Thanks for this info. Sadly I am such a rookie at this I don’t even know anything about wire gauge. I had no idea that even matters. This might be above my skill level. If you see california glowing anytime soon you will know why. It might be easier to let a professional put two 12v outlets somewhere near pilot seat.
OK,
@sheridany, here's a quick tutorial on wire sizes.
- Wire size is measured in American Wire Gauge (AWG).
- The bigger the AWG number, the smaller the wire. So, #22 wire is smaller in diameter than #18.
- The bigger the AWG number, the lesser amount of amperage it can safely carry.
- The bigger the AWG number, the smaller the size of fuse used to protect the circuit.
- Most wires will have the AWG printed or embossed on them if you look closely. You may need a magnifying glass; I do.
In looking at the specs for the BlackVue DR900S dash cam, it draws a maximum current of 1 Amp. The supplied power cord is marked "24 AWG." That is sufficient to supply 1A over a length of about 10' (just about the length of the cable).
AWG 22 wire will handle 1A of current at 13,8 VDC over a length of 17 feet with a maximum voltage drop of 2%. AWG 20 wire will extend that to 27 feet. So, any 12V wire sized AWG 20 or larger (smaller number, remember) would be fine for you to tap into for your dash cam power. Just be sure you know what else is being fed by that wire. I think most 12VDC power ports are fed with AWG 16 wire and fused at 7.5A or 10A. They are good to tap into.
One easy source for 12VDC power in our coaches is the trailer brake wire bundle at the bottom (usually on the right side) of the steering column. It usually contains a half-dozen wires with 2-3 wires of various sizes providing +12VDC. There is also a ground wire in the harness for the -12VDC connection. Not sure if any of them are on-off with the key, however.
You can tap a small wire into a larger one with no worries. (Tapping a large wire into a small one is problematic.). I have used that wire bundle for several 12VDC wiring projects.
TJ
