12v In Dash USB Socket

[4x4mike]

Most all electrical devices I add or use in the 4Runner have a USB cord. One nice thing is that most use the same one.

A couple of years ago I added a 2m radio in the DIN slot below my aftermarket stereo. It's a nice fit but the VHF radio is not DIN sized. I had always had a small gap that I never got around to filling. Cruising DealExtreme one night i ordered some stuff, including some USB sockets with screw mounts. In the past I've used the little bullet type USB sockets but they are low amp and get hotter than I'd like. Blue Sea also makes a USB port but it's about $20 and doesn't fit in the gap I have to fill.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ii4QXxlqRDo/UUACPQpUUrI/AAAAAAAA2Ik/vknb2OCIZhI/s400/20130310_203344.jpg

[4x4mike]

It looks like photo uploading is different than the old site. Pictures need to be smaller and only one per post.


I dug through my scrap box for a piece of metal and took it to the bench grinder. After some sparks, bending and paint I had a little piece I could bolt to my DIN bracket. The USB cord would mount to it and the dash bezel around the entire thing.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-XnLXdonxe9k/UUttNx6dBaI/AAAAAAAA2RM/woyIhSskEeg/s400/20130319_171924.jpg

[4x4mike]

Bolted into place it's really solid. As you can see from the picture i popped out one of the 12v sockets. I have a round switch I'm going to put in there so the power from my behind the dash Blue Sea aux box is switched instead of constant. The USB plug is plugged into one of those 2 space bullet USB things in the old 12v socket which lives behind the dash now. In the other USB slot is another USB cord that is wired up to one of the vents next to the clock. Now I have a power cord for my phone or tablet which mounts on a ProClip.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tbx_ZRU0CJ4/UVpOewQjP3I/AAAAAAAA2ns/7OjEX_Q6HVc/s400/20130328_195149.jpg

[4x4mike]

I had the gap to fill anyway so I filled it with something I can use. Or passenger can use for that matter. It will power up to 3 amps and I can ditch some extra power cords.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ASrpiiYS7xU/UVpOf8AtBbI/AAAAAAAA2n0/pSS0oLJUjUw/s400/20130330_163741.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

This is great! My plan was to build my own 5VDC regulator circuit to power the sockets. I figure I need 4. Thanks for posting up!

[4x4mike]

We have a trip this weekend so I've been trying to get this all up and working. I just got in from trying to wire up that switch and I'm having problems. I'm not getting power at the USB socket. Twice I've popped fuses and twice it just doesn't work so I have to peel back into it. I've tried two different USB bullet thingies and now both seem to be dead.

I'm not sure if I have a short somewhere or if the stock plug outlet is acting up or can't handle the way it's wired. The bullet things and the stock socket have a burnt electrical smell. For now I buttoned it back up and pulled the fuse out of the Blue Sea so that leg doesn't get power.

I thought about building a circuit but there are already enough wires behind my dash so space is limited and I don't want to burn something down. I may end up buying that 2 port Blue Sea and wire it behind the dash. It's sealed and much smaller and cleaner than something I could build. It would give some piece of mind.

[DHC6twinotter]

Looks great, Mike! Really clean looking install.

[Good Times]

very clever! Love it!!

[4x4mike]

A little update.
I ended up buying a Blue Sea 1016, Dual USB socket: http://www.bluesea.com/products/1016
While this would have looked cool in the dash (I ended up using the bezel anyway) I needed it behind the dash to power my gap filling USB socket.

Prior to the Red Rocks trip I was trying other USB devices to no avail. For some reason they would fry themselves so I isolated the circuit and wired in the 1016 along with a switch. The 1016 is powered by the constant power Blue Sea aux box so a switch would cut power to the socket and LED allowing power only when I need it.

Since I was wiring in a USB socket and hard wire to my smart phone for navigation I didn't have much need for the 3 other 12v sockets in the dash so I popped one out. It actually didn't pop out, I had to break it out but nonetheless I got the open hole I wanted. I used the bottom right accessory socket hole since it's out of the way.

