Anderson Connectors

[Outnabout]

For those of you that have replaced the standard 10 gauge with 4 or 6 and also used Anderson Connectors, did you run the wire up through the hole in the bed sidewall? From pictures, I gather the Andersons don’t attach to the sidewall like the Atwood. Do you just have a long tail that then attaches to the new heavier gauge wire from the camper? Thanks for any insight and advice.

 

[ckent323]

You can get various Powerpole mounting brackets and panel mounts from Powerwerx.
Maybe something here that will work for you better than a loose pigtail.

Anderson Powerpole and SB Connectors | Powerwerx

 

[Outnabout]

Thanks. Time for some research on connectors

 

[Jon R]

I originally intended to install a panel connector in the front corner of the truck bed, but I wasn’t sure exactly how I wanted to do it, so I started with a pigtail I run up over the front wall of the bed with an SB50 on it. I have now decided to just stick with the pigtail. I stow it under the truck up inside the bed wall when the camper is off the truck.

 

[Outnabout]

I originally intended to install a panel connector in the front corner of the truck bed, but I wasn’t sure exactly how I wanted to do it, so I started with a pigtail I run up over the front wall of the bed with an SB50 on it. I have now decided to just stick with the pigtail. I stow it under the truck up inside the bed wall when the camper is off the truck.

Thanks. Did you just use the same entry point on the camper as the original wiring?

 

[Jon R]

Yes. It took a little effort to dig out all the sealant but once I did the hole was big enough for two 6awg Ancor marine type 3 wires plus a 16 awg wire for the marker lights.

 

[Charlie]

I used this connector because it can handle 6AWG and has three conductors. Using one of the conductors for the small wire for the running lights was overkill, but it allowed me to have a 3 conductor surface mount receptacle, which I couldn’t figure out how to do with Power Pole.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/MARINCO-Trolling-Motor-Plug-Receptacle-12VCPS3/312085487

 

[bike4mee]

This holds the anderson connector real nice and attaches to the truck bed

 

[Jon R]

Is that sized for an SB50 or is it for the bigger sizes?

 

[Charlie]

Is that sized for an SB50 or is it for the bigger sizes?

Looks like they make a range of sizes, including one for the 50A Anderson:
https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Vision-Anderson-Assembly-Connector/dp/B08R6P3WDM


What do you do for the marker light wire?

 

[ntsqd]

I bolted one half of the connector to the bed wall, and have the other half on some 6 ga. flying leads out of the camper.

 

[Jon R]

Looks like they make a range of sizes, including one for the 50A Anderson:
https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Vision-Anderson-Assembly-Connector/dp/B08R6P3WDM


What do you do for the marker light wire?

If that’s directed at me, I used an SB50 with the Anderson rubber boots for the 6 awg charging wires and I used a flat 4 connector for the marker lights connection.

 

[ntsqd]

Because I used 80A breakers I used an SB120. There's ample anecdotal evidence that the SB connectors can regularly handle more current than they're rated for1,2, but I didn't want to go there intentionally.

1One example is that Warn uses the SB350's for some of their portable winch connections and those winches can pull more to way more than 350 amps.
2 My employer uses 120's for circuits that during the 100% QA testing of our products will run 400A for 20-30 seconds.

 

[Jon R]

I have 80 amp fuses at each battery. My dc to dc converter pulls up to 35 amps.

The evidence is not just anecdotal. If you look at the Anderson web site, the SB50 is UL listed for 120 amps of steady state current. It is UL listed for hot connection/disconnection at 50 amps. The 120 amp rating is temperature rise limited, so it likely can withstand brief fault current before the fuses blow of well over 200 amps.

https://www.andersonpower.com/content/dam/app/ecommerce/product-pdfs/SB50/ds-sb50.pdf

 

[desertmtn]

I drilled a hole in the truck bed - inserted a rubber grommet with an ID large enough for my 6awg wire, covered the wires in wire housing and pulled them thru before mounting the Anderson connectors. Kept the original wiring for running lights.

 

[jdavis]

For a tiny truck bed camper like the Hawk is there a requirement to use marker lights? I asked my dealer to not install any wiring as I did not want anyone screwing around with my truck wiring and had no desire for alternator charging. So currently I don't run any marker lights.

 

[Jon R]

49 CFR 393.11 requires trucks wider than 80 inches to have clearance lamps and identification lamps. The Hawk and Grandby are slightly wider than 80 inches, so your truck is wider than 80 inches when carrying the Hawk.

I wish there was an easy way to disable the three center identification lights on the front when the truck already has them.

 

[DirtDude]

I replaced the 10awg 2 pin connector that FWC installed because of its poor design and replaced with a panel mount Anderson powerpole. No problems since.

 

[fuzzymarindave]

I drilled a hole in the truck bed - inserted a rubber grommet with an ID large enough for my 6awg wire, covered the wires in wire housing and pulled them thru before mounting the Anderson connectors. Kept the original wiring for running lights.

Same here except mine has each 6ga wire with its own hole and grommet.