[Sparty047]

Just ordered an A.R.E. MX cap, primarily for use with our camping.

I intend to remove my cargo light before this cap goes on and will mount in inside the cap. Anyone ever do this? How'd it turn out? There's a "compression front boot" available for the cap which I may get, as my rear slider will line up with the capper front slider; I think this seal may reduce "air noise and should provide some protection for the opening where I'll be removing the cargo light..

I am going to mount a three-outlet 12v power access in the back end. I already know best practice is to run a dedicated line from up front and run it through a wire loom alongside existing runs. I am looking at 12 AWG aluminum clad copper wire for this 25 ft run and should only be pulling 10 amps or so.. Anyone think that 12 g is too light?

HERE'S WHERE I NEED SOME SAGE ADVICE: What's the best location to add this circuit? Do I unbolt the panel covering the main fuse box and select an unused circuit? Any hints to avoid screw up (other then the obvious disconnect the battery)?

 

[Sparty047]

Addendum already!!! Looking at audio amplifiers I note that a single Positive (Red) wire is attached to one of the battery lugs. Under the battery box on my 2.8 are four 100 amp circuit lug connections and one 400 amp lug connection. I believe I can "tap into" one of the 100 amp lugs with an O-ring terminal and run a 10 AWG wire back under the chassis and up through behind the tail light assemble. The (negative) wire should also be 10 AWG but only needs to reach a spot to attach to a frame bolt to provide ground. I'll attach a fuse holder with 20 or 25 amp fuse on the 14 AWG wire that runs between the positive run and the 12V outlets.


Does this sound righteous?

Thanks

 

[Vinolush]

There's a constant 12v source on your 7 pin plug... If you should chose to use it. I get the dedicated line thought...

Leer makes a harness for cap brake lights

Leer

www.leer.com

I don't believe anybody is using rubber compression boots for the twins. But.... I could be wrong

 

[SFLTruck]

Just ordered an A.R.E. MX cap, primarily for use with our camping.

I intend to remove my cargo light before this cap goes on and will mount in inside the cap. Anyone ever do this? How'd it turn out? There's a "compression front boot" available for the cap which I may get, as my rear slider will line up with the capper front slider; I think this seal may reduce "air noise and should provide some protection for the opening where I'll be removing the cargo light..

I am going to mount a three-outlet 12v power access in the back end. I already know best practice is to run a dedicated line from up front and run it through a wire loom alongside existing runs. I am looking at 12 AWG aluminum clad copper wire for this 25 ft run and should only be pulling 10 amps or so.. Anyone think that 12 g is too light?

HERE'S WHERE I NEED SOME SAGE ADVICE: What's the best location to add this circuit? Do I unbolt the panel covering the main fuse box and select an unused circuit? Any hints to avoid screw up (other then the obvious disconnect the battery)?

I have a cap on mine and I just left the light alone. You can't see it anyway because of the cap and if you remove it, it poses two problems. First the gasket on the housing is what seals the opening. If it leaks it's going to get into your headliner and run down from there. Second I read somewhere in the service manual those lights will trigger a DIC light if they go bad. This being said if you remove it you will probably get a msg on the dash. The caps all have integrated brake lights in them so removal is kind of pointless. You can grab the power from the rear of the truck for the 7 pin as stated above and the brake light line for the cap brake light. The one thing I did do was put leds in the third light so as to not have to worry about it going bad. I figured it would lesson the chance of having to remove the cap just to replace a conventional lamp.

 

[RamchargerMan]

Did a write up on another forum that may help you out. Let me know if you have any other questions. How to install an aftermarket or used canopy topper (two...

 

[CR900945]

Just ordered an A.R.E. MX cap, primarily for use with our camping.

I intend to remove my cargo light before this cap goes on and will mount in inside the cap. Anyone ever do this? How'd it turn out? There's a "compression front boot" available for the cap which I may get, as my rear slider will line up with the capper front slider; I think this seal may reduce "air noise and should provide some protection for the opening where I'll be removing the cargo light..

I am going to mount a three-outlet 12v power access in the back end. I already know best practice is to run a dedicated line from up front and run it through a wire loom alongside existing runs. I am looking at 12 AWG aluminum clad copper wire for this 25 ft run and should only be pulling 10 amps or so.. Anyone think that 12 g is too light?

