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qhumberd
Moderator

Plug in cargo bay passenger 2019 T@B 400

qhumberd
qhumberd Administrator, Moderator Posts: 781
in Battery/Electrical & Solar
Hi all,

After a lot of searching without luck, I am wanting to identify the plug just inside and forward in the cargo bay passenger side in my 2019 400.  I am going to remove the battery box to replace the existing dual 6V AGM batteries with a single 230 amp Hr Lithium that has a slightly smaller footprint. I am a novice electrician at best.

When I was scoping out the compartment to plan removal of the battery box I found the plug pictured below. It looks like an AC plug but as I have the 12 V frig I don't think its that. It is right below the TV so maybe the TV? It is just forward of the battery cutoff and Gloso switch.

I ask because I have been researching ways to best manage the recharge of the new lithium, and I didn't want to get into the converter. So a simple 10 amp lithium charger that I can plug in when on shore power to top off the battery seemed a good option. I also have a 100 W solar suitcase and SAE type connector but can't always access this when in storage. Hoping the plug pictures could be modified to a duplex plug and thus provide the power I need for the charger. I was thinking that when plugged into shore power I could disconnect the battery and plug in the small charger. Wondering if it was kept connected when battery on and converter on there would be any issues.

A couple of pictures are attached. Sorry if this has been answered already but I could not find it.

Thanks


2019  T@B400 Boondock Lite "Todd"
2016 Toyota Tundra 5.7 Crew Cab
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Comments

  • pthomas745
    pthomas745 Administrator, Moderator Posts: 4,527
    Where is your AC?  Have you followed that electrical cord back to the source? Can you see the other side of the wall.
    There have been a few mods that owners have done exactly what you want to do.  One simply used the Alde 120V plug in the Alde compartment.
    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • pthomas745
    pthomas745 Administrator, Moderator Posts: 4,527
    And: this thread explains the switch from a 12V TV to a "120V" TV.  It might be that plug is running the TV off the inverter.  If true, this might not be the best place to plug in a battery charger.

    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • qhumberd
    qhumberd Administrator, Moderator Posts: 781
    pthomas745 said:
    Where is your AC?  Have you followed that electrical cord back to the source? Can you see the other side of the wall.
    There have been a few mods that owners have done exactly what you want to do.  One simply used the Alde 120V plug in the Alde compartment.
    Thanks for the quick response. The cord runs up behind the wall above where there is another duplex outlet at the foot of the bed on an angled panel.

    I have read that this out was powered by an inverter in some models, but mine did not have an inverter installed.

    So before I started taking panels and bed sections out, thought I would check.

    Here are a couple pictures from the foot of the bed side. In one you can just see the cord running up behind the battery vent hose 




    2019  T@B400 Boondock Lite "Todd"
    2016 Toyota Tundra 5.7 Crew Cab
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  • qhumberd
    qhumberd Administrator, Moderator Posts: 781
    pthomas745 said:
    Where is your AC?  Have you followed that electrical cord back to the source? Can you see the other side of the wall.
    There have been a few mods that owners have done exactly what you want to do.  One simply used the Alde 120V plug in the Alde compartment.
    I have the CoolCat front mounted AC so can't think this is related to that. I did read the link you sent on the outlet at the foot of the bed being inverter powered, but mine is regular AC and I have never had an inverter in my unit.

    Good to know that the idea of finding an AC outlet to power the small lithium charger can work. Just need to pull some panels and get my tester out and see what is what.
    2019  T@B400 Boondock Lite "Todd"
    2016 Toyota Tundra 5.7 Crew Cab
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  • qhumberd
    qhumberd Administrator, Moderator Posts: 781
    pthomas745 said:
    And: this thread explains the switch from a 12V TV to a "120V" TV.  It might be that plug is running the TV off the inverter.  If true, this might not be the best place to plug in a battery charger.

    Pretty sure I have the 12V TV as I have turned it on when not on shore power.

    Any issues with having the WFCO converter/charger and a small lithium charger both connected to the new lithium battery at the same time? I think I can mitigate that by unplugging or by having the batter disconnected so only the lithium charger is powered, but would there be an issue if both happened to be powered and connected to the battery?
    2019  T@B400 Boondock Lite "Todd"
    2016 Toyota Tundra 5.7 Crew Cab
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  • qhumberd
    qhumberd Administrator, Moderator Posts: 781
    Found some more pics of the area and my own post from 5 years ago that seems to confirm:

    I never had an inverter, and the outlet at end of bed is a regular shore power AC. You can see the plug and wire in question in that link, but it doesn't add much to what that plug in the cargo area is powering.

    https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/9453/inverter-outlet-tab400
    2019  T@B400 Boondock Lite "Todd"
    2016 Toyota Tundra 5.7 Crew Cab
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  • XenanMe
    XenanMe Member Posts: 85
    In my 2018 400 that plug was for the fridge . The fridge switches to AC power when you are hooked up to shore power.  The rest of the time the Norcold fridge runs off your battery. You are correct that your tv is 12v.
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  • qhumberd
    qhumberd Administrator, Moderator Posts: 781
    XenanMe said:
    In my 2018 400 that plug was for the fridge . The fridge switches to AC power when you are hooked up to shore power.  The rest of the time the Norcold fridge runs off your battery. You are correct that your tv is 12v.
    Hey thanks,

    Based upon the location it did not seem anything else was near enough to need a plug. Seems like adding an outlet dedicated to my small lithium charger will be the way to go for this lithium upgrade. I will confirm with the Converter panel to ensure that is the correct circuit. My converter breaker shows the frig and microwave on a 20 amp AC breaker, if I am reading this right:




    2019  T@B400 Boondock Lite "Todd"
    2016 Toyota Tundra 5.7 Crew Cab
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  • XenanMe
    XenanMe Member Posts: 85
    Looks right to me. You could try just unplugging the fridge and plugging your charger into that outlet. Theoretically, the fridge will continue to run off the battery if no AC current is available. I haven’t tested that but it if it works it could save you doing any rewiring.
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  • Horigan
    Horigan Member Posts: 863
    It’s okay to have the WFCO and Li charger wired to the battery. I have the same year and did the same charger addition, though I used the outlet next to the Alde. I believe I used an outlet splitter at the single Alde outlet. Haven’t had any issues with the circuit breaker tripping due to these two loads. 
    Rich
    2019 T@b 400
    2025 Toyota Highlander 2.4L Turbo
    Bellingham WA
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  • qhumberd
    qhumberd Administrator, Moderator Posts: 781
    Thanks @XenanMe and @Horigan for the tips. Once I get the small charger I'll see if I can get an outlet splitter in that space.
    2019  T@B400 Boondock Lite "Todd"
    2016 Toyota Tundra 5.7 Crew Cab
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