Hard wiring in a phone charger

Zascar · 21-01-2014 9:16am #1

Guys has anyone done this? Rather than messing with cigarette lighter adaptors to charge your phone, I'm told its not too hard to hard wire in a charger/adaptor socket with USB ports on it behind the dash. Something like this. Then you can feed the cable neatly through the dash just enough to connect into my phone mount on the windscreen.

Where can I get this done does anyone know?
Thanks

Boscoirl · 21-01-2014 9:19am

Most Motor Electricians could probably do it for you, the GF got her Sat Nav Charger hardwired in her car, mainly due to the stupid place Audi put the cigarette lighter in an A3

SleeperService · 21-01-2014 9:47am

/\ best option if you dont like wiring but is very diy doable if you fancy a go.

Zascar · 21-01-2014 9:55am

I'd probably end up setting my car on fire

How can I find someone in Dublin who can do this for me?

keithclancy · 21-01-2014 12:50pm

Easiest would be a fuse tap.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/1550063146/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Replace the fuse for the cigarette lighter, then run something like this off it with an inline fuse:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Converter-12V-to-5V-3A-Dual-USB-to-Car-Power-Regulator-Voltage-Step-Down-/261218662936

ironclaw · 21-01-2014 1:52pm

keithclancy wrote: »

Replace the fuse for the cigarette lighter, then run something like this off it with an inline fuse:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Converter-12V-to-5V-3A-Dual-USB-to-Car-Power-Regulator-Voltage-Step-Down-/261218662936

Very clever piece of kit. I'm going to order one now and I'll post up if I get it working.

jimgoose · 21-01-2014 2:06pm

Those things are pretty handy and a shortcoming of the modern Bluetooth craic. There was a setup much the same as this in my car when I bought it, and it but remained to purloin a Nokia 6310i off the young wan and have at it:

Zascar · 21-01-2014 2:14pm

keithclancy wrote: »

Easiest would be a fuse tap.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/1550063146/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Replace the fuse for the cigarette lighter, then run something like this off it with an inline fuse:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Converter-12V-to-5V-3A-Dual-USB-to-Car-Power-Regulator-Voltage-Step-Down-/261218662936

Thanks for this, would you mind explaining how this works for the technically inept like myself? Cheers

SleeperService · 21-01-2014 3:07pm

Zascar wrote: »

Thanks for this, would you mind explaining how this works for the technically inept like myself? Cheers

Think of the first item as like an extension lead in your house with two sockets - you are turning 1 socket at the wall (car fuse box) into 2 sockets you can plug things into. 1 will be the original item that was plugged in (eg cig lighter fuse) the other will be your hard wired supply for whatever.

The second changes 12volts to 5volts so you can use a usb lead to power your phone, GPS, other 5V input device.

corkgsxr · 21-01-2014 3:14pm

Yep gps and battery charger ( so I just swap out batterys) I mainly done it so gps doesnt turn off when you pop into a place for 2 mins. But my battery is in the cabin so it was simple.

What I done was hard wire a 4 gang cigarette lighter strip In and hid the wires going to items

Zascar · 22-01-2014 10:35am

Thanks guys - another questions, what is the difference in using the above two parts to do it, versus using this one which I liked to previously? Any difference or which is better?
Thanks

ironclaw · 22-01-2014 11:22am

Zascar wrote: »

Thanks guys - another questions, what is the difference in using the above two parts to do it, versus using this one which I liked to previously? Any difference or which is better?
Thanks

Same thing but you'll have to cut the dash to suit. Definitely a marginally harder install.

Zascar · 22-01-2014 11:42am

So I actually want it hidden behind the dash so no cutting needed. I'll just feed the two usb cables up around the centre console so they neatly appear to plug into the phone/gps. So both do the same thing really?

SleeperService · 22-01-2014 11:53am

Zascar wrote: »

So I actually want it hidden behind the dash so no cutting needed. I'll just feed the two usb cables up around the centre console so they neatly appear to plug into the phone/gps. So both do the same thing really?