HERE'S WHERE I NEED SOME SAGE ADVICE: What's the best location to add this circuit? Do I unbolt the panel covering the main fuse box and select an unused circuit? Any hints to avoid screw up (other then the obvious disconnect the battery)?

I would use #14 stranded copper. #12 is overkill. #16 copper automotive would be adequate. I used a couple of circuits in the box under the hood. One always on and one with ignition. It is just about impossible to access the panel under the right side dash. You can find an unused circuit or one that is not heavily used or critical to vehicle operation.

 

[Sparty047]

Well.....worked it out with some outside advice:

1) Removing the cargo light leaves a hole where water can enter and run under the headliner in cab.
2) Will follow the advice to just replace the incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs to extend lifetime, and then allow whatever amount of light that enters through the cap window to do so.
3) The cushion seals sold by cap manufacturers apparently don't do much! Was advised to first, wait and see. If I find I leave both sliders open much and find it noisy, the simplest solution would be to insert a 15-17 inch bicycle tire inner tube between the windows and inflate to seal.
4) I feel that simultaneously running a 12V cooler, interior lights, the recharge of a Jackery solar bank, etc. might pull total amps approaching that of an audio amplifier; and could therefor overload the trailer harness circuit - so I followed the audio wiring suggestions to "put bumps in the trunk:" I ran a dedicated 8AWG positive (red) wire from one of the 100amp lugs off the battery box through a self-resetting 30 amp breaker that I mounted at the firewall. From there, it was easy to drop the shielded #8 wire down the driver's side firewall and then use wire wraps to attach it as it followed the path of an existing wire harnesses. I ran it up the space behind the rear wheel well and out one of the preexisting unused holes located near the top of the rear inner panel. I ran a 3-4 ft piece of #8 negative (black) wire from where I drilled a hole in a bracket support near the rear shock mount, out this same hole. Finally, since the three 12V outlets share common 14 AWG wires, I trimmed them down to 3 inch length and attached them to the #8 wires. The 3 outlet assembly has full time power from the battery, so its "on/off switch" with 20 amp breaker built into it will prove handy. Should I find it being tripped by too much draw, it would be easy to replace it with 3 separate 12V outlets with inline switches..

 

[SFLTruck]

Well.....worked it out with some outside advice:

1) Removing the cargo light leaves a hole where water can enter and run under the headliner in cab.
2) Will follow the advice to just replace the incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs to extend lifetime, and then allow whatever amount of light that enters through the cap window to do so.
3) The cushion seals sold by cap manufacturers apparently don't do much! Was advised to first, wait and see. If I find I leave both sliders open much and find it noisy, the simplest solution would be to insert a 15-17 inch bicycle tire inner tube between the windows and inflate to seal.
4) I feel that simultaneously running a 12V cooler, interior lights, the recharge of a Jackery solar bank, etc. might pull total amps approaching that of an audio amplifier; and could therefor overload the trailer harness circuit - so I followed the audio wiring suggestions to "put bumps in the trunk:" I ran a dedicated 8AWG positive (red) wire from one of the 100amp lugs off the battery box through a self-resetting 30 amp breaker that I mounted at the firewall. From there, it was easy to drop the shielded #8 wire down the driver's side firewall and then use wire wraps to attach it as it followed the path of an existing wire harnesses. I ran it up the space behind the rear wheel well and out one of the preexisting unused holes located near the top of the rear inner panel. I ran a 3-4 ft piece of #8 negative (black) wire from where I drilled a hole in a bracket support near the rear shock mount, out this same hole. Finally, since the three 12V outlets share common 14 AWG wires, I trimmed them down to 3 inch length and attached them to the #8 wires. The 3 outlet assembly has full time power from the battery, so its "on/off switch" with 20 amp breaker built into it will prove handy. Should I find it being tripped by too much draw, it would be easy to replace it with 3 separate 12V outlets with inline switches..

Excellent set up......
One thing I have found is just running a cooler off a three-way 12v outlet is most manufacturers are full of crap on the current rating they post on the outlets. Keep an eye out for excessive heat on anything that draws more then 4-5 amp continuously.