Now then,

 

Thought I'd buy a decent usb charger and wire it in somewhere as the cigarette lighter only seems to supply a poor and intermittent voltage.

 

I've got a dual 2.1a thing with a voltmeter that I will either put into a plug blank near the rear window heater or into the old cigarette lighter hole. Now, this might be a stupid and very basic electrical question but will I need to add a voltage converter? It was marketed on eBay as '12v-24v' so should it just regulate the voltage to each usb correctly? 

 

Thanks if you can help (plus any advice on this little project is very welcome!) 

 

Link to said product if anyone wants to have a look https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F183751501624

It will not require any extra voltage converters as it accepts any voltage between 12 to 24v

 

I fitted this to mine 

it uses the 12v supply to the normal ciggy lighter but as that is "live" at all times I added the little rocker switch so it wasn't going to be a drain on the battery 

Hey that looks tidy, even as good as factory fitted! Did you just disconnect the wires from the back of the cig lighter and connect them to the charger? 

 

I might well do what you did but one of my goals was to have the wires well clear of the gearstick and handbrake, that's why I thought of having it in a switch blank above the radio 

I have a extra aftermarket power socket fitted on the dash.... 

I didn't add it- a previous owner did. It is wired onto the switched 12v feed that supplies the radio so it switches off when the car is off.   

 

It's crude but effective- If I was to install one myself I would probably just add the dual USB ports but in a similar location. 

That looks handy blueb4sunrise, but wouldn't wiring it into the live for the radio risk blowing the radio's fuse or otherwise causing the radio not to work right? 

8 hours ago, hebdenwill said:

Hey that looks tidy, even as good as factory fitted! Did you just disconnect the wires from the back of the cig lighter and connect them to the charger? 

 

 

I tee'd into the wiring to the ciggy lighter so that still works.

 

I also fitted this 

Just to power the satnav, it takes it's supply (via an inline fuse) from the "30" terminal on the bottom of the relay panel just behind the trim panel

5 hours ago, hebdenwill said:

That looks handy blueb4sunrise, but wouldn't wiring it into the live for the radio risk blowing the radio's fuse or otherwise causing the radio not to work right? 

It hasn't caused any issues to date... It's not the way I would have chosen to wire it myself but as long as it works I will probably leave it alone.  I use it to power my phone while using google maps... I use the 2.1A USB adaptor and have the radio loud enough to rattle the widows at the same time. 

 

That is a tidy looking socket nige, I should probably do likewise and and add an inline fuse to it.... just in case. 

Edited 23 April, 20197 yr by Blueb4sunrise

Imight look at doing something similar in me mk2. The ciggy lighter is in a bit of an awkward spot for hiding cables and still being able to see the phone if i need to screen calls..