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I've been finding it very disorganized with all the wires coming out of my cigarette lighter lately. I'm running a cigarette lighter spIitter to power a dashcam, FM Transmitter, and it has usb ports to charge my phone from time to time. I was hoping if anyone knows of a thread or advice on the steps to add a USB charging port for my phone. I see next to the cigarette lighter there are blank ports. Wondering if something can be done to add them in.
"Marge, anyone could miss Canada! All tucked away down there."
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 9,629
Likes: 1,282
From: Barrie, ON Canada
Rep Power: 221
Re: Adding USB Charging Ports
moved because this is not a diy,
you can add circuits to the fusebox and put usb ports in those spots pretty easily. I had a switch there in my old car. if you have basic electrical knowledge you should be able to figure it out
So, in my 2002, I added a USB charging port that was hot when the car was at least in ACC mode. I kinda did it in a roudabout, ghetto-rigged kinda way, but if it's stupid and it works, it ain't stupid.
I went to Fry's Electronics (edit: just realized you're in Canadaland and probably don't have Fry's Electronics stores. lol) and found that they had a.. female cigarette lighter socket mabober(part that accepts cigarette lighter adapters) with bare leads coming off the *** end. I found a wire that was hot when I wanted it to be and spliced it in there and used bare metal to ground it. After that, I grabbed a 2.4A USB cigarette lighter adapter and plugged it in. Electrical tape held it together, just for extra added security. From there, I found a male to female panel mount USB cable (female end had the panel mount tabs). Used a dremel to make a hole in one of the blanks large enough to accommodate any USB cable I had. Reinstalled the blank, and voila, had a USB plug in one of those blanks.
After a quick google search, here's parts that would do exactly what I described above:
Other stuff you'd need: something to cut a square-ish hole in the blank, and maybe carve out some space for the panel mount USB port to fit. Maybe a small file if you want to make it look pretty. You'll need some t-taps or if you feel like cutting soldering, then you'll need stuff for that.
Orrrrr.... if you want it to be fused, you can always use a
in lieu of trying to find a hot wire. You can see how I used one in my dashcam hardwire DIY thread: https://www.civicforums.com/forums/280-electronics/372326-diy-hardwire-dash-cam-without-cutting-wires.html
Optionally, you can direct tap to a constant +12VDC line (that's hot at all times) and install an inline switch to turn it on and off at will. That second blank is great for adding switches.
Last edited by xRiCeBoYx; Feb 6, 2018 at 11:33 AM.
"Marge, anyone could miss Canada! All tucked away down there."
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 9,629
Likes: 1,282
From: Barrie, ON Canada
Rep Power: 221
Re: Adding USB Charging Ports
Riceboy posted a pretty solid how to there,
Also there probably a couple empty 12v connectors in your in-car fuse box. might have to pull the trim where your knees are to see better. test those empty sockets and you should be able to fine a hot in ACC, use a female blade terminal to connect to it with an inline fuse and then do as you wish from there.
I used one of those empty connections for my fog lights, the kit came with a connector that plugged right into there.
