Is it possible to splice a USB power plug into the overhead lights power source?

[Akujin]

Hey guys.

One thing I've always wanted to do was have a USB power source for a phone I have mounted directly behind my rear view mirror. I choose this location because I sometimes like to record my driving. However due to this the maximum amount of time one of my old android phones can handle is about 2 hours since the video app requires the screen to be on and the camera itself drains a ton of power.

I can of course run the cable from one of the car power plugs but it's so ugly

Anyway I found the guide on how to remove the overhead map light console here.

I would like to have a USB 5 volt cable spliced into the overhead light power source come out as a female USB port out of the little hole in the picture below.


So I guess my real questions are A) Is there enough power in there to even do this? B) How can I do this safely?

If I got one of these can I hook it up to the overhead light power source or does it need to run to the back of the dash?
Powerlink, Hardwired USB A in-car charger

Amazon

Amazon

If this works out I would be glad to write a how to with pictures.

[zmarko]

It's all about voltage.

Read this thread. Hard Wired Micro USB power for the Droid

Someone posted this late in the thread linked above. http://www.mountguys.com/product_p/mfx5v-b-micro.htm

[ryanjay]

This is what I suggest...

Remove your center console to get to the front cigarette lighter/power source. Tap into that and run wire under your footwell, up through the driver side column, behind the airbag, and to the roof to a USB plug.

[fruitlewps]

Or get one of these and plug into the center console cig lighter:

Amazon.com: Satechi 2412ST Car Lighter USB Charger Adapter with Smart Converter for iPad 2, iPhone 4S, Android Phones, Samsung Galaxy S II, BlackBerry Playbook, HTC Flyer (2.1 AMP): Cell Phones & Accessories

Amazon.com: Satechi 2412ST Car Lighter USB Charger Adapter with Smart Converter for iPad 2, iPhone 4S, Android Phones, Samsung Galaxy S II, BlackBerry Playbook, HTC Flyer (2.1 AMP): Cell Phones & Accessories

Also, what you linked should work, but yeah you can hardwire it into the fuse box, I hard wired the power cord for my GPS unit, and just shoved the power cable into a "15" fuse slot. Using "Add a fuse" should work fine and should be enough for USB.

[Akujin]

Originally Posted by fruitlewps

Or get one of these and plug into the center console cig lighter: Amazon.com: Satechi 2412ST Car Lighter USB Charger Adapter with Smart Converter for iPad 2, iPhone 4S, Android Phones, Samsung Galaxy S II, BlackBerry Playbook, HTC Flyer (2.1 AMP): Cell Phones & Accessories

Also, what you linked should work, but yeah you can hardwire it into the fuse box, I hard wired the power cord for my GPS unit, and just shoved the power cable into a "15" fuse slot. Using "Add a fuse" should work fine and should be enough for USB.

I already have a lighter converter but the whole point of this thread is to avoid having a wire hanging in the middle of the cabin.

Originally Posted by ryanjay

This is what I suggest...

Remove your center console to get to the front cigarette lighter/power source. Tap into that and run wire under your footwell, up through the driver side column, behind the airbag, and to the roof to a USB plug.

Would love to try this. I've found guides on taking apart the center console but how do I take apart the driver side column? Any guides you can link me to?

Originally Posted by zmarko

It's all about voltage.

Read this thread. Hard Wired Micro USB power for the Droid

Someone posted this late in the thread linked above. Hardwire Barewire Power Micro USB Cable for All Cell Phones and SmartPhones including Droid

I actually found that too but would like the output to be a female USB port so I can plug anything into it. My phone is micro USB but I still have some devices that use mini USB.

[Dnick454]

Originally Posted by zmarko

It's all about voltage.

Read this thread. Hard Wired Micro USB power for the Droid

Someone posted this late in the thread linked above. Hardwire Barewire Power Micro USB Cable for All Cell Phones and SmartPhones including Droid

Sorry but... It's not all about voltage, it's about current. I don't see how voltage would be relevant being that it should be 12-14V no matter where you measure it (besides a coil pack on the spark plug lol).

Main thing you'll want to mind is current draw. Figure out how many amps or milliamps that phone charger draws and find out how the overhead light is fused. Check the fuse amperage rating and see if it's do-able to simply splice the charger into the same lead. If it seems the charger will draw too much for the fusing for the overhead light, then wire it's own power lead or use a larger fuse.

[ryanjay]

Originally Posted by Akujin

I already have a lighter converter but the whole point of this thread is to avoid having a wire hanging in the middle of the cabin.



Would love to try this. I've found guides on taking apart the center console but how do I take apart the driver side column? Any guides you can link me to?



I actually found that too but would like the output to be a female USB port so I can plug anything into it. My phone is micro USB but I still have some devices that use mini USB.

No need to take the side column apart. Open the door and take off the weather strip. You'll be able to thread wires this way. Then just snap the strips back.


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

[zmarko]

Originally Posted by Dnick454

Sorry but... It's not all about voltage, it's about current. I don't see how voltage would be relevant being that it should be 12-14V no matter where you measure it (besides a coil pack on the spark plug lol).

Main thing you'll want to mind is current draw. Figure out how many amps or milliamps that phone charger draws and find out how the overhead light is fused. Check the fuse amperage rating and see if it's do-able to simply splice the charger into the same lead. If it seems the charger will draw too much for the fusing for the overhead light, then wire it's own power lead or use a larger fuse.

I'm certainly no electrician. But as I understand it, your car outputs ~12V, yet his phone needs to be 5V. That's why car phone chargers have regulators that drop them down the correct voltage. Am I not understanding it correctly? (Very possible. lol).

[zmarko]

Originally Posted by Akujin

I actually found that too but would like the output to be a female USB port so I can plug anything into it. My phone is micro USB but I still have some devices that use mini USB.

Where would you leave the USB port dangling? I thought the whole point of this thread was to have a clean install? If you leave the USB port hanging from the headliner, you'll have the entire phone USB cord hanging in the way. And that doesn't seem like a real clean install IMO. If you tuck the USB port inside the headliner, swapping out cords for different things is gonna be a PITA.

[Akujin]

Originally Posted by zmarko

Where would you leave the USB port dangling?

It wouldn't dangle but here's an arrow on the picture I posted before just to be very specific.



It would likely come out maybe a centimeter or an inch.