Backroad Trail

by Donald Anderson

Campbell Power

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To charge our Casita travel trailer, Cocoon, we added a power connection to Campbell, our Toyota Land Cruiser. We also added a power distribution center in the cargo area to run additional gear.

The external 50-amp connectors, front and rear, can power our portable air compressor for inflating the tires after unpaved-travel.

Engine Bay

A 60-amp circuit breaker for the auxiliary loads is connected to the auxiliary battery and is positioned on the passenger side near the engine bay’s rear. A cable runs forward to the external connector and aft to the cargo bay’s distribution center.

Distribution Center

The power distribution center in the cargo area has a fuse block for adding equipment and a monitor to measure the auxiliary-battery conditions. It shows the battery voltage, current, and power. It also tracks the total energy used.

Trailer Power

The rear 50-amp connector takes power from the main power line feeding the distribution center. Its power consumption is included in the battery monitor’s statistics.

The connector is in the rear of the cargo area. A weatherproof pigtail from the connector is fed out the tailgate’s bottom gap to connect the Casita.

Installation

  • The wiring is 6-gauge throughout.
  • All terminals and splices are crimped and soldered.
  • All connections are sealed with adhesive heat-shrink.

The affiliate-free links below list the parts, wiring, and some tools you may need.

The gallery below has pictures of the installation. They should answer many questions, including wire routing and component placement.

Do you have comments about an article? I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Are there any problems or annoyances that you face adventuring?

Please leave a comment below.

Don Anderson

Parts

Wiring

Tools