Want to add 12V recepticle

[riengle]

I have a Resmed CPAP and it uses 24 24 volts. I have 2 bricks, one that converts 110 volts to 24 volts. The other one converts 12 volts to 24 volts. I bought the second one so I could use 12 volts as a backup. I have only needed to use the 12 volt brick 1 time and that was when I was at home and we lost power. I just plugged it into a jump box and it lasted several hours. Or course I didn't use the heater.

[NJKris]

that 12v to 24v brick has got to be some sort of step-up transformer. A 20 dollar retail item that I'm sure they wanted a lot more than 20 bucks for!

[BriaBeck]

Originally Posted by NJKris

Phillips is 12v. The AC to DC converter brick supplies up to 80 watts. The 80 watts is with humidifier heater and hose heater going, not necessary when boondocking, as the problem in an RV is usually too much humidity, not too dry.

Ditto on that.


My cpap is a Phillips Respironics... uses 12VDC natively.



In the summer, I don't run the humidifier at all, plenty of moisture in the air, a tank of water will last me over a week in the summer. Winter is a different story, usually only 1 or maybe 2 nights!


For our camper, I just ran power for the 12V outlets (his and hers) with 10ga wire (or was it 12ga???) from down below the camper where the battery leads connect to the camper's 12V distribution block. Easier than running from the lights in the ceiling. Each 12V outlet has it's own 20A fuse as well.

[upflying]

Originally Posted by Davidceder

Hey Cavie.

I DO think there will be 12V at the light with the switch off. Them little electrons should just be waiting at the switch for me to throw the switch and make a circuit so they can pile through and light the light. Just need to tap off the hot side of the light switch. As a matter of fact I imagine the two reading lights are wired in parallel.

I plan doing the same, add a 12v plug by using those blue 3M wire taps. My concern is the wires powering the ceiling LED lights are very small gauge, maybe 18-22. Will the amps required to power a 12v CPAP machine heat and melt the wiring?

[babock]

Originally Posted by upflying

I plan doing the same, add a 12v plug by using those blue 3M wire taps.

I would not use those if you are referring to these:


https://www.alliedelec.com/product/3...B&gclsrc=aw.ds


You are better off breaking the wire and doing a different type of splice.


22AWG is definitely not large enough. 18 might depending on wire length and how much voltage drop you can tolerate assuming 5A draw.


Sure glad I don't need a CPAP and hope I never do.

[BriaBeck]

Originally Posted by upflying

I plan doing the same, add a 12v plug by using those blue 3M wire taps. My concern is the wires powering the ceiling LED lights are very small gauge, maybe 18-22. Will the amps required to power a 12v CPAP machine heat and melt the wiring?

I would size the wiring and connections for any 12V appliance that could be plugged into the 12V outlet. You don't know what the next owners of your camper will plug in, or what you may need to plug in in the future as well.


Just running the cpap with no humidifier is very low draw, but if you turn on the humidifier, on my unit it is almost 80 Watts, which is 6.6 Amps. If you have a heated hose, it would be even higher. I would tap into the main 12V distribution block if possible rather than the wiring for the lights in the ceiling.



Also keep in mind that if you're boondocking (no shore power), your house battery will be nearly depleted over the course of the night if you use the humidifier/hose heater... unless you have a big battery bank.

[NJKris]

Brian, if you get the chance, can you post some pics of your 12v receptacle install? I'm going to have to do that. Just need one on my side of bed.

[BriaBeck]

Sure!


What exactly would you like a picture of? I'll try to get them put up this evening...

[NJKris]

Brian, I just noticed your trailer is very different than mine. Been hopping around thread so much, thought you were on the Geo Pro E Pro thread! Thanks anyway!

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by babock

I would not use those if you are referring to these:


https://www.alliedelec.com/product/3...B&gclsrc=aw.ds


You are better off breaking the wire and doing a different type of splice.


22AWG is definitely not large enough. 18 might depending on wire length and how much voltage drop you can tolerate assuming 5A draw.


Sure glad I don't need a CPAP and hope I never do.

All the equipment we build where I work, all the 12/24V is ran thru 18-22 ga wire. Normal amp draw is anywhere from 2.5A to 5.0A and some of these power 100W heating pads. (heater pads being controlled thru solid state relays) to be more accurate.

[BriaBeck]

Originally Posted by NJKris

Brian, I just noticed your trailer is very different than mine. Been hopping around thread so much, thought you were on the Geo Pro E Pro thread! Thanks anyway!