Yeah, thats the same as the the second link in the post above. The first item linked above gives tidy way of tapping into the fuse box.
You dont have to use one. You could just splice into the cig lighter wiring. Bear in mind in that case that using both usb sockets and something in the cig lighter all at once might be too much for the fuse.

Zascar · 22-01-2014 11:55am

Ah ok thanks, I do not use the Cigarette lighter at all anyway so I can prob disconnect it and just connect it to this. Cheers for the help guys I'm going to buy this and I'll let you know when I get it fitted.

ironclaw · 22-02-2014 4:38pm

ironclaw wrote: »

Very clever piece of kit. I'm going to order one now and I'll post up if I get it working.

Just to update, I bought the iPhone version.

Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-12V-to-5V-3A-Dual-USB-Converter-for-IPAD-IPHONE-Car-Power-Regulator-Step-Down-/261277817359?ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:IE:3160

Took a good while to arrive but that is China for you. Tapped the cigarette lighter loop and did a quick install on an older Yaris. Works perfectly with the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 5S. Same speed of charge as the standard wall socket. Being in the cigarette loop also means no drain as its only live when the ignition is switched on.

Only annoyance would be the positive and negative wiring loom, very short and I had to strip again them to get a decent solder point.

If I was doing it to a more upmarket car, I'd probably remount the USB plugs flush to the dash or on the centre console. You would want to be handy enough to fit this unit as it requires soldering and you'll probably be removing sections of the dash for a neat install.

Zascar · 22-02-2014 4:54pm

Thanks for the update, interesting. Ouch, I paid close to €30 for my one, and your does exactly the same thing? Have not fitted it yet, I may return it and get one of these! How long did delivery take?

I would not attempt to do this myself so need to find someone who can

ironclaw · 22-02-2014 4:57pm

Zascar wrote: »

Thanks for the update, interesting. Ouch, I paid close to €30 for my one, and your does exactly the same thing? Have not fitted it yet, I may return it and get one of these! How long did delivery take?

I would not attempt to do this myself so need to find someone who can

Delivery was about 2 to 3 weeks. I wasn't waiting on it, so I didn't really notice. If someone orders the correct pieces for this (Fuse Tap etc) I'll happily fit them in within the confines of Dublin. Takes about 2 hours at most.

scottp68877 · 22-02-2014 6:32pm

ironclaw wrote: »

Just to update, I bought the iPhone version.

Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-12V-to-5V-3A-Dual-USB-Converter-for-IPAD-IPHONE-Car-Power-Regulator-Step-Down-/261277817359?ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:IE:3160

Took a good while to arrive but that is China for you. Tapped the cigarette lighter loop and did a quick install on an older Yaris. Works perfectly with the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 5S. Same speed of charge as the standard wall socket. Being in the cigarette loop also means no drain as its only live when the ignition is switched on.

Only annoyance would be the positive and negative wiring loom, very short and I had to strip again them to get a decent solder point.

If I was doing it to a more upmarket car, I'd probably remount the USB plugs flush to the dash or on the centre console. You would want to be handy enough to fit this unit as it requires soldering and you'll probably be removing sections of the dash for a neat install.

With the way you did it, was there a need for the fuse tap
http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/1550063146/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
Also where would the negative wire go ? I know where the positive goes.

rovoagho · 22-02-2014 10:07pm

The body/chaissis of the car. There's usually bolts on one or both sides of the dash used as earths, and the dash and centre console chassis' are usually earthed to the body too.

ironclaw · 23-02-2014 11:22am

scottp68877 wrote: »

With the way you did it, was there a need for the fuse tap
http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/1550063146/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
Also where would the negative wire go ? I know where the positive goes.

Not wishing to be condescending, but you should have a decent knowledge of electronics before attempting this type installation.

That said, depending on the car, the easiest place to tap would be the cigarette lighter itself as it will have a standard connector on the back. So you can locate the positive / negative here. Or as said, you can use the body of the car itself. However, you should be using a multi meter and checking your work as you go. Some cars are constant live at the cigarette lighter (And some other circuits for example) so you run the risk of slowing draining your car unless you check. Same for fault checking and ensuring a good ground, as some cars are not very well grounded in places.

Hard wiring in a phone charger

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