Adding a USB charger outlet

[John Mc]

I'm looking at adding a USB charger outlet to my truck. Mine is a 24V electrical system. Fortunately, many of the adapters out there will work on either a 12 or 24V electrical system and still output the appropriate voltage to the devices being charged. Normally, I just need to top off my phone, but some of the new laptops will also charge off of a USB port (if the USB outlet is also one of the more recent specs.)

I'm wondering what others have used for this, and where they installed them. I'm considering hanging mine under the bottom of the dash somewhere.

I've found a couple of options. The one I like best is this one. Electrically, it seems like the best charging option. I do wish the LED was red, rather than blue, but at least the cover will block that when not in use.
USB C/Quick Charge 4.0 PD Type C & Quick Charge 3.0 USB Charger Socket
It will do up to 60W on the PD USB C outlet (20V x 3A - which is useful for charging newer laptops, along with other voltage options), and 36W on the old style USB connector. That's the most up-to-date specs on a USB charger I can find. There is some question of whether it will boost the voltage as needed to get the full range of outputs on the PD/USB C outlet when connected to a 12 V vehicle (may of these higher powered USB outlets do not produce full output but since mine is 24V, that's not a concern (Out of curiosity I have submitted a question to the seller about the output when connected to a 12V system.)

Another option is this one. It might be a good choice for those with a 12V electrical systems (though it will also run off a 24V system): it can automatically boost the voltage to 20V output on th PD/USB C outlet to charge some modern laptops. It adds a switch which shuts off the old-style USB and the LED, but leaves the USB C outlet live. I do like being able to get power without the LED on (from at least one of the outlets). The only drawback is that the old-stye USB only outputs 18 Watts.
65W (Automatic Boost) PD3.0 USB C Outlet for Laptop, QC3.0 18W.

[Cal_Gary]

Funny you should ask about this, John.
I just picked up a cigar lighter adapter with the Pos and Neg clamps; already had a USB adapter plug. (Mine is 12V).
In case I need this I can just clamp the adapter to my batteries with the USB insert, then power up all the modern electronics. I didn't want to add a permanent install so I went this route, and can stash those bits inside the battery box.
Gary

[NAM VET]

Could be interesting if all the stored amps in the truck's battery suddenly pours into your tiny sell phone battery via the hook up. Me, I just carry a spare small extra cell phone battery if I anticipate that need, which is pretty rare. I have never really understood how electron's do their thing anyway. Hal

[John Mc]

I had thought about a temporary installation, like what you did. I also thought bout mounting it in the glove box, and just putting the phone in there when I need to charge. My truck looks mostly stock, but I've never been hung up on having it 100% correct. (I added a frame mounted receiver hitch, and I had to put the knob for the electric brake controller somewhere easily reachable from the driver's seat, for example.) I figured a little tab hanging down from the bottom of the dash would not be too "in your face", doesn't punch a new 1" hole in the dash, and is easy to remove without leaving much obvious evidence.

I don't need it often, but I would like it for longer trips as a navigation aid. I'm planning on driving my truck to the Berkshire Mountains Power Wagon Rally in Lee, MA at the end of August - about 160 miles one way. I also want something so that if I have an emergency while working in the woods, I have a way to power up my cellphone (seems like my cellphones always have a weak battery).

It would be cool to come up with something that folds back up out of sight when not in use. Hinging it is simple, but so far I have not been creative enough to come up with something that stay folded up, stays locked down when pushing in a power cord, and doesn't require two hands to stow and release to flip back down. I'm still debating whether to add another slot in the tab for a regular cigarette lighter plug.

I'm also curious if anyone has found a cigarette lighter receptacle with built-in circuitry to drop 24V down to 12V. That would be simpler than adding a separate buck converter to drop the voltage. Some "12V" devices can handle 24V (or actually 28V) input, but some cannot.