Installing a dual USB socket and voltmeter under facia

Cotswolds12

A2OC Donor
Having just bought the car the first thing I noticed driving back with it was that the 12v socket was in an inconvenient place if you want to use it to power a screen mounted Iphone using Google Map GPS as I do.

Instead of another 12V socket I opted for a dual USB socket I found on Ebay that came an inbuilt Voltmeter and fused wire leads (£5.85 with free postage).
The best position I decided was under front ashtray so I set about pulling out the interior. After disconnecting the battery I found the best way to start is to prize up the ring around the gearstick, this is just secured with plastic tabs, put a piece of tape at 12 o clock on the ring to see that you engage it correctly later. The tray in front of the gearstick can now just be pulled up and removed for a hole to be made for the socket. The top handbrake cover slides up and the moulding beneath it also slides up the handbrake, the bottom section with the ashtray just pulls up as well. Now you can squeeze the bottom of the cigar lighter clasp to release the connection.

I used a length of coat hanger to feed two wires from the existing socket through to the gearsick (remove the foam) and on to the front under the ashtray.

I cut the red power and negative wires about 2 inches below the existing plug and bared the ends, The wires coming from beneath are shrouded in a sticky black insulating tape that I carefully removed with a razor blade until I had enough to bare these ends as well.

The tray is not as brittle as I thought so I was able to just use a hole saw on my drill that was just the right size, (if I didn't have one I would have marked the tray position through the socket fixing nut and drilled lots of small holes in a circle and sandpapered to the right size).

Having made all the connections and refitted the tray the voltmeter lit up it was then I realised that power to the 12V socket is constantly on being independent of the ignition. After lunch I found a small LED button switch so removed the front tray again and drilled another hole for the isolating switch and wired this in as well.
Very happy with the result, I will try and post pics to show sequence. Not bad for under £6!

Good luck

PS. The USB socket is thankfully recognised by by Iphone
 

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If you pick a 12v feed up from the thick white wire that feeds the climate panel that is an ignition live so the isolating switch is not needed but the way you have wired is fine as long as you remember to turn it off as there will likely be a small current drain on the usb even when nothing is plugged into it (it drops 12 volts to 5volts via a bucks regulator)
Some of these regulators cause a lot of noise which is picked up on the radio if yours is quiet then you got a good one
DAB is particularly sensitive to this electrical noise

Cheers. Paul


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks Paul, Luckily I have a steam driven Symphony unit that can’t pick up the static it seems ?. I had already plumbed in the socket and in line fuse before I realised it would be a small drain when not in use. Nice to know about the white wire though in case I want to add anything else.
Best
Charles
 
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