After Death Valley Overland this time last year, I found that I have little use for a cigarette lighter plug in the dash (*being a non-smoker!), and a real use for USB connectors there. Having borrowed a retrofit plug-in USB adaptor from @1Louder , it worked, but the sad state of my cigarette lighter plug in the dash meant a lot of jiggling and monkeying to keep it connected and my USB devices charging properly.
A quick search on Amazon located a dual-USB socket with built-in LED digital voltmeter for about $20 (Amazon.com: BlueFire 2.1A & 2.1A Waterproof Car Motorcycle Boat Marine ATV RV USB Charger Phone Charger Power Supply Socket with Dual USB Port and Voltmeter Red Light: Cell Phones & Accessories), and with a little ingenuity I replaced my factory cigarette lighter with a much more solid mount offering 2.1A on either output and enables Android 'Turbo Charging' for faster phone charging than standard 1.6A connections. Since the cigarette lighter socket is 'hot' only with the key in Accessory or Run positions, you'll have to keep in mind that the USB connections will only have an output then; but this also helps prevent leaving items unsupervised as they're charging.
Since all the connections (positive and negative/ground) are already there for the cigarette lighter, this couldn't be an easier installation. I give it a 1-banana rating, as it only takes a few screws, some basic soldering skills, and about an hour from start to finish.
Enough explanation, let me cover the installation.
1) Remove your center dash by ejecting your retractable cupholder and removing the 2 self-tapping screws. Also, remove the ashtray and unscrew the 2 self-tapping screws located there. Once these 4 are removed, it's as simple as pulling gently on the ashtray and cupholder openings to free the plastic fasteners. Be gentle, as most of our trucks are 30+yrs old and plastic gets brittle. Take your time.
2) Parts you'll be working with;
![skur69.jpg]](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Foi63.tinypic.com%2Fskur69.jpg%5D&hash=db09393f4357f2b81c7203b65cdd979e)
Showing the factory cigarette lighter module and the fairing which holds it in the dash, the USB socket comes with basic crimp connectors which can be used for your install if you don't want to solder anything. These may be a simpler method to complete the connections, but I prefer to solder electrical connections to avoid vibration related failure down the road.
3) You'll notice quickly that the USB Adaptor is just slightly larger in diameter than the factory cigarette lighter socket. You'll need to file or Dremel cut the surround in the dash and the plastic fairing piece by about the width of the threads on the USB Adaptor (about 1mm larger all around). The plastic is soft, and will cut very easily, so go slowly and don't overdo it. Once you've made clearance, the USB adaptor installs through the plastic fairing, and then through the dash panel, where you'll then screw on the plastic retaining ring shown in the picture to secure it. Don't forget the rubberized cover which protects the USB connections from dust. There's a window cut in the rubber cover so the digital voltmeter can be seen at all times.
4) Pull the electrical connections out of the plastic cigarette lighter connector (*but don't remove the center dash entirely - you only need to be able to reach the wiring stub);
While these look like standard spade connectors, they're just slightly thinner than the posts on the USB Adaptor. Note that mine include some extra wiring which powers my CB (*soon to be replaced by HAM in the near future). I cut these off, re-tinned the wires, and then soldered on the new spade connectors provided with the Adaptor. That white plug just to the right is a 12v light module (with green cover) used to light up the cigarette lighter adaptor. I just tucked it back under there in a secure place, but it's not used any longer.
5) The connections on the back of the USB Adaptor (see Amazon link, above) are marked as Positive ("+") and Negative ("-") and these are color-coded as white = positive and white/black trace = negative/ground. You can also check voltage with key in accessory On if you want to be sure. Slide the spade connectors onto the requisite posts and then test the USB Adaptor before you button it back up. If everything's working correctly and the digital display shows #'s, you're golden.
6) Finished product:
This shot shows 14.4 volts on the digital display which is charging rate. Without the engine running, it first read 13.2 volts after sitting for a few days. After charging and immediate shutdown, it's reading about 13.8 or so, and the digital voltmeter got good reviews on Amazon for being accurate as tested by 'verified purchasers' there, so I'm willing to trust it.
7) Put your center dash back together by installing the 4 screws for the retractable cupholder and the ashtray, and you're done!
In this location, the digital voltmeter isn't obtrusive during night driving. It's just low enough that you have to glance down and won't be a distraction. Additionally, it's kind of nice being able to turn the key to Accessory and see what your battery voltage is quickly, accurately, and easily. Turn the key to start the engine, and the voltmeter resets and shows charging voltage. When driving, you can see the indicator change as the Voltage Regulator on the Alternator adjusts for output to the battery.
