics)?

WUZombies

WUZombies

Adventurist
In the past couple of weeks I saw an overlanding rig on Instagram that had a nice cargo organization system that also had a power station with switched inverter, USB charging and volt meter, but I can't find it again. I'm 99% sure that the owner is on AA and I think it was a Taco.

If you're that person, post it up. If you're not that person and have something similar, post it up. I'm planning a similar setup for the van and would love to have some inspiration.
 
I don't have a Taco, but I do have a similar setup in a van-like layout...

sleeper_switch_panel.jpg


No inverter as everything I own will run/charge on 12VDC. The Andersons are a dedicated 40-amp circuit with appropriate gauge wiring (the second Group 31 battery is right behind that panel, so it's a short run).
 
Chazz Layne said:
I don't have a Taco, but I do have a similar setup in a van-like layout...

No inverter as everything I own will run/charge on 12VDC. The Andersons are a dedicated 40-amp circuit with appropriate gauge wiring (the second Group 31 battery is right behind that panel, so it's a short run).
Click to expand...

Very nice, I like the Anderson powerpoles. I don't currently have anything that isn't mounted to the van that would run Andersons, but now you have my mind working to find a problem for the solution. Do you have enough switches, too many switches or wish you had more?
 
Precisely enough...they're more for an added safety to cut power drains than for individual controls. I switch them all off before leaving camp, guarantees no dead batteries after stopping for lunch. Someday I'll actually label them. :D
Top switches: white lights, red lights
Bottom switches: fridge, water, accessory (voltmeter, Andersons, and USB)

I wound up liking the powerpoles so much I usually cut the standard plug off any new toys to install them. The biggest selling point was the effortless power distribution the RIGrunner series provides. Single heavy-gauge lines (with circuit breakers) run close to where the power is needed, then it's fused and broken off to smaller short runs close to the actual accessories. There's two of these in the Disco—one fore, one aft—so much easier to setup, maintain, and troubeshoot:

Power-Distribution-007.jpg


I actually haven't used the 40-amp ports since I left Overland. We used to use them to charge up the Yeti and other portable batteries, but now they just sit.
 
That's awesome. I run fused buses but that's not as clean as that Rigrunner. I ask about switches because my van build keep evolving, I'm adding a second switch panel by the driver's position during this process because of the growing needs. I think I know what I'll need for the back of the van. Luckily it should be significantly easier to add more switches in the back than up front.
 
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