DIY Canopy 12V Wiring Setup
A simple 12V canopy wiring setup to get you off-grid asap.
This system is plug and play, everything is modular to maintain easy removal.
12V setup – Battery
The 12V setup is located on the passenger side of the tub.
The battery, a 140Ah Lithium (Atlas), is located a short distance away in the rear of the tub.
12V control box
The control box is where all power related connections are distributed from.
Being located in close proximity to the battery, allows short cable runs.
Connection from the battery to the control box, is via a 125A Anderson plug.
This Anderson plug connects to 3 x 25 amp auto reset circuit breakers.
The circuit breakers run to 4 x 50 amp Anderson plugs, as well as 12V cig outlets and USB chargers.
Also connected is a set of rocker switches for the internal canopy lights.
The circuit is closed with a negative bus bar that runs back to the 125A Anderson plug.
3 things I wish I knew before my canopy build
1. A setup doesn’t need to cost $15,000+
2. Storage drawers don’t need to weigh 100kg+
3. I should’ve read this ⇩
Plan your setup properly, once.
12V control box wiring – inputs
To charge the battery there are 3 inputs.
They are:
- Starter battery (via DCDC)
- Solar panel
- 240V battery charger
The DCDC input and solar panel cable enter through this factory hole in the tub.
They are run to the control box.
The Kickass DCDC charger is located within the control box.
This accepts input power from the starter battery as the primary charge source.
If the car is off, a 200W solar panel is also connected via the DCDC charger.
Finally, there is space within the control box for the 240V Lithium battery charger.
The DCDC charger is connected via Anderson plugs, so no hardwiring is needed.
Power from the starter battery is delivered using a 3 pin Anderson plug.
Power from Solar Panel and the 240V charger comes from a 2 pin Anderson plug.
12V control box – informatics and usage
The battery monitor shunt is located near the battery.
The shunt wiring can be seen below, along with the fuses and main switch.
The digital display is run to the front of the control box for easy monitoring.
The inverter is connected via a 175A Anderson close to the battery, keeping cable short.
