12v in 27FB switches - what is this loop?

[bbandeddie]

I'm doing my first exploratory pulling apart of things in our 2014 Eddie Bauer 27FB. I'm looking for an easily accessible 12v source to install USB charge outlets. There was a blank cover in a double switch plate in the bedroom. When I opened it I found what looks like a spare 12v pair, but they are butt spliced, son I'm wondering can I cut this loop and plug it into a USB socket - assuming I can find one that fits these switch holes?
Secondary question: does anyone have a line on a USB socket that fits these plates?

[bbandeddie]

Could this be a loop from the lounge overhead lights to allow a three way switch upgrade? Would be sweet if so. Bugs me that I have to walk back to the door to turn the lights off. I can only take so much exercise in a day LOL

[Al and Missy]

If it is a loop, and if it is 12V, then if you cut it something, somewhere, will quit working. You will need 12V and a ground to operate a USB charger. If that wire is hot with 12V it might work to splice into it with a vampire tap and make a ground conection to the trailer skin to operate your USB charger.

In my trailer, ground (negative side of battery) is denoted with white wire. That is a carryover from the AC standard where black is hot and white is neutral. Newer trailers may use black for ground and red or brown for 12V hot.

In my trailer, purple denotes one of the 12V circuits. Everything with purple wire is on that circuit's fuse. Yours is probably the same. What else is on that plate? If a light switch, one of the wires is 12V and the other goes to the light fixture. You could probably get 12V for a USB charger easier at that switch where the leads are already exposed.

Al

[bbandeddie]

Thanks Al. Yes. I've thought about just cutting it and seeing what goes out. It's interesting to me that one side of the buttsplice the purple wire has a stripe and the other side doesn't.
If it is a loop with nothing on it, would I not be able to cut it and put each wire to either side of the USB receptacle?

[4riveteers]

Pull out your owner's manual and look up the wiring schematic. Helped me when I installed my Voyager back up camera.

[glcmranger]

Open up your Converter cover. Find the Purple wire location on the fuse board. Read the board schematic to find out what the purple wire feeds to the trailer. You need to pull the fuse anyway when you cut that wire.

[TRIPPPIN]

Just an FYI I don't think you can wire a 12v line directly into a USB. You need a 12V charger to convert to USB voltage 5 volts normally and 2.5 amp. Alternatively you can change one of your 110 receptacles to one with built in USB with correct voltage. Costco Canada has a good deal on them.

[Adventure.AS]

Originally Posted by TRIPPPIN

Just an FYI I don't think you can wire a 12v line directly into a USB. You need a 12V charger to convert to USB voltage 5 volts normally and 2.5 amp. Alternatively you can change one of your 110 receptacles to one with built in USB with correct voltage. Costco Canada has a good deal on them.

Most marine type USB outlets convert the 12v to 5v internally. The 110v receptacles are too deep to fit within the Airstream external walls, where my outlets are located.

[TRIPPPIN]

I forgot to try and answer your other question. My 25 set up is similar except I have 2 switches there . One operates the lights INSIDE the overhead bins and the other operates the lights UNDERNEATH the overhead bin. I guess with your 27 set up the lights UNDER the overhead bin are the directional type (mine are not) with their own switches for each position and since the same wiring harness may be utilized for both models the switch was eliminated in your case and the wire spliced.

[Burnside Bob]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

If it is a loop, and if it is 12V, then if you cut it something, somewhere, will quit working. You will need 12V and a ground to operate a USB charger. If that wire is hot with 12V it might work to splice into it with a vampire tap and make a ground conection to the trailer skin to operate your USB charger.

In my trailer, ground (negative side of battery) is denoted with white wire. That is a carryover from the AC standard where black is hot and white is neutral. Newer trailers may use black for ground and red or brown for 12V hot.

