Ok, now that you have the little cover in hand (remember, the little hinges are at the bottom of the cover), drill a 1 1/4 inch hole in the cover. It doesn't matter where, just pick a spot to your liking. After the hole is drilled, clean up any plastic shavings with a small razor blade and insert the 12V outlet:

Outlet in package:

To insert the outlet in the hole you drilled, simply push it in until it snaps. That's all you have to do!

Outlet installed in plastic cover:

Now for the electrical. Get a small ohm meter. I got this one at Harbor Freight for $5. It works GREAT, and has saved my rear from getting shocked a few times. Best $5 I spent.

Now, put the black lead onto a good ground spot. there are a LOT, so just pick a bolt and hold it on there.

Now, that white plug you see just hanging there will provide the constant power (which means the power is always on, and doesn't turn off when you turn off the ignition). The white wire with blue stripe is the one with the power. Touch the red lead from the ohm meter to that wire where it goes into the plug, and you will get a reading on the meter:

Meter:

Red lead touching hot wire:

Reading on meter:

So now we know where we will be getting the power from. So, take a screwdriver (mine was cordless), and take a screw out of the metal (one with wires already grounded to it works best). Run the black wire from the new outlet through the smaller square hole (where the cover with new outlet will go), and run the wire to the screw where the larger cover goes (that you already removed). Put the black wire end on the screw and reinstall the screw.

Run the wire to the new spot:

Install wire onto screw:

Reinstall screw:

Continued next post.....

 

Ok, now in the package with the outlet came a small blue electrical connector. This is so you do not have to strip the hot wire....just crimp the connector onto the wire, and you are good to go! Very easy.

So, unwrap the wire loom and remove the wires....just enough so you can get at about an inch of the white/blue stripe wire. Put the connector on the wire as shown:

Connector:

Connector on wire:

Now, run the red wire from the new outlet along the same path as the black wire, and place it in the shorter end of the blue connector and crimp it shut. Then fold the plastic cover over the connector, and you are done wiring!

Crimp connector with pliers:

Then put wires back into the plastic loom, and tape up all connections with electrical tape to protect them. Put the large cover back in. We are done with that now. Then, wrap all loose wire with tie-wraps to clean things up a bit:

Now, to test things and make sure they work fine. Place the black lead from the meter on the outer rim of the new outlet and hold it there:

Now place the red lead onto the center post, deep in the center of the outlet:

Your meter should read hot:

Ok, it works! Now, just put the cover with the new outlet back where it came from, and you have a new outlet for your fridge, laptop, CB, cell phone charger, whatever!

 

Nice dave. those wire splicers always scare me that they will cut an important wire.

 

Great post Dave. I plan on doing this very soon.

 

nice... gotta do this mod.

 

It is actually a 10 minute mod. It took me 20 due to camera battery change and the hle I drilled was just a TAD bit too small....had to open it up just a touch (I don't have the correct size hole bore bit). So, 10 minutes should be just about right, start to finish.

 

Thanks for the thread Dave.

What is that factory harness for anyway? Is it intended for the rear AC/DC converter option?

 

Yes, for the factory converter.

 

Could you put to outlets back there?

 

Yes, you can put 4 back there. But any more than 2 and I would run the hot wires from the fuse panel under the dash (too much load).

 

Bump, for the DIY folks (and Slimpkins) :biggrin:

 

Dave,

I have an electrical plug where that square panel is located and I have the factory sub woofer. The big white plug that you used is that used for the factory sub? Would I still be able to use it or do you think I should run wires to the front fuse box? It would be nice to have a 12 volt plug back there to run a air compresser to the rear tires

 

I'm not sure what those outlets are rated (I'm guessing 3 to 5 amps), but I don't think I'd run a compressor off of one. My compressor is rated at 19 amps and would smoke that little connector, so I ran a BIG (8 ga. IIRC) cable directly to the battery (fused) and used a 30 amp marine connector back there with a matching one exclusively for the compressor. I also have lighter plug outlets for the smaller generic stuff.

Nice install Dave, I don't think I could get off the couch in ten minutes!

Edit...Radio Shack catalog lists it as 10 amps (That seems high to me due to the way the contact is made between the plug & socket...). From there it depends on what the point of connection is rated. Use the LOWER of the 2.

 

I used the power for the factory subwoofer (since I have an aftermarket sub). You can drill the hole anywhere....I just found it easier in that location since I don't have the inverter back there like you do.

 

Right on i`ll get the goods for a rear 12v plug and just mount it next to the inverter plug. Thanks much.

 

There's also a similar guide in the Blue room which shows a nice mounting location of the 12V right above the 115V inverter plug. I mounted mine offcenter, above, on the same panel so that A) I can add another 12V outlet in the future right next to it if I so desire, and B) You can always replace that piece for much cheaper if you decide you don't want the outlet rather than replacing the whole tupperware cargo wall. Just my .02

 

You got it!!

 

Hook me up,... Seriously... I'll pay u double lol

 

Dave,

I just did this great mod. Thanks for all the pics and which wire was hot. Its cool I can run a air compressor back there now and don`t even have to put the keys in the ignition.

 

So What would you change in this mod if you were to add AC inverter? and a 120V plug?

Is there such an easy way to wire it?

-Jace

 

I know this thread is a little older but I just wanted to say nice post! Very helpful. I think I found my next mod!

 

I added 2 12v plugs at the front console and one in the back by the plug. I love this mod. Easy to do and I use them constantly for charging phones running my GPS or air compressors. By far the most useful mod I have done.

 

I know this thread is a little old, but I am trying to add this to the rear of my FJ. When I pop the covers off in the rear there is literally nothing in there. I have no wire harness or anything. My FJ is a 2012 with the off road package. What am I missing?

 

ur missing the prewired sub harness

 

ur missing the prewired sub harness

 

Thanks for wiring mine. If anyone needs help I would pm I_FJ. He lives in the valley but he's always spotted in la quite often by Joey. I assume he makes house calls. Again, many thanks I_FJ for wiring mine up for me.

 

Thats really cool of you ifj. Good to see such dedicated fellow fjer that helps out.

 

Apparently they quit installing the wiring harness back where the sub is supposed to be if you don`t have a sub? You could still put some back there and run the wires to the front.