In dash USB, on the cheap, in a factory location. (1 Viewer)

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In dash USB, on the cheap, in a factory location. It's pretty easy to do and if you take your time, it looks pretty good. Cost less than $20 USD. (Cheaper of you only buy one USB charger and already have epoxy.)

Here's a pic:
20150131_144601_zpsmqehqnzb.jpg


MUD has been so helpful to me I want to give back. Here's what I did to have an in-dash USB socket for my GPS unit and my phone. Using this leaves my cig lighter open for temporary items. I really like that my power cords are far away from the shifter and I don't have to wonder if they will get wrapped around it if I go over bumps.

Items needed:
1. wire
2. Dual USB Car Charger (see photo below)
3. solder iron or gun
4. electrical tape or heatshrink tubing
5. dremel tool set ( I used the cheap HF fake dremel set, on sale for $7)
6. 5 minute epoxy (i used the two part kind that looks like a dual tube syringe with one side clear and the other had a yellowish tint, brand unknown)
7. small zip ties
8. switch hole cover (I don't really know what to call it so I may also refer to it as a switch blank, or a blank switch hole plug)


Here's the USB charger I bought. this style worked pretty good for me, I don't know if any other style would work better or worse.
Dual%20USB%20Car%20Charger%202.1A%20-1A_zpsb3nncq7w.jpg

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?&_nkw=Dual+USB+Car+Charger+2.1A+1A

I bought five of these from ebay for $10 USD with free shipping. Looks like the price has gone down since I bought mine. I didn't know if they were decently made or junk, and I didn't know if I'd have to destroy a few before figuring out how to disassemble them properly. I also may put on in my upper and lower consoles.

How to install it:

1. Take apart the "Dual USB Car Charger" and cut the wires going from the power and ground contacts, so the USB sockets and the little circuit board they were mounted to is all that's left. Mark it as you disassemble it so you know which socket carries higher amperage. The front pops off and the two halves pop apart.

2. Solder new longer wires in place of the old ones, you may want to add an inline fuse to the power wire. 10 to 15 inches of each wire should be plenty. Use a different color wire for power and ground and remember which color is which.

3. Remove the entire A/C-heat-fan-ashtray-cubby hole-switch panel.

4. Remove a blank switch hole plug from the panel and cut a square hole in it with a dremel tool. I originally thought I could squeeze two charger boards in it for a total of 4 USB sockets, but after cutting and trial fitting the first Charger, I didn't think two would work well. That's why my sockets are all the way to the top of the switch blank.

5. Try to seal up any corners or holes in the bottom, top and sides of the USB sockets to prevent them from filling with epoxy. If there are holes in the circuit board side of the socket you may have to coat a junk USB cord with oil or something the epoxy won't stick to and leave it plugged into the socket while the epoxy sets up.

6. Trial fit the switch blank and USB sockets together and dremel in any more spots where it's needed. As you are holding them together, have your USB cords that power you electronics close so you can verify they can plug in all the way into the socket and the edge of the switch blank is not blocking it from going in all the way. If you are unsure, you could electrically test it now before you epoxy it.

7. Mix up your epoxy and let it set up just until it starts to act more like jelly (or marmalade for our UK friends). If it's really thin and runny, it's a lot more likely to find it's way inside a socket.

8. epoxy them together. My epoxy started out too runny so I had to continuously change the angle I was holding it to prevent it from filling a socket.

9. After the epoxy has completely set/dried, test each socket by connecting the wires to your battery, check your notes on the wire colors so you don't fry it. If you find a thin layer of epoxy covering the USB contacts in the socket, trim your wife's nail file so it's narrow enough to fit in there and sand away the epoxy.

10. Stick the assembly into the switch hole and solder your wires to the back of the cig lighter socket and cover your connections with heatshrink tubing or electrical tape. Route them so they won't get pinched by the ashtray as it opens and closes. Zip ties can help here.

11. Do a final test of the sockets using the USB cords from your electrical items before you replace the A/C-heat-fan-ashtray-cubby hole-switch panel.

Enjoy!!

FYI: I do all these steps in this format so I have a record what I need to do to make another, and I know I can find it again on MUD no matter what happens to my hard drives or backups. I didn't search before posting this, so I apologize of it's a repeat, I did this months ago.
 
Very cool. I have thought about doing the same using these marine dual 12V usb sockets that I used to make a portable 12V power supply.
Your idea is pretty slick in that you fit the usb sockets directly into the dash switch location. I was thinking of going console and glove box for a couple of these.


81kHFr1MtrL._SL1500_.jpg
 
Very cool. I have thought about doing the same using these marine dual 12V usb sockets that I used to make a portable 12V power supply.
Your idea is pretty slick in that you fit the usb sockets directly into the dash switch location. I was thinking of going console and glove box for a couple of these.


81kHFr1MtrL._SL1500_.jpg

How much water is getting into your truck that you need marine-grade USB outlets?
 
How much water is getting into your truck that you need marine-grade USB outlets?

On a Land Rover forum no one would ask that question.

