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Is the cargo bed outlet worth it?

OngsterA

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The 4 pin and 5 pin won't have the 12v power.
I'd use the Curt harness, which plugs in between the Jeep factory harness and the back side of the trailer connector plug on the underside of the rear bumper.
This way you don't cut into any factory wires, if you wreck your truck, you unplug that harness and take it with you.
Mr_Bill probably knows the part number of the harness he used.
You crawl under the rear bumper, unplug the factory wiring from the back side of the trailer plugs in the bumper, plug the Curt harness into the factory wiring, plug the other end of the Curt harness into the plug where you removed the factory wiring.
Now you can connect into that Curt harness to get your 12v power and ground.
The fuse you'd use would depend in the size wiring you use to get to the truck bed, and the capability of the 12v outlet you use there.
Most 12v outlets have fuses ranging from 10 to 20 amps, depending on the outlet and so on.
Say you get an outlet capable of 15 amps, you'd want to run probably 14 gauge wire and use a fuse at the connection to the trailer harness no larger than 15 amps.
That way if you plug something in and it draws too much or a wire gets damaged, you'll pop that fuse back there because that 30 amp fuse for the trailer wiring likely would not blow before you'd burn the wiring to your 12v bed outlet.
Perfect, very detailed, thanks a bunch!!

For now I’d like to keep power to my Dometic back there, and immed future an ARB compressor.
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ShadowsPapa

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If I'm totally honest the only thing I used my Tacoma bed outlet for that couldn't be powered by one of these things is power tool batteries and those don't require the outlet to be in the bed. An outlet on the backside of the console in the cab is infinitely more useful for me.

Unlike the F-150, it's just not enough amperage for anything useful and any effort to extend the power to where you need it just further cuts down on what's available.
Yeah, and Ford can power your entire house in event of a power outage. I should trade for a Ford just for that bit alone. Next time a storm takes out our power for a week, I'd just pull my Ford out and plug the house into it - all 200 amps of it, heat pump, 2 freezers, 2 refrigerators, electric oven, al of it. Ford shows it working that way.

All seriousness aside, 400 watts isn't a lot - that's 4 100 watt bulbs and that's barely powering them because there's always some line loss.
In my case I'd use it for very low power draw charging of my phone and hearing aids while sleeping in the back/truck tent. I could have them right in the truck bed in the tent with me. So for me, it would be an ok thing. Not a necessity, but sure nice to keep things charging with me and not somewhere else. But I'd run into that age-old issue of the outlet shutting down in 30 minutes so maybe I would be better off extending a 12v outlet up there from the trailer wiring.
Last time I used my jump pack and the 12v outlet splitter so I could charge those two things off it and have it in the back of the truck with me.
There's always ways around things.
 
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dslfreak

dslfreak

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Apologies if I appear a little daft on such things, but I don't touch anything electrical. How is any of this different than what you get with the TrailRail Management System from the factory? Or is it a "I didn't get that option, so have to have aftermarket type thing"?
Mine was ordered without it, but, should have all the components required for it, im waiting for it to arrive and the Tazer to arrive so I can enable the feature
 

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Mine was ordered without it, but, should have all the components required for it, im waiting for it to arrive and the Tazer to arrive so I can enable the feature
Tazer can't help until you install the outlet and wiring because the outlet won't be there and the wiring harness to the back from the inverter won't be there.
Unless you mean that you have ordered those parts and will install them.
Like passive entry - the system can be told it's there, but YOU have to install the door handles and harnesses
This isn't a matter of "everything will be there, I just have to tell it to turn it on".
 

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ShadowsPapa

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Yeah, that's what i showed.
I have one, a single but with a plug-in splitter that gives me 2 12v outlets AND a USB charger, but I want the power in the truck bed as I have a truck tent and want t have things inside while charging.

That's why we're talking the curt harness so we can route power up into the bed of the truck.

Jeep Gladiator Is the cargo bed outlet worth it? 20220801_150921
 

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Yeah, that's what i showed.
I have one, a single but with a plug-in splitter that gives me 2 12v outlets AND a USB charger, but I want the power in the truck bed as I have a truck tent and want t have things inside while charging.

That's why we're talking the curt harness so we can route power up into the bed of the truck.
Where would you have the power come in? Just leave the cord dangling?
 

Escape.idiocracy

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I’m assuming based on what I have read- not all of the gladiators with a hitch have a 7 pin connector?
 

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I’m assuming based on what I have read- not all of the gladiators with a hitch have a 7 pin connector?
All of them are supposed to have the combination 7-pin/4-pin tow connector in the bumper. You have to order the Tow Package to get the receiver and the upgraded fan and alternator.
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