wire portable refrigerator

I want an invite to YOUR tailgate party! :D

sasquatch51

Hi all, any hints or links on wiring a portable refrigerator in a 2021 Ford Bronco? I have seen the BroncoNation video but it does not get into the specifics. I understand and have seen the single wire that runs to the rear passenger quarter panel, but I am not sure how to connect this wire to the refrigerator. Thanks.

You have a few different wiring options:
1- if your Bronco is fitted with the Aux switches, you can wire the + wire from the fridge to the white/grey wire behind the right hand panel in the cargo area & then connect the other end of this wire to the appropriate upfitter wire under the hood based on the amperage needed and which Aux switch you want to use to power your fridge. The - wire needs to be attached to a suitable ground. This method will only power the fridge when the vehicle accessories are on AND the upfitter switch on too.
2 - wire the + wire of the fridge directly to the fuse panel under the driver side dash panel via a fuse tap. The - wire needs to be attached to a suitable ground. Depending on the fuse you use, you can power the fridge either via accessory power or constant power. Confirm the amperage of your fridge to make sure you don’t overload the fuse you select.
3 - plug the fridge into the 12v cigarette lighter in the cargo area - either via a male charger or you can tap the wires behind the panel & hard wire it. Confirm the amperage of your fridge to make sure you don’t overload the circuit.This method will only power the fridge when the vehicle accessories are on and I believe this outlet remains “hot” for approximately 45 minutes after the accessories are turned off.

I hope this helps & I am looking forward to our tailgate with @BuckYeah

@Bschurr basically mentioned all of the options, so I won't rehash those. But I'll just stress that the amount of power your fridge pulls is incredibly important.

There are two 16 gauge wires that are pre-run from the fuse box to the glove box, and another 16 gauge wire that runs from the glove box area to the rear of the Bronco. All of the Aux switches terminate by the fuse box. So you might think to yourself "oh I'll just connect the Aux switch wire by the fuse box to the wire that runs to the glove box, and then connect the wire in the glove box to the wire that runs to the rear passenger quarter panel. EASY!".

BUT that is really only suited for a fridge that pulls 50 watts (~4.2 amps) or less. If your fridge is pulling... say... 150 watts (12.5 amps)... you're probably looking at running your own 12/10 gauge wire from the fuse box all the way to the back of the Bronco. 16 gauge is too thin of a wire to safely run a 150 watt load.

No help but say i love my Dometic, I can plug it in the 12V, or use their portable battery, which I can attach my solar panels.

Bschurr

You have a few different wiring options:
1- if your Bronco is fitted with the Aux switches, you can wire the + wire from the fridge to the white/grey wire behind the right hand panel in the cargo area & then connect the other end of this wire to the appropriate upfitter wire under the hood based on the amperage needed and which Aux switch you want to use to power your fridge. The - wire needs to be attached to a suitable ground. This method will only power the fridge when the vehicle accessories are on AND the upfitter switch on too.
2 - wire the + wire of the fridge directly to the fuse panel under the driver side dash panel via a fuse tap. The - wire needs to be attached to a suitable ground. Depending on the fuse you use, you can power the fridge either via accessory power or constant power. Confirm the amperage of your fridge to make sure you don’t overload the fuse you select.
3 - plug the fridge into the 12v cigarette lighter in the cargo area - either via a male charger or you can tap the wires behind the panel & hard wire it. Confirm the amperage of your fridge to make sure you don’t overload the circuit.This method will only power the fridge when the vehicle accessories are on and I believe this outlet remains “hot” for approximately 45 minutes after the accessories are turned off.

I hope this helps & I am looking forward to our tailgate with @BuckYeah

Thanks for the good information.

RagnarKon

@Bschurr basically mentioned all of the options, so I won't rehash those. But I'll just stress that the amount of power your fridge pulls is incredibly important.

There are two 16 gauge wires that are pre-run from the fuse box to the glove box, and another 16 gauge wire that runs from the glove box area to the rear of the Bronco. All of the Aux switches terminate by the fuse box. So you might think to yourself "oh I'll just connect the Aux switch wire by the fuse box to the wire that runs to the glove box, and then connect the wire in the glove box to the wire that runs to the rear passenger quarter panel. EASY!".

BUT that is really only suited for a fridge that pulls 50 watts (~4.2 amps) or less. If your fridge is pulling... say... 150 watts (12.5 amps)... you're probably looking at running your own 12/10 gauge wire from the fuse box all the way to the back of the Bronco. 16 gauge is too thin of a wire to safely run a 150 watt load.

Thank you for the information

There’s some info here: B Miller Build

I use the 12v rear plug. The fridge keep cool up to six hours with no power. The 12v plug powers for one hour after the ignition is turned off. Right before bed, turn the ignition on then off. That way it will run for another hour just before bed. If you want to run the power full time, there’s details in the link above using a separate power supply.

I was thinking of installing a pure sine inverter under the dash, then run a cable to the rear seats, then to the cargo area. You can install a dual ac plug and use a power bar.

RagnarKon

@Bschurr basically mentioned all of the options, so I won't rehash those. But I'll just stress that the amount of power your fridge pulls is incredibly important.

There are two 16 gauge wires that are pre-run from the fuse box to the glove box, and another 16 gauge wire that runs from the glove box area to the rear of the Bronco. All of the Aux switches terminate by the fuse box. So you might think to yourself "oh I'll just connect the Aux switch wire by the fuse box to the wire that runs to the glove box, and then connect the wire in the glove box to the wire that runs to the rear passenger quarter panel. EASY!".

BUT that is really only suited for a fridge that pulls 50 watts (~4.2 amps) or less. If your fridge is pulling... say... 150 watts (12.5 amps)... you're probably looking at running your own 12/10 gauge wire from the fuse box all the way to the back of the Bronco. 16 gauge is too thin of a wire to safely run a 150 watt load.

Good reminder to check ampacity requirements of your loads. The smallest fuse for the upfitters is 10A, and the smallest wire is 16awg. For such a short distance in the bronco, I’d have little concern running a 10A continuous load on these circuits. Make sure your connections are solid (each splice adds resistance). Remember that 10A fuses don’t blow right at 10A…so exceeding for a short period is okay.

was curious about DC outlet in the rear, manual says 20A/240W, so that could be an attractive option!

too much math for today, I’ll just use my yeti cooler! :j

Shoresy

Good reminder to check ampacity requirements of your loads. The smallest fuse for the upfitters is 10A, and the smallest wire is 16awg. For such a short distance in the bronco, I’d have little concern running a 10A continuous load on these circuits. Make sure your connections are solid (each splice adds resistance). Remember that 10A fuses don’t blow right at 10A…so exceeding for a short period is okay.

was curious about DC outlet in the rear, manual says 20A/240W, so that could be an attractive option!

too much math for today, I’ll just use my yeti cooler! :j

Agreed.

Overall the AUX switches wiring is only really suited for smaller loads. Ford kinda skimped a bit on the size of the wires. I personally was super disappointed, especially since one of the AUX switches is fused for 30 amps. BUT, not the end of the world I guess.

LED lights, radios, cameras, and other electronics will probably be fine. But for larger loads like air compressors, winches, and some of the larger refrigerators… the wiring is just too small. This isn’t to say you can’t use the AUX switches to control these devices. You just can’t power them using the AUX cabling—instead you’ll have to use a relay and wire the AUX switch to the relay.

Here's a video I did recently that may help you out (y)