USB Power BEHIND Dash

@Volksparts ...

2 questions to hijack my own post...

1. Were you Airborne?
2. How many @MESO parts do you have to have to be the "Un'Official' Meso Taco"?

 

1.) no I wasn't airborne but it was something that I always wanted to do when I was in the Army.
2.). Well I just did a count and I have 14 different Meso products . I put that in my signature is more of a joke than anything. As I definitely contributed to some of his ideas too. A lot of the pictures on his website are of my truck and his products.

 

Ok, sweet!

 

Your fuse tap lead (wire) will be 12 volt (+). You also need a (-), ideally from the same fuse block or its mount (these trucks have aluminum frame parts so it is prudent to have dedicated (-) vs using the frame itself).

Run those two wires to an aftermarket cigarette lighter port. Then plug in a USB adapter. That way you can change your mind later if you want to use the port for 12 volt applications. (USB is 5 volts so you cannot wire directly.

Alternatively you can get cigarette lighter looking port that has built in USB ports. That is what I did and mounted it on the console.

 

So it sounds like it would be easier to run the wire to the engine bay and ground it there.

 

That is good practice. In reality Toyota bonds the frame well but if in the future some work or accident or rust affects those connections and their is a current loss it may be a problem.

I ran a large gauge ground from the battery and branch off it but I’m a bit of a geek. YouTube is your friend on how to wire a aftermarket power port.

 

Thanks!

 

Good advice, for anything that carries high amps, or sensitive electronics, I always ground directly to the battery also.

OP- make sure to put a separate low amp inline fuse on your fuse tap, you wont need much to fry anything plugged into it if the 5v USB power regulator fails.

 

OP, don't know if you looked at the link I provided but it sounds like it has the info you seek: it's a 3-way cigarette adapter that is tapped into a fuse under the steering column. That way I can plug whatever USB cig adapter I want. Right now I have a quick charge 4 port. I get what Samsung considers "fast wireless charging" on my S10+ via a magnetic wireless mount. Using an app on my phone (Ampere), I'm getting anywhere from 500mA to about a full amp. I tapped into a 15 or 20A fuse and use 10 AWG wire so am not worried about overheating or melting or other damage.

 

Yes, I did. I don't think I will need a 3-way, but I may go that route just to have the option for "future expansion".

 

I love me some future expansion which is why I chose the 3-way. You could just as easily find a single socket and tap with that.