Now with my old smart phone in a ProClip mount, powered by the hard wire coming out of the dash, I can cruise around with fewer wires most of which are hidden. The wire coming out of the vent is a mini usb with a right angle mirco usb tip. I like this because I have devices that use both. Next I need to look for an adapter to go from micro to the Samsung tip for the tablet.

Pic with the HTC Incredible 2. Not shown is the headphone jack wire to play mp3's from the phone to the stereo, also coming out of the vent.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UjdeKonZyo4/UXXYZ5fBRCI/AAAAAAAA3_o/GeWQg9Xif6g/s640/20130422_164352.jpg

Washed out pic of the whole setup. You can see the switch in the accessory socket location. I used the bezel from the Blue Sea 1016 because I thought it looked cool plus it was much easier to use it to hold the switch in the over sized hole.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gL10Ri70EnQ/UXXYoJ8d8oI/AAAAAAAA4AQ/9xMIpxVY_48/s640/20130422_164758.jpg

And Bob you can see I've since replaced my shift knob with a CNC unit from Rydel Fab: https://www.rydelfab.com/index.php?route=common/home

Max should have a hard time gnawing down this one.

[paddlenbike]

Looks great Mike. That dual USB outlet would be especially nice for the 4th gen owners since they don't have accessory outlets.

[Bob98SR5]

A little update.
I ended up buying a Blue Sea 1016

Now with my old smart phone in a ProClip mount

And Bob you can see I've since replaced my shift knob with a CNC unit from Rydel Fab:

Max should have a hard time gnawing down this one.

Mike,

Sorry late to the party here.

Blue Sea makes some awesome stuff. Pricey, but quality always is!

Love the shift knob. Is it greyish? It looks great. How does it feel?

Hey, can you post a pic of your Profit mount? I am about to do some thing with some left over Ram mount parts to have a mount similar in location to yours. Problem is with Ram stuff, its not really low profile. Pic of mount minus phone would be awesome.

[4x4mike]

I'll try to get a picture tomorrow night. I'm riding to work in the morning so I won't see the 4runner until I get home from work then swim lessons.

Its just the ProClip that is made for the 4runners. On it is a ProClip brand clip that excepts others ProClip devices. I have one for my old phone and one for my tablet. Its all about as low profile as I can make it.

I spray painted the shift knob flat black. It comes bare CNC'd AL and I like black. Its pretty tough paint and if need be I can touch it up or change the color.

[Bob98SR5]

I'll try to get a picture tomorrow night.

No hurry, Mike

[4x4mike]

The products I have are ProClip brand.

This is the "bracket" that clips onto the dash bezel. It's bare with some indents for screw holes.
http://www.proclipusa.com/dashboard-mounts/vehicle/toyota/4runner/2000-2002/proclip-center-mount-852891-12989.cmsv

On it I have one of these. It screws on with included screws. It accepts different mounts.
http://www.proclipusa.com/accessories/locking-move-clips/product/locking-move-clip-female-plate-215529.cmsv

From there you buy mounts specific to your device or needs. I use my old HTC Incredible2 as my navigation, etc. There is a mount specific to that phone that is an excellent fit. It clips onto the above clip and the phone slips right in.
http://www.proclipusa.com/phone-holders/device/htc/incredible-2-verizon/holder-with-tilt-swivel-511246-18622.cmsv

I also have one for the tablet.
http://www.proclipusa.com/tablet-holders/device/samsung/galaxy-tab-2-7-0-gt-p3100/holder-with-tilt-swivel-511381-18977.cmsv

I'm thinking about buying the universal smart phone holder so it can hold my HTC but also my Galaxy S3 that usually rides in my pocket. If I go that way it will slip right into the clip I already have.
http://www.proclipusa.com/mobile-device-holders/universal-holders/product/medium-universal-adjustable-proclip-holder-t1-246804.cmsv

I'm also thinking about getting another clip so I can make a mount for the tablet that can be mounted to the seat or something else so the kids can watch movies. Longer road trips require movie back up and now with Max they both need to see otherwise they will fit over the tablet, which I don't want.