Wiring USB Sockets

Alkers

Has anyone wired in some usb sockets to allow phone charging etc from the leisure battery? Is it feasible to piggy back from the power going to a light etc or would you need to wire it to the battery / fuse board?

Thanks

crabbypaddy

Most vans have a high wattage 12v socket somewhere.

5v 2.1a charger 5x2.1=10.5w
You can probably add 50% to that for a cheap Chinese charger for safety sake say 15w. That will run fine from a light.

ALDI have nice cigarette lighter extenders from time to time that have a 1a and 2.1a USB port I have wired one of those in.

Alkers

Well I'm actually asking for a caravan (hope that's allowed) so there's no cigarette lighter sockets!

I'm going replacing the bulbs with LEDs so I'm thinking that should mean I'll have no problems connecting to a light then.

I have one of these outlets for mains.

You could run them off an inverter too but it's an energy expensive way to do things.




and one of these



for running off battery.

The cig. lighter jobbie I chopped off the silly cable and plug end and hard wired it to the battery clamps through a 10A DC MCB on 12mm² cable.

UsedToWait

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

for running off battery.

The cig. lighter jobbie I chopped off the silly cable and plug end and hard wired it to the battery clamps through a 10A DC MCB on 12mm² cable.

It's probably a case of if you have to ask, you shouldn't be messing around with wiring, but any chance you could explain the last bit for a tech dummy?

crabbypaddy

UsedToWait wrote: »

It's probably a case of if you have to ask, you shouldn't be messing around with wiring, but any chance you could explain the last bit for a tech dummy?

In simple terms its wired directly to the battery using a chunky cable and a resettable fuse.

You could just use the cable that came with it and a standard inline fuse/holder from halfords.

Cigarette lighter sockets are the worst terminations I've ever come across. Despite having ratings as high as 15A and fused at the same I've melted several with 6A continuous.
The wires you get with them are usually 7A and the plugs have dreadful conductor surface area...usually the tip has a friction connection against a weedy spring to another friction connection to a fuse.

Not only is it thermally underrated but also creates substantial voltage drop which makes switching regulators like DC chargers consume more battery power to compensate.

I've used the above port and desoldered the wires replacing them with 5 meters of 65A cable through a circuit breaker.
The outcome was my laptop runs on 80% power compared to the 10A cable I used to use and the socket no longer gets hot with heavy use.
I still melted a few plugs though so I've derated it to a 2A port and installed a DIN socket on the same conductors beside it.

UsedToWait

UsedToWait wrote: »

It's probably a case of if you have to ask, you shouldn't be messing around with wiring

No chance.
Every one had to learn somewhere.

You have to go to electrical for helpful responses like that.

digger58

Anyone know of a source for a couple of decent 12 V USB sockets that I can wire in somewhere on the dash, I have the 220V socket type and the cheap Chinese lighter socket ones are woeful!! Have looked on the net and they all seem to be made in the East! I'm not going to put that rubbish in my van. There are several blank switches which are in a good location if I can find the right socket.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Duel-2-USB-Outlet-1A-2-1A-Port-Socket-Charger-For-Car-Boat-Motorcycle-12-volt-/301356636474?hash=item462a41593a

Everything is made in the East, it's not all crap. I'd go with the Ebay link you posted.

If you wanna splash out you can try these

digger58

You're probably right in saying they all come from China! That seems expensive for the unit! Thanks for that.

RS components are mad expensive for plug and play gear.
There's very little in a 12v to 5v USB supply. Just a integrated circuit and some passive components. Cheaper buy 2 from China than make them. If you're concerned about the quality stick a 1A fast blow fuse somewhere accessible on the incoming live.