Different, but probably still the same as well.


If you'd still like pictures, I'd be happy to go take them.

[NJKris]

Not sure if the splice- in point will be the same, but wouldn't hurt to show that.

[babock]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

All the equipment we build where I work, all the 12/24V is ran thru 18-22 ga wire. Normal amp draw is anywhere from 2.5A to 5.0A and some of these power 100W heating pads. (heater pads being controlled thru solid state relays) to be more accurate.

Depends on how long the run is. with 22AWG 10' one way and 5A, you get 13% voltage drop. If the run is from one end of a trailer to the other, it could be over 25%. Way too much. Even non critical loads should be no more than 10%.

With 18AWG and lets say a 25' run from the DC bank to the front of my trailer and 5A, that would also be 13%.

[BriaBeck]

Originally Posted by NJKris

Not sure if the splice- in point will be the same, but wouldn't hurt to show that.

Just follow your battery cables from the battery to under the camper... if your FR product is the same as mine, they will connect to the 12V distribution block under the left front corner of the camper. I just connected mine right there. If I took a pic of it, it would just be a jumble of wires connected to a few posts with a couple of circuit breakers visible.

[upflying]

Originally Posted by babock

I would not use those if you are referring to these:


https://www.alliedelec.com/product/3...B&gclsrc=aw.ds


You are better off breaking the wire and doing a different type of splice.


22AWG is definitely not large enough. 18 might depending on wire length and how much voltage drop you can tolerate assuming 5A draw.


Sure glad I don't need a CPAP and hope I never do.

Thanks, I don't care for those 3M splices. Not the right way to tap into power.
I didn't know I had sleep apnea until my wife complained of my snoring. A sleep study confirmed it. Getting used to the mask takes about two weeks, it's like tying a shoe onto your face and trying to sleep. Now it's second nature and I would not be able to sleep without it.
Been using it for 2 years, since my heart attack in 2017.
I'm 65 but a stressful career, bad sleeping, bad eating, shift work and genetics made me at risk.

[babock]

Originally Posted by upflying

Thanks, I don't care for those 3M splices. Not the right way to tap into power.
I didn't know I had sleep apnea until my wife complained of my snoring. A sleep study confirmed it. Getting used to the mask takes about two weeks, it's like tying a shoe onto your face and trying to sleep. Now it's second nature and I would not be able to sleep without it.
Been using it for 2 years, since my heart attack in 2017.
I'm 65 but a stressful career, bad sleeping, bad eating, shift work and genetics made me at risk.

I always thought it was just overweight unfit people that had the issue until I slept in the same room with a friend of mine that does regular 200 mile bike rides and is one of the fittest skinniest guys I know. I had a stressful job too but retired a year ago while 59 and now have zero stress.

[professorjedi]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I was wondering if anyone has actually spliced into the bedroom light to add a 12v outlet to run a CPAP. I've got an ResMed Airsense with the 12v converter from the company, but i don't want to cause a fire if the wires in the light can't handle the power.


Anyone with firsthand experience??


Thanks!


Mike

[aeblank]

Originally Posted by professorjedi

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I was wondering if anyone has actually spliced into the bedroom light to add a 12v outlet to run a CPAP. I've got an ResMed Airsense with the 12v converter from the company, but i don't want to cause a fire if the wires in the light can't handle the power.


Anyone with firsthand experience??


Thanks!


Mike

The fuse is sized for the wire. At worst, you'd blow the fuse.

On my rig, it's all 12ga wire fused at 15A. I've tapped into it all over the place.

[pmsherman]

Originally Posted by professorjedi

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I was wondering if anyone has actually spliced into the bedroom light to add a 12v outlet to run a CPAP. I've got an ResMed Airsense with the 12v converter from the company, but i don't want to cause a fire if the wires in the light can't handle the power.


Anyone with firsthand experience??


Thanks!


Mike

I did this too. I did, however replace all of the incandescent lights with LED panels. I figure that there's over 10A available before the fuse would blow. I also used PowerPole connectors for the DC outlet. There are also chassis mounting plates available for the PowerPole connectors that nicely anchor the connector to the thin panel above the bed. The CPAP cord was cut a few inches from the cigarette lighter adapter and PowerPole connectors were used to reconnect it. This allows use of the cigarette lighter adapter or the outlet next to the light fixture.


Phil