If anyone's interested in seeing the installation first-hand, I'm planning to attend the March Club Meeting later this month and would be happy to show it to you. I hope this helps anyone out there who's been thinking about updating their LandCruiser with USB connections for charging phones, lanterns, etc., and pretty much all small camping electronics are setup to charge off of 5v/1.2A/2.1A these days, making this a convenience item for keeping the clutter down and the reliability up!
A quick search on Amazon located a dual-USB socket with built-in LED digital voltmeter for about $20 (Amazon.com: BlueFire 2.1A & 2.1A Waterproof Car Motorcycle Boat Marine ATV RV USB Charger Phone Charger Power Supply Socket with Dual USB Port and Voltmeter Red Light: Cell Phones & Accessories), and with a little ingenuity I replaced my factory cigarette lighter with a much more solid mount offering 2.1A on either output and enables Android 'Turbo Charging' for faster phone charging than standard 1.6A connections. Since the cigarette lighter socket is 'hot' only with the key in Accessory or Run positions, you'll have to keep in mind that the USB connections will only have an output then; but this also helps prevent leaving items unsupervised as they're charging.
Since all the connections (positive and negative/ground) are already there for the cigarette lighter, this couldn't be an easier installation. I give it a 1-banana rating, as it only takes a few screws, some basic soldering skills, and about an hour from start to finish.
Enough explanation, let me cover the installation.
1) Remove your center dash by ejecting your retractable cupholder and removing the 2 self-tapping screws. Also, remove the ashtray and unscrew the 2 self-tapping screws located there. Once these 4 are removed, it's as simple as pulling gently on the ashtray and cupholder openings to free the plastic fasteners. Be gentle, as most of our trucks are 30+yrs old and plastic gets brittle. Take your time.
2) Parts you'll be working with;
Showing the factory cigarette lighter module and the fairing which holds it in the dash, the USB socket comes with basic crimp connectors which can be used for your install if you don't want to solder anything. These may be a simpler method to complete the connections, but I prefer to solder electrical connections to avoid vibration related failure down the road.
3) You'll notice quickly that the USB Adaptor is just slightly larger in diameter than the factory cigarette lighter socket. You'll need to file or Dremel cut the surround in the dash and the plastic fairing piece by about the width of the threads on the USB Adaptor (about 1mm larger all around). The plastic is soft, and will cut very easily, so go slowly and don't overdo it. Once you've made clearance, the USB adaptor installs through the plastic fairing, and then through the dash panel, where you'll then screw on the plastic retaining ring shown in the picture to secure it. Don't forget the rubberized cover which protects the USB connections from dust. There's a window cut in the rubber cover so the digital voltmeter can be seen at all times.
4) Pull the electrical connections out of the plastic cigarette lighter connector (*but don't remove the center dash entirely - you only need to be able to reach the wiring stub);
While these look like standard spade connectors, they're just slightly thinner than the posts on the USB Adaptor. Note that mine include some extra wiring which powers my CB (*soon to be replaced by HAM in the near future). I cut these off, re-tinned the wires, and then soldered on the new spade connectors provided with the Adaptor. That white plug just to the right is a 12v light module (with green cover) used to light up the cigarette lighter adaptor. I just tucked it back under there in a secure place, but it's not used any longer.
5) The connections on the back of the USB Adaptor (see Amazon link, above) are marked as Positive ("+") and Negative ("-") and these are color-coded as white = positive and white/black trace = negative/ground. You can also check voltage with key in accessory On if you want to be sure. Slide the spade connectors onto the requisite posts and then test the USB Adaptor before you button it back up. If everything's working correctly and the digital display shows #'s, you're golden.
6) Finished product:
This shot shows 14.4 volts on the digital display which is charging rate. Without the engine running, it first read 13.2 volts after sitting for a few days. After charging and immediate shutdown, it's reading about 13.8 or so, and the digital voltmeter got good reviews on Amazon for being accurate as tested by 'verified purchasers' there, so I'm willing to trust it.
7) Put your center dash back together by installing the 4 screws for the retractable cupholder and the ashtray, and you're done!
In this location, the digital voltmeter isn't obtrusive during night driving. It's just low enough that you have to glance down and won't be a distraction. Additionally, it's kind of nice being able to turn the key to Accessory and see what your battery voltage is quickly, accurately, and easily. Turn the key to start the engine, and the voltmeter resets and shows charging voltage. When driving, you can see the indicator change as the Voltage Regulator on the Alternator adjusts for output to the battery.
If anyone's interested in seeing the installation first-hand, I'm planning to attend the March Club Meeting later this month and would be happy to show it to you. I hope this helps anyone out there who's been thinking about updating their LandCruiser with USB connections for charging phones, lanterns, etc., and pretty much all small camping electronics are setup to charge off of 5v/1.2A/2.1A these days, making this a convenience item for keeping the clutter down and the reliability up!
