Hide power pole connector?

TreeTopFlyer

Adventurer
I am going to put some Anderson Powerpole connectors on the front and back of my truck. My question is should I have them located in an inconspicuous place? I was going to put it on top of my bumper in the center so I could connect the jumper cables and go to either side easily. However, being a glass half empty kind of guy I worry about some arsehat trying to short out the connection or something along those lines. I am thinking under the bumper tucked away, painted black, but able to still be easily plugged in.
 

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xtatik

Explorer
I am going to put some Anderson Powerpole connectors on the front and back of my truck. My question is should I have them located in an inconspicuous place? I was going to put it on top of my bumper in the center so I could connect the jumper cables and go to either side easily. However, being a glass half empty kind of guy I worry about some arsehat trying to short out the connection or something along those lines. I am thinking under the bumper tucked away, painted black, but able to still be easily plugged in.

Not sure which PowerPoles you're planning to use, but Powerwerx has some nice boots and dust covers for some of them.
http://www.powerwerx.com/anderson-powerpoles/accessories/
 

chrismc

Adventurer
I'd add an under-hood circuit breaker for the lines going to the PowerPoles. That will give you an on/off switch for them as well as providing a measure of safety. How well is the high-amperage wiring from the battery to the rear bumper protected? Personally, I wouldn't want it to be energized unless it needed to be. All kinds of brush and assorted debris can catch on and damage under-vehicle wiring. For example, here's a 300A circuit breaker: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/300-HIGH-POWER-CIRCUIT-BREAKER/dp/B003IZ0I9M"]Amazon.com: 300 AMP 12V HIGH POWER CIRCUIT BREAKER[/ame]. That would cover all but the largest (350A) PowerPole.[ame="http://www.amazon.com/300-HIGH-POWER-CIRCUIT-BREAKER/dp/B003IZ0I9M"] [/ame]
 
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HenryJ

Expedition Leader
I'd add an under-hood circuit breaker for the lines going to the PowerPoles. That will give you an on/off switch for them as well as providing a measure of safety. How well is the high-amperage wiring from the battery to the rear bumper protected? Personally, I wouldn't want it to be energized unless it needed to be. All kinds of brush and assorted debris can catch on and damage under-vehicle wiring. For example, here's a 300A circuit breaker: Amazon.com: 300 AMP 12V HIGH POWER CIRCUIT BREAKER. That would cover all but the largest (350A) PowerPole.
:victory: Great advice.

Mine is connected with a manually resettable 150A breaker like linked above. This is a picture of it in my old truck:

breakr.JPG


You can see here where I mounted my connectors:

mountinstalled.JPG
hook.JPG


Just to the left of the hitch on both ends. That is where the connector for the winch cradle attaches easiest and also works well as my connection for the trailers power supply.
 

TreeTopFlyer

Adventurer
Yah, good point. I had thought about that but put it on the back burner.

It's the 350A connector.

I have a 150A bussmann waiting to be used. =) It just found a home.

Thanks.

I'd add an under-hood circuit breaker for the lines going to the PowerPoles. That will give you an on/off switch for them as well as providing a measure of safety. How well is the high-amperage wiring from the battery to the rear bumper protected? Personally, I wouldn't want it to be energized unless it needed to be. All kinds of brush and assorted debris can catch on and damage under-vehicle wiring. For example, here's a 300A circuit breaker: Amazon.com: 300 AMP 12V HIGH POWER CIRCUIT BREAKER. That would cover all but the largest (350A) PowerPole.
 
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Count Fred

Observer
Be aware that if the dust caps that xtatik mentioned see much sunlight in their mounting location, they will fade very quickly. My bright red was an obnoxious pink within a month or so of mounting. :(

Also, take a look at the color to voltage standard here: http://www.andersonpower.com/products/colorcode_mp.html Not all installers follow it, but those are the manufacturer's recommendations and will ensure compatibility with others who follow them. Nothing like damaging your set of jumper cables and borrowing someone else's only to discover they choose a different color and so it is keyed to not work.

Cheers,
JFS III
 

xtatik

Explorer
Be aware that if the dust caps that xtatik mentioned see much sunlight in their mounting location, they will fade very quickly. My bright red was an obnoxious pink within a month or so of mounting. :(

True dat. He mentioned he was going to tuck it away somewhere. But, that only gets it out of the sunlight. It usually means it will still gets exposed to everything else. I've only used to smaller versions for under the hood and interior taps...and they seem to work well.
 

brianjwilson

Some sort of lost...
Have you considered a battery switch for them?
I had a warn quick disconnect on my last truck and always worried about the same thing. It would be very easy for someone to short it out. I wasn't sure about a 150amp fuse, if it would blow when jumping or winching. I ended up keeping the connector tucked out of sight under the bumper.
Next time I think I will use a battery switch on a 12" jumper from the battery. I will run A and B as front and back, and leave it switched off when not in use.

Actually I'm trying to decide what to do for upgraded charging of a small slide-in camper now, and I think I will do the same thing. I will probably run 4 gauge wiring to the bed of the truck with an anderson powerpole connector, and use a battery switch under the hood so nobody can fuss with it when the camper is off.
 

HenryJ

Expedition Leader
Have you considered a battery switch for them?
The circuit breaker has a push button disconnect.

breakr.JPG

Push the red button and the breaker trips to an open position indicated by the black lever in the picture above. Quick and easy disconnect.
 

dirty Bakers

Conservative
You could use an extended duty relay and a switch in the cab, or a keyed switch from caterpillar. (I can dig up the part number if any one would like it). Flaming river has some nice options too.
 

TreeTopFlyer

Adventurer
I kept it all pretty simple. 150 Hi-Amp from Bussman that I had sitting on the shelf. I have a 300A version on the way, I'll put it on if the breaker ever trips from jumping. I'll get some red electrical tape today and mark the '+' cable, while I don't ever plan to use someone else's cables, you never know.

The rubber cover is under the bumper next to the winch plate, it shouldn't see much light. It already has a pinkish hue to it. Any more pink and it will see a rattle can of black. It will probably rarely get used, but I'm a gearwhore and just like to add to the weight of my truck. Next will be the rear port, just need some more welding cable.
 

ldivinag

Adventurer
i worried about this when i was setting mine up over a decade ago.

i ended with just keeping the 2 foot leader INSIDE the engine compartment.

i bought a cap, which had a short leash that i just tie wrap so it doesnt flop around.

safe all the way around.
 

ldivinag

Adventurer
Also, take a look at the color to voltage standard here: http://www.andersonpower.com/products/colorcode_mp.html Not all installers follow it, but those are the manufacturer's recommendations and will ensure compatibility with others who follow them. Nothing like damaging your set of jumper cables and borrowing someone else's only to discover they choose a different color and so it is keyed to not work.

Cheers,
JFS III

oh... NOW that list is around. where was that 10 years ago... lol...

back then all i remember was warn sold the red 175 amp connectors. but when i read the spec for my warn 9000 pound winch, it says it can max out at over 300 amps. so i bought from wrangler products, their biggest one, which came in one color only. GRAY.

so if anyone is planning on the 350 amp connectors, just remember that wrangler products was a big seller of them and gray was almost all universal...
 

Ozarker

Pontoon Admiral
Does anyone have a schematic, drawing of a dual battery set up, might show where disconnects, switches, gen set up? Not to any vehicle, but universal setup? And what all gets grounded? There was a long discussion about setting up a genset and feeding back to the batteries through ground....Thanks!
 

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