Today we're going to be installing a 12-volt DC outlet and two USB ports into my
Coachman Freedom Express 254DSX. We're doing this mostly so that when we're boondocking
were able to watch TV, because this trailer, for some reason, has no DC outlets at all. The TV only
works on AC power. So I want to installed a DC outlet so I can put a small inverter in and plug my
TV into that and watch TV. The USB ports are beneficial to charge up my phone, my watch things, like that.
when we're boondocking. So let's get started.
So what I think I'm going to do is I'm going to install it in the
TV cut out here. In an area that I can access from behind. What I think I'm going to do is
I'm going to be tapping in to the power that goes to the stereo, because the stereo runs
on DC power. So if I tap into that power, I can then run the USB ports and the DC outlet.
So now I'm just going to lift up the stereo. Let's see how it looks in behind. Lots of wires. Set it up here.
It's nice that every wire is labeled and I see there's one 12 volt DC switched and that's red
and the black one that says ground. So I'm going to take my multimeter. I'll put the red with the red
and the black with the black. Set it to 12 volts and there it is 13 volts which is acceptable in a 12
volt system. I'm going to turn on the power on the stereo and see if that makes any difference.
No difference in volts that means it is constant power. If you look in the back here you can see
where all the wiring comes through here. So I'm just gonna go up here and I'm going to put my outlets up
there and that will be right here in the box that houses the TV. So this is the kit that
I purchased. It has USB, 2 of them, and 12 volt DC outlet. On the back shows obviously both have
to be plugged in and it comes with the wires. So these ends just fit on here like that and
the other end is like this. I just need to cut those off, strip the wires down a little bit and
I can attach them to the wires that are in the stereo already, the 12 volt DC switched and the
ground wire. So what we have to do is go outside and undo the battery, unhook it completely.
So we'll have a look at the front of this and see if there's any power to it.
And there is and it's working.
that's because we're still plugged in to shore power, gotta unplug that.
Something like that looks good to me.
So these come with a fuse already. So that's very nice. Now we got to
cut off these ends. We don't need these ends.
Okay all done. So what I'm gonna do is attach the wires to the back so the red
to the positive, black to the negative. Do that with both of them, the DC outlet and
the USB. Red to positive, black to negative. Put them through here. Pull them out the bottom.
Now I got all the wires through. Let's put these in here. Hopefully they fit okay. They do. Now I have
to feed the rings onto the back of them. So I have to feed that up through the wires.
These two wires go to the same thing.
I have to screw on the back.
Okay so that's one.
Take the other one
Okay so there we go. Haven't screwed them in yet but
they're in place right now. Now it's time to do the wiring.
So you take both reds,
put that on good and tight and then do the black, the ground.
Okay I'm gonna go hook up the battery. Let's see if we got power here. So now
that I hooked up the battery, we're gonna check this, see if there is power and look at that we
have power. The USB outlets are all lit up showing you got power. So all we have to do now is screw
in the plate to hold it in place, plug the radio back in, put it all back together and we're done.
Good everything works. and there's
There, a little bit of cleanup, we're good to go.
And there's the finished project. Let's see if it works. Just gonna charge up this Lume Cube that I'd
been using to give me some light here and if it works the red light will go on the
back of the Lume Cube. And there it is. It is charging, awesome. Very quick, easy installation.
Takes, about half an hour to do. Still have to test it out with the TV which is the real purpose that I did this.
I have one of these little inverters. I plug the TV cord into it.
Green light came on, on the inverter. Let's turn on the TV.
And there we go.
It works. Now I'll be able to watch TV when I'm boondocking.
So that's it, another successful installation and we'll see you next time on bentguy516.