USB port wiring question

Hey everyone,

I've been lurking for a while and have read a ton of useful information on these forums. I know this subject has been covered a lot before and trust me I've read almost all of the information I could find using the search feature but I need some more help.

I found this sweet carling switch with USB plugs online:


And judging by the dimensions it should fit perfectly into one of the blank spots next to my 12v outlets:


Here's how I was thinking of wiring it up, but keep in mind I have absolutely zero electrical/wiring knowledge so please let me know if this would work or catch my truck on fire....

I have a few 16/14 Gauge T-taps laying around (like these:

Install Bay BTT Blue Insultion Displacement T-Tap Connector 16-14 Gauge - 100 Pack

http://www.amazon.com/Install-Bay-BTT-Gauge-Connector/dp/B001N7PX6K. Can I attach these to the wires for one of the 12 volt outlets right next to where I want to install it? Basically...

• connect a red wire from the power on the switch to a red wire from the 12v outlet using a T-tap

• connect a black wire from the ground on the switch to the ground wire for the 12v outlet using another T-tap?

Or do I need to run wires all the way up to the fuse box, install fuses, etc ???


Any advice would be greatly appreciated...and please try to keep it at a kindergarten level for me

 

Radio shack has a cig lighter usb adapter for your existing 12v ports. No need to cut or do anything like that. Have charged all brands of cells on that without issue for years.

 

Sub'd. But why not just put use an adapter in the twelve volt outlet. I have a splitter that has two usb outlets. Just an idea, not a naysayer.

 

Your thinking is close but because Toyota outlets are not hot constantly then no you can't use tap those and run the USB's whenever at the click of the switch. You can use the black for your negative but you would need to run a red positive to your fuse box. You could just run it to a always hot fuse in you dash fuse box. This would enable it to be controlled by the switch whether your keys were in or not.

 

Welcome toT.World. Hope it works out.

 

Here's mine I sourced from Amazon.



I can't remember the exact brand (Blue Sea something another), but it was around the $10 mark +/- and nearly a perfect fit. It has a little rubber cap included, but I didn't use it. Then I did the jumper mod in the under hood fuse box, with another fuse just in case, and now it's on 24/7. The little plug in adapters always burn out on me at the worst time.

 

Thanks everybody for the help so far. I currently have one of those adapters that plugs into the 12v outlet and has USB ports on the front, but I'd like to install something else to have it a little more permanent and free up my 12v outlets.

DR007 - I don't know if I'll be able to figure out how to run the wire all the way up to the fuse box...I'll look into it but in case that proves too difficult, will wiring it the way I said at least give me power when the truck is running? That would probably be good enough for me, especially if it's difficult to run the positive to the fuse box. Plus, if it is wired always hot wouldn't the blue light of the switch and anything charging drain the battery if the truck is off?

Brake Weight - That looks really clean, I like how it looks like it came from the factory like that. But personally I'd like to use one of the empty spaces rather than one of the 12v sockets. Do you have any pictures of how you wired it to the fuse box?

 

It's real easy to hook up to the fuse box. I have a second gen so not sure how the first gens are but it'll just be snaking a wire around to the box. The light won't be on if the switch is off and you'd have to leave it on a a long time before it'll kill your battery. I've left light bars on over night and half a day and it never stuttered to turn over.

 

I used the 12v outlet's wiring. It direct plugged into the USB port piece.

 

So you tied into the 12v like I am planning but since you did the jumper mod you have full time power?

 

Yes. It's full time power.

 

Ok. I think I'm going to try to tap in with the T-taps and then possibly do the full time power mod. I'll take some pics when I do it in case anyone is curious. Thanks everyone for the help

 

Well theres a fuse box in the truck, under the steering wheel. You could run the 12v+ to that possibly.
But ive seen people use Add a Circuit (I call them fuse taps) to hook up stuff like this. cause ive been looking into doing this too but my electrician skills are as kindergarten level can get hopefully someone corrects my input or tells me im on the right track

 

I took apart a 99 cent cig adapter, soldered on some wire leads where the cig lighter parts used to be, then cut a square hole in the blanks there and jbwelded it to the back. Looks stock. Ill get a pic today.

 

Op, I've ran many wires from the center console. I just ran them behind the pedals and up to the fuse box in the truck. If you really wanted, you could go straight from the battery and get an inline fuse.

 

True. But the two reasons I went with this:

$19 Blue Sea Systems 1016 Dual USB Charger Socket, 12/24v 2.1a, Black

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Charger-Socket/dp/B0082CXEI8 was because I've had enough of the parts house adapters burn up to pay for it and it used the existing wiring. The bonus was that I still have a 12v plug as well as the cig lighter.

 

Can you explain how to connect the wires to the fuse box? If you have any pics that'd be great too.

 

I received the switch today, although I was a little disappointed to find out that it is not actually a switch. Since it doesn't have the ability to switch off I think I am just going to tap into the 12v outlet wiring that way it doesn't stay on all the time and have the possibility of draining my battery. I'll give it a try this weekend and report back.

 

Alright bud, you could get something called an inline fuse. pretty much a wire with a fuse in the middle. And I actually worded my statement above incorrectly. I did it the second way straight from the battery with an inline fuse. There is also a fuse tap, just plugs into fuse panel and has a wire coming off of it.

 

The existing cig lighter wiring can handle whatever 5v charger you want. Mine charges a phone at standard and an ipad at 2 amp plus stuff plugged into the cig lighter.
No need to go all the way to the battery for a usb charger.