USB conversion

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chefbige09

chefbige09

Joined
May 18, 2021
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Location
San Antonio, Texas
I am a fairly newLC 200 owner and have slowly been doing some upgrades. I want to change out the 12volt cig style plug to a USB plug on the rear facing side of the center console. Has anyone done this or might have a suggestion on how? I would appreciate any help. Is there a special tool I need to remove the face plate?
Thank you in advance!

F6439781-2297-40FD-A2E9-886D61E276D3_1_201_a.webp
 
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chefbige09 said:
Very true! I have had several but my kids seem to make them disappear.
Thanks
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Ha ha mine too but at $10 each you can buy 10 of those before you even breach the cost of retrofit
 
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chefbige09 said:
I am a fairly newLC 200 owner and have slowly been doing some upgrades. I want to change out the 12volt cig style plug to a USB plug on the rear facing side of the center console. Has anyone done this or might have a suggestion on how? I would appreciate any help. Is there a special tool I need to remove the face plate?
Thank you in advance!

View attachment 2750098
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It is not difficult or expensive. Here is what I did. You just need a set of trim pry tools and one of these from Amazon as an example.

Amazon product ASIN B07PN5YZX3
IMG_0884.webp


IMG_0886.webp
 
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chefbige09 said:
Sweet! Thats great! Thank you for your help. next stop Amazon!
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The hardest part was getting the 12V plug out. I just cut it off in the back. I am sure there is an easy way for it to come out but I did not bother to figure it out.
 
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Just a side consideration as you look toward future connection styles… or to others reading along and considering alternatives…

Pros and cons to various alternatives. The fixed sockets range in ease/difficulty of install based mostly on how simple it may or may bot be to access the back side of the location…since they require tighteing from the back side.

One consideration for future ease of swap (to, say, USB-C, or whatever else comes down the pike as things change) is installing a small face-plate that allows easy front-side removal via screws. The key there is… you will never have to remove the panel pieces again…and instead just remove the face-plate that contains the socket(s).

I recently swapped in a couple USB-C units, and because I used face-plates…it was literally a 5 minute swap.

Here’s one such panel I used in my 200, but they can be found in various sizes:

4DB3EA58-EAD2-41F9-96EF-06C34C11F14F.jpeg

F089D50E-E9C8-4200-A918-79F6C504A9BC.jpeg


Another quickie consideration is Charge speed: Pay close attention to the OUTPUT capacity of various plugs/sockets whether permanent sockets or temporary. Also consider plug-combo types (example: USB-3 + USB-C in a single unit…which can also have THREE sockets in one: USB-Cx2, USB-3x1). They can be anywhere from anemic and slow, or high-speed units capable of charging power-hungry ipads, etc. quickly.
 
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Haha, late to party. Saw this thread earlier and by the time I took a picture and got back on @RobW0 had beaten me to the punch. It works great.

FF86046C-B377-4895-8053-B543867230F7.webp
 
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Make sure you connect the USB chargers properly. Some of the cheaper units do not have reverse polarity protection (compatibility?) and will be damaged if connected backwards. I can think of at least one instance, a Powerwerx unit, that let the smoke out when connected backwards. Quality units like BlueSea have protection from this sort of thing.
 
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RET2 said:
Or you could tell your kids if said adapter were to go missing or broken there would no longer be USB service, make / teach them responsibility.
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sdnative said:
Make sure you connect the USB chargers properly. Some of the cheaper units do not have reverse polarity protection (compatibility?) and will be damaged if connected backwards. I can think of at least one instance, a Powerwerx unit, that let the smoke out when connected backwards. Quality units like BlueSea have protection from this sort of thing.
Click to expand...
Ok will do thank you!
 
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Markuson said:
Just a side consideration as you look toward future connection styles… or to others reading along and considering alternatives…

Pros and cons to various alternatives. The fixed sockets range in ease/difficulty of install based mostly on how simple it may or may bot be to access the back side of the location…since they require tighteing from the back side.

One consideration for future ease of swap (to, say, USB-C, or whatever else comes down the pike as things change) is installing a small face-plate that allows easy front-side removal via screws. The key there is… you will never have to remove the panel pieces again…and instead just remove the face-plate that contains the socket(s).

I recently swapped in a couple USB-C units, and because I used face-plates…it was literally a 5 minute swap.

Here’s one such panel I used in my 200, but they can be found in various sizes:

View attachment 2750124
View attachment 2750125

Another quickie consideration is Charge speed: Pay close attention to the OUTPUT capacity of various plugs/sockets whether permanent sockets or temporary. Also consider plug-combo types (example: USB-3 + USB-C in a single unit…which can also have THREE sockets in one: USB-Cx2, USB-3x1). They can be anywhere from anemic and slow, or high-speed units capable of charging power-hungry ipads, etc. quickly.
Click to expand...
Awesome great if thank you!!
 
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RobW0 said:
It is not difficult or expensive. Here is what I did. You just need a set of trim pry tools and one of these from Amazon as an example.

Amazon product ASIN B07PN5YZX3
View attachment 2750112

View attachment 2750113
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This looks great. Question for you. I will admit I haven't investigated yet but wondering if on the console is it just the back piece that comes off, meaning you dont have to get into the front side? Also is the cig lighter a simple hot/ground as well?
 
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RET2 said:
Or you could tell your kids if said adapter were to go missing or broken there would no longer be USB service, make / teach them responsibility.
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I guessing you have never had or been a kid! LOL just kidding.

Teaching them responsibility is like turning a cargo ship, yeah you can and have to do it but its going to take awhile.
 
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18Cruiser said:
I guessing you have never had or been a kid! LOL just kidding.

Teaching them responsibility is like turning a cargo ship, yeah you can and have to do it but its going to take awhile.
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You're absolutely right about the cargo ship illustration, you just have to start the change earlier, That being said I know it can be hard and seem impossible when more than one parent gets in the mix. But then again I come from a much older generation so I'm jaded, you know the one where children were meant to be seen not heard. FWIW I never had any electronics or such to keep me busy in the back seat but I did have a little sister to torment. :rofl:
 
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