Before I bought my FJ60 I had Land Rover 110. That thing might as well have had screen doors. In heavy rain it was like driving without a top. And that was after I had replaced all the seals! Marine components seemed completely rational with that truck.

Now I have a Toyota. I no longer shop for parts at West Marine. Or carry enough spares to build a second truck.
 
Thanks, It's nice to see some people like this idea.

I had the idea for a while but finally made it happen when the GPS repeater arrived and it needed to be plugged into the lighter socket. I could have installed a triple lighter socket under the dash, instead I hard-wired the GPS repeater power behind the dash (also to the back of the factory lighter socket) at the same time I installed these usb sockets.

Whenever I get around to figuring out how to mount my Garmin in the upper console, I'll probably hard-wire another set of usb sockets behind the dash and run the usb cord around the edge of the windshield and into the upper console. I won't have to put away the GPS anymore, power to the GPS will swtich on and off with the ignition and no more cords to wrap around stuff while driving. I was also going to fab up a cradle for my phone with a wireless charger built into it, but I got a new phone and haven't added wireless charging to it yet.

A slightly unrelated time saver is the NFC tags I put on my console. When I get in, I swipe the pattern to unlock my phone, and hold the back of the phone up to the NFC tag. It triggers a sequence of events in my phone that automatically: turns off wifi, turns on bluetooth, enables Driving Mode, makes the screen stay on longer, connects to my bluetooth stereo head unit (for calls and audio streaming), and launches my audiobook app to where I left off last time I was in the vehicle. Another tag reverses all that stuff when I get out of the vehicle.

Maybe I should post the NFC tags in the "Best Mods under $50" thread also, as they are barely over a buck each. The NFC app (for Android) called "Trigger" that does all that stuff was free.
 
How much water is getting into your truck that you need marine-grade USB outlets?

Maybe a little rain here and there, nothing out of the ordinary. No one that I know of including myself need marine grade sockets installed, they were quite nice for what I used them for and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again.
 
West Marine is your friend (and wallets enemy) if you live by the beach.

Salt Air Kills
 
A slightly unrelated time saver is the NFC tags I put on my console. When I get in, I swipe the pattern to unlock my phone, and hold the back of the phone up to the NFC tag. It triggers a sequence of events in my phone that automatically: turns off wifi, turns on bluetooth, enables Driving Mode, makes the screen stay on longer, connects to my bluetooth stereo head unit (for calls and audio streaming), and launches my audiobook app to where I left off last time I was in the vehicle. Another tag reverses all that stuff when I get out of the vehicle.

I'm half excited and half terrified by your NFC solution.
One half says yep that's an awesome work around to add functionality that you would expect from a BMW and the other half says its a Landcruiser not a BMW.

Either way it's great initiative and great work.
 
I like the looks of these and from the guy who posted them, they are Factory Toyota fitment.
Toyota-USB-Power-Socket-Angle-500x500.jpg
 
New Dual USB Rocker Switch 12v outlet Fits 60/80/100 series

Price: $19.50

• Same size as the Carling and ARB switches
• Dual USB ports, can charge two different devices simultaneously
• Color: Black
• LED Color: Blue
• Material: ABS + Electronic components
• Input voltage: DC 12V – 24V
• Output voltage: DC 5V 3.1A

USB-Power-Socket-Angle_Open-500x500.jpg


USB-Power-Socket-Angle_OpenLight-500x500.jpg
 
I'm half excited and half terrified by your NFC solution.
One half says yep that's an awesome work around to add functionality that you would expect from a BMW and the other half says its a Landcruiser not a BMW.

Either way it's great initiative and great work.

Living in Haiti and dealing with the crazy roads & traffic here, I try to do everything I can to keep my eyes on the road. NFC takes the hassle out of that. I'm not trying to turn my 60 into K.I.T.T., I just need my vehicle to be as reliable and hassle free as possible, any one who's been here knows that the fewer the distractions the better.

TS888,
When looking for a vehicle to take down here. My final choices were between a BJ60 (or HJ) and a Land Rover 110. I could have bought a bigger 110 for the same or less money. After checking out the Land Rover forum and watching youtube vids from an Aussie 110 owner who carried two massive military size duffel bags to hold everything he needed in when he went into the bush, and he took over an hour to explain just the essentials, my mind was made up. Only Toyota for me and my family. I haven't regretted that decision for a single second. IH8MUD really helped in the decision also, knowing there's so much support and knowledge here, from people who are willing to share it. This is also probably the most civil forum for vehicle that I've been a part of (no trolls).

Bluehawk,
I like those in post #12, where can I buy them?
What's the amp rating?


While my USB socket solution may not be for everyone, I do like that this has become a thread about more solutions than just mine.
 
NFC tags with Tasker is great thing. I have some setup to do some of the same things you are and it's a time saver plus safer.
I don't think I could ever go back to not using them in the car and around the house.
 
Tagged for future reference.
Thanks.
 
NFC tags with Tasker is great thing. I have some setup to do some of the same things you are and it's a time saver plus safer.
I don't think I could ever go back to not using them in the car and around the house.
This type of mod is good because it shows the diversity of 1980's Landcruiser owners
 

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