How to hardwire 2 x USB ports into the glove box for dashcam/phone

[DC_ELiTE]

Afternoon all

As I promised in my welcome thread, thought I would provide a tutorial for adding two powered USB ports in the glove box for powering my dashcam and charging my phone. 

Remove Glovebox You will need to do this so follow these instructions.

The kit list I used for this is below

1 x USB Adapter from Ebay (Link to Item)
1 x Pack of insulated red crimps
1 x Reel of black cable (i used 5amp)
1 x pack of Nut crimp to hook onto the nut for ground
1 x Pair of Crimpers, nothing fancy provided they crimp insulated wire.
1 x Piggyback adapter (Link to Item)
1 x Double sided tape, foam type.



You also need various USB leads to suit your setup. For my dashcam I ended up getting a USB extension cable and then a shorter USB to Mini B cable adapter so I could join it up in the interior light area. This means if I change my dashcam I only have to change a short lead not the whole thing. I then bought a long (3m) USB to Micro B cable to charge my phone.

Firstly you need to crimp the wires on the USB adapter to the piggyback adapter. Simply place the red wire from the usb adapter in the tube and crimp down hard so that it holds the wire in place



Next you need to cut a length of wire, around 15cm as the black cable on the USB adapter isn't long enough to stretch to the nut you need it to for ground.  Crimp this onto the black wire from the USB adapter and then crimp on the end so that it can hook over the nut as shown below.



Next you need to plug the USB adapter in. We will be installing into fuse position 6 which powers the 12v socket. Make sure that you put the fuse you take out closest to the prongs on the piggyback adapter and the fuse for the USB adapter furthest away. Then plug it into the fuse position 6.



Double check everything, make sure you are happy then turn on the ignition. Plug your USB devices in and everything should begin charging. Awesome.

Now to tidy everything up!

As mentioned I used a USB extension cable so first of all I had to poke this through the headliner into the light area, this is a bit fiddly but it does go through so take your time.



You want to end up like this



Then I needed to push through my short USB to Mini B adapter and then plug it into the extension cable



Continue to tidy up, I eventually used some of the double sided tape here.



Now I also had another USB  cable for my phone which I bought all the way over from the right hand side. Ultimately I ended up with both cables here on the left hand door



Bring them down and then you need to push all the cables through the fuse box access flap in the glovebox. Re attach the glove box then mess around with tidying it all up.

I ended up with this setup, achieved with some more of the double sided tape. I choose to keep the USB adapter in the glove box so its accessible should anything go wrong.



You can tuck any excess wire in to the left of the glove box before putting the trim back on that you had to remove when taking off the glove box.



Thats basically it, hope it helps someone. Its much nicer not having cables within the cabin!

[Rusty2009]

Very good mate, your 3rd to last picture tho you could have ran them down behind the A-pillar.

[tucpal]

well done very good info there and thank you very helpful

[DC_ELiTE]

Very good mate, your 3rd to last picture tho you could have ran them down behind the A-pillar.

Cheers mate, I ran them down the inside of the rubber seal so they are completely hidden is that what you mean? Sorry I am still learning here!

[Rusty2009]

Very good mate, your 3rd to last picture tho you could have ran them down behind the A-pillar.

Cheers mate, I ran them down the inside of the rubber seal so they are completely hidden is that what you mean? Sorry I am still learning here!

That'll do mate I thought you kinda left them on show lol.

[Rusty2009]

I've hidden mine and wired them up via a relay, will get some pics of the USB installed later the cig lighter I've hidden behind the glove box.





Is that a mini 0801 cam you have fitted?

[DC_ELiTE]

Is that a mini 0801 cam you have fitted?

Sure is, great piece of mind knowing you have that when you witness some of the crazy driving on the road. Was a tad annoying to place because I have the auto wipers so the bit behind the mirror is huge.

Would love to see pics of your setup as reading those diagrams isn't making that much sense to me at the mo. Is there any reason you didn't use a piggyback?

[Rusty2009]

I have the same camera great bit of kit and very good video quality day and night, although pricey well worth buying.

Yes it took me quite some time to get the place right, got to do it again now tho.

I was advised that piggy backs are not the best method as you can in fact be overloading the original wiring.


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[DC_ELiTE]

I have the same camera great bit of kit and very good video quality day and night, although pricey well worth buying.

Yes it took me quite some time to get the place right, got to do it again now tho.

I was advised that piggy backs are not the best method as you can in fact be overloading the original wiring.


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Couldn't agree more, The 0806 is out now, looks good as it offers a higher frame rate (45fps) @ 1080p which would be useful for slow mo playbacks.

Spec is here http://www.mini0806.com/spec.html

Ok i'll bear that in mind re piggyback, I wont be plugging anything into the 12v socket anyway so this should stay within safe limits! I assume I could check the amps going through it by using a voltmeter? If so that will be my next purchase.

[Rusty2009]

I will have to look the 0806 then as the wife's wants a dash cam now (although I think the 0801 still may well take the edge as all the other models never seemed to take off.)

Yes you could do that mate TBH the cam isn't going to pull much anyway.

[DC_ELiTE]

Quick update

It seems the USB port is not providing enough power to properly charge my S3 mini, I've done a couple of journeys and noticed that the battery is draining which isn't ideal specially as its used for satnav! Have done some reading and took the plunge on one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321254386023 to see if it solves the issue. There are various discussion that suggest it should so will report back with an update if it works.