Al

Al and Missy are right on in my experience with my 2009 25 FB. When I removed interior panels I found several pre-wired connections where options could be wired in. All consisted of two wires, taped together--white for ground as noted and colored to indicate the 12V circuit. One was under the queen bed. One was behind the shower, and one was above the man door.

If you cut your wire something already wired on the purple circuit will quit working.

The simplest way to add 5V USB taps is to buy a small plug in adapter that fits into your existing 12V outlets. What I bought was actually a mini-inverter that had both 5V USB outlets and a 3 amp 120V outlet. Charges my cell AND runs my shaver! And I can move it to my tow vehicle.

[bbandeddie]

Originally Posted by glcmranger

Open up your Converter cover. Find the Purple wire location on the fuse board. Read the board schematic to find out what the purple wire feeds to the trailer. You need to pull the fuse anyway when you cut that wire.

Thanks! It hadn't occurred to me that the wire colours would be consistent through the harness. So, it's a lighting loop. I guess I'll have to cut it to find out if it disconnects anything.

Originally Posted by TRIPPPIN

Just an FYI I don't think you can wire a 12v line directly into a USB. You need a 12V charger to convert to USB voltage 5 volts normally and 2.5 amp. Alternatively you can change one of your 110 receptacles to one with built in USB with correct voltage. Costco Canada has a good deal on them.

Trippin - you are correct wrt 120v power and USB sockets. I am looking at the 12V dual USB sockets you can get from marine shops etc which fit in a cutout the same as a cigarette lighter socket. I was hoping I could find one that would fit behind the blank plate on this cover in the space that an airstream rocker switch would go.

[bbandeddie]

Originally Posted by Burnside Bob

The simplest way to add 5V USB taps is to buy a small plug in adapter that fits into your existing 12mini-inverter that had both 5V USB outlets and a 3 amp 120V outlet. Charges my cell AND runs my shaver! And I can move it to my tow vehicle.

I know Airstream takes her time advancing with the times, but my 2014 has only one 12V outlet and it is up inside the rear dinette overhead. A pretty impractical location for us. Doesn't help we have 6 handheld devices, headlamps, a computer, sports watches etc to charge via 12V and there's just the two of us. How do families do it!
At this point I think I'm going to add a small 4 branch fuse block (from Blue Sea) under the bed and add 12V receptacles on either side of the bed and pull the power directly from the battery buses.

[Burnside Bob]

Originally Posted by bbandeddie

my 2014 has only one 12V outlet and it is up inside the rear dinette overhead.

Our 2009 has (3) 12 volt outlets: under lounge TV, inside cabinet housing Sony entertainment center, and at the optional TV location in bedroom. Check around your entertainment center as I'll bet you have one there. You can buy 12V splitters (fits into 12v outlet, but has two 12v outlets) and 12v extension cords.

Assuming your FB is similar to ours, you can remove the speakers mounted in the bedroom overhead storage cabinet to reach the wiring for the reading lights. You can install 5V USB/12V outlets in the endwalls of the overhead cabinet, powering them from the light wiring.

I may yet do this myself, as I would like to have a 12v outlet inside the cabinet to power my CPAP. My wife hates clutter and having chargers and devices-being-charged out in the open violates our 'house' rules.

[bbandeddie]

Thanks Bob. It's amazing, but just one outlet in our Eddie Bauer. I figure there should be an outlet in the plate behind the lounge tv that has the antenna booster but nope. I'll have a look behind the bedroom speakers for wiring I can access - wiring behind the lounge speakers is a monstrous rats nest that I don't want to touch for fear of messing something up.

[bbandeddie]

To close out this thread. Yes. That loop behind the switch plate is just there for other models which don’t have reading lights with built in switches. Shaking my head - waste of wire. Spend that $5 on an extra 12V outlet or something!
I tapped into the wire to the exterior locker light and install ed his and hers 12V sockets/USB chargers from Blue Sea. I like these especially as they have a 30A breaker and switch to power off any phantom loads.