Useful reviews on amazon here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vktech-Double-DC...B00CTGB24G & http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-Power-Conver...B008VORADW where people had similar issues.

[DC_ELiTE]

Further update (unable to edit first post)

Purchasing of that adapter didn't help until I looked into it further.

I bought a 5M lead originally and that apparently is too long to charge the phone even with the adapter. I then took the plunge again and purchased this 3M Charge only lead and then installed.

This has solved the issue and my phone now fully charges. I also moved the adapter I bought originally across to the dashcam as I had noticed the battery on that had also started to go down and now it is fully charging.

Basically these car adapters only charge in USB mode unless you buy a cable that shorts the data pins together.

Anyway hope it helps someone in the future.

[tucpal]

THANKS MATE

[bhalay207]

My s4 charges so slowly on a standard USB. The standard wall charger puts out 2A. I've purchased a 2A car charger which solves that issue. Don't know how beneficial this comment is to you however

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[Nemo]

I've bought a fuse to wire in my dash cam, have I bought the right one?
@rusty2009

[sheppy1]

thats the correct one mate

[bhalay207]

Yeah that's fine, just crimp/solder the end to your camera wiring.

Speaking of wiring, what are you using?

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[tucpal]

Is that for taking power for the camera if so a piggy back fuse with two 10 amp fuses is better your way will trip both the camera and whatever you have tapped into out if you have an overload

[Nemo]

I've not tapped into anything. I've plugged the fuse into a spare slot

[tucpal]

Ok no problem then

[bhalay207]

I've just got these delivered this morning.



I'm waiting for my replacement camera to come as the one I got the other day is faulty.

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[Nemo]

It didn't work, I have a transcend 200 and I snipped off the 12v socket, spliced the ground to the chassis and the red (live) to a piggy back fuse and plugged it in. But it wouldn't charge the camera. Have I don't something wrong?

[bhalay207]

When you say a spare fuse, which one did you use?

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[Nemo]

The one between the two 10amps

[bhalay207]

I have no idea what that is lol

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[sheppy1]

I have no idea what that is lol

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That's my glove box fuse box...I have two USB ports in a sort of 12V socket wired up to that fuse location for power and it works fine, @nemo tried to use it but gets no power for some reason

[Nemo]

Haha. It's a photo from @sheppy1 but I used the same slot

[bhalay207]

Have you got a multimeter to test whether it has power coming to it?

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[Nemo]

I'm afraid not

[bhalay207]

Hmmm. As a test why don't you plug it into one of the other fuses, such as the wipers. That way you'll narrow it down to bad wiring

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[Nemo]

I've already took it apart and connected it back up to the 12V

[bhalay207]

Oh ok. You could still do it but without running the cabling?

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[Nemo]

I'm confused mate, I've spliced the wires back together and plugged back into the 12v cig lighter

[bhalay207]

Oh ok. I was just thinking you could make a test cable and test for power.

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[sheppy1]

I did tell him to check one of the other fuses... Guess he chose to ignore me haha

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[bhalay207]

Instead he turned all hulk and ripped it out

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[sheppy1]

Hulk (nemo) smash! Hahaha

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[Rusty2009]

It maybe missing a contact on 1side of the fuse


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[Nemo]

How would I tell that? I tried the fuse both ways.
I think what I'm going to do is splice into the wire behind the 12v socket as Rusty suggested, add the wire for a female 12v socket and hide it behind the glove box. I'd also be adding an inline fuse just to be safe. 5amps is going to be way to high for the camera. They only have an output of 1amp

[Rusty2009]

Just look at the slot you'll be able to see copper contacts


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[bhalay207]

Thought I'd add another option for running cabling for the dashcam or usb.

I removed the panel running down the A pillar. It's abit of a sod to remove, so pull inwards (towards the driver side) and it'll then stop. What you have to do is squeeze both sides of the metal retaining clip as it has a secondary 'locking pin' for want of a better phrase. I'm assuming it's to stop the panel flying off of the airbag operates.




Run the cable down through the dash and towards the fuse box. Once there, make the necessary connections and tidy your wiring up with cable ties






I'll let the pictures tell the story



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[tucpal]

Good wright up

[Nemo]

So I've tried getting power a different way for the dash cam. I've spliced into the purple wire behind the front 12V socket to take power from there and I then tried with the ground two ways, I first tried it on the chassis via the bolt in the glove box, and then I tried it by splicing into the black wire on the 12V socket. Neither of the ways I've done it work, and now I have no power to my 12V. Checked fuses 6&7 and @rusty2009 advised and they're fine.

I'm stumped and I'd appreciate some help :(

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[bhalay207]

That's really strange how neither method works. What type of cable are you using?

I'm stumped on the socket not working, especially if the fuses are intact.

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[Nemo]

Just bog standard cable, I've used it on my LED drls and they work fine

[tucpal]

Take power from the battery positive and add an inline 3amp fuse use the big rubber grommet on the fire wall in the passenger foot well to push the wire through and ground to an earth nut on the bulk head you will need to remove the glove box had the same issue with taking power from my power socket did not work

[Nemo]

Thanks @tucpal I have no power in the sockets at all though

[tucpal]

You will have blown one or two 20amp fuses for sig and power sockets in the front glove box you don't use the black wire for ground with a power socket with three wires on it

[Nemo]

The fuses are intact though, this is my confusion

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Nothing has 3 wires either, it's all two

[Nemo]

I've had it all back out today, I've changed the fuse, tried different appliances and it still doesn't work. The 12V gives nothing out neither the front or rear.