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Re: USB charge points [message #365459 is a reply to message #365456]

Thu, 15 July 2021 13:28

Matt Colie

Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan

Karma: 7

Senior Member

Larry,

I added two additional DC mouseholes almost immediately.

One is in the back face of the side panel, so it is right next to the dinette. My dinette is on the other side because she is a 23 but the idea should work.
The other is in the right hand edge of the dash. That is the one for the navigator's laptop.

Matt

Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit

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Re: USB charge points [message #365468 is a reply to message #365399]

Thu, 15 July 2021 19:37

boybach

Messages: 566
Registered: December 2020
Location: Vancouver Island

Karma: 4

Senior Member

Well I managed to run the wiring from just under the table support along behind the wall to the door then up and over the door them down the other side to the entrance switch bank where I'll tap into the power.
Luckily found a 50ft spool of 16 gauge wire at St. Vinnie's this morning for $10, so that sure was timely!

Larry - Victoria BC - 1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat exchange hoses

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[GMCnet] Re: USB charge points [message #365470 is a reply to message #365399]

Thu, 15 July 2021 20:45

Dave

Messages: 32
Registered: March 2004

Karma: 3

Member

Here is what I did 10+ years ago...

Use 12V cigarette lighter sockets. They are pretty much universal.
Connect them to the house battery. Dont forget to fuse them properly.
Usually 10Amps for the cheap outlets. 20Amps for the better quality
ones. Look at the ratings to decide what fuse and wire gauge that you
will need. Be sure that the wiring is robust enough to support the
current limited by the fuses. Use a separate ground wire that has the
same wire gauge that you used for the +12v supply wire. Run the
grounds back to the ground bus at the house batteries. Using the
chassis for ground returns (for sensitive electronics or high current
devices) is usually not a good idea.

I installed two outlets under the driver seat base, two outlets under
the passenger seat base, two outlets above the dining area, two
outlets in the headboard in the bedroom and two outlets below the
overhead cabinet at the foot of the bed.

Over the years I have used them for cell phones, laptops, tablets,
fans, electric blankets, inverters, TV's, coolers, air pumps and
probably other stuff that I cant even remember.

My point is to stick with something that is a universal standard and
install it correctly. The USB standards change very quickly. Since I
installed these outlets USB has evolved through USB1.0, USB2.0,
USB3.0, USB3.1, USB3.2, USB-C, USB-4, Thunderbolt-1, Thunderbolt-2,
Thunderbolt-3 and others. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB). All
of these standards have low cost car chargers that will plug into a
standard "12V cigarette lighter socket" outlet. And many other
devices use this "12V cigarette lighter socket" outlet as a power source...

Hope that helps...

Dave
Ann Arbor, MI.
73 Sequoia (26'/455/EbH/RwI/ThH/HEI/TBI/160°/3.42/100A/Q55G)
99 Gillig 36' Low Floor Bus (work in progress)

At 11:45 AM 13/07/2021, you wrote:
> Thinking of fitting some USB connections to charge my devices etc.
>
> At the moment, doing it from the cig lighter with an adapter but
> it's getting pretty crowded/messy with loose cables. Plan is to
> install a group of
> outlets near the salon table or close to kitchen on opposite side, maybe both.
>
> Would it be best to use the starting battery or the house system for
> the power source? Right now, using the cig lighter on the dash, I believe the
> starting battery is powering the adapter.
>
> Larry
> --
> Larry - Victoria BC -
>
> 1977 Palm Beach 40,000 miles, PO said everything working but forgot
> the word NOT. New Atwood fridge, water heater & furnace. New SS exhaust system,
> 6000w Onan, Iota Converter, R134A A/C, New fuel lines & heat exchange hoses
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
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Re: [GMCnet] Re: USB charge points [message #365471 is a reply to message #365470]

Fri, 16 July 2021 10:47

boybach

Messages: 566
Registered: December 2020
Location: Vancouver Island

Karma: 4

Senior Member

Dave wrote on Thu, 15 July 2021 18:45

Here is what I did 10+ years ago...

Use 12V cigarette lighter sockets. They are pretty much universal.
Connect them to the house battery. Dont forget to fuse them properly.
Usually 10Amps for the cheap outlets. 20Amps for the better quality
ones. Look at the ratings to decide what fuse and wire gauge that you
will need. Be sure that the wiring is robust enough to support the
current limited by the fuses. Use a separate ground wire that has the
same wire gauge that you used for the +12v supply wire. Run the
grounds back to the ground bus at the house batteries. Using the
chassis for ground returns (for sensitive electronics or high current
devices) is usually not a good idea.

I installed two outlets under the driver seat base, two outlets under
the passenger seat base, two outlets above the dining area, two
outlets in the headboard in the bedroom and two outlets below the
overhead cabinet at the foot of the bed.

Over the years I have used them for cell phones, laptops, tablets,
fans, electric blankets, inverters, TV's, coolers, air pumps and
probably other stuff that I cant even remember.

My point is to stick with something that is a universal standard and
install it correctly. The USB standards change very quickly. Since I
installed these outlets USB has evolved through USB1.0, USB2.0,
USB3.0, USB3.1, USB3.2, USB-C, USB-4, Thunderbolt-1, Thunderbolt-2,
Thunderbolt-3 and others. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB). All
of these standards have low cost car chargers that will plug into a
standard "12V cigarette lighter socket" outlet. And many other
devices use this "12V cigarette lighter socket" outlet as a power source...

Hope that helps...

Dave
Ann Arbor, MI.
73 Sequoia (26'/455/EbH/RwI/ThH/HEI/TBI/160°/3.42/100A/Q55G)
99 Gillig 36' Low Floor Bus (work in progress)

Hey Dave, If I had the interior cabinetry or floor/carpet etc out or in flux, I'd consider all sorts of installations and wiring changes, but my coach is sort of finished as much as it's going to be for now, so I can't see how I can run the wiring required to approximate your installation without much dis-assembly. Your fitments sound good, but for my simple needs, the USB connectors will be fine.
I have added one cigarette lighter style combination panel, this one:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07JHH5YP4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

so I will have that additional plug-ability near the entrance if I need to run something like an inflator.

As far as the USB standard changing, well of course it does but there again all I need these ports for are to charge my phone, e-reader, and to run/charge my computer. I'm sure they'll be able to do that for a very long time and as I will NEVER own a piece of Apple technology I have zero need for Thunderbolt ports.

BTW, I do have a Apple-style and newer Android phone USB charging cables on board in case a guest needs to use them.

So for now, the USB ports are going to be it and if indeed they do get deprecated I'll change them out at that time, along with every other device that used to use them too, I suppose!

cheers

Larry

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Re: USB charge points [message #365472 is a reply to message #365399]

Fri, 16 July 2021 12:35

lw8000

Messages: 201
Registered: July 2012
Location: S.E. Michigan

Karma: 1

Senior Member

Others may correct me on this, but if I remember right, one option to get to the dinette wall is to go down just behind the passenger window behind the panel as there is a channel there. You can also run it across there as there is also a channel between the plastic headliner and the regular roof panel. Once you get down to below the level of the side window, there are small holes in the frame (behind the paneling) to run the wire. But you'll probably have to take off that paneling to get to those small holes easily.

Chris

Chris S. - 77 Kingsley, 3.70 FD, mostly OEM - S.E. Michigan

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Re: [GMCnet] Re: USB charge points [message #365474 is a reply to message #365471]

Fri, 16 July 2021 12:52

Matt Colie

Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan

Karma: 7

Senior Member

Larry,

<Rant On>
That is real nice of you to carry cables for other's convenience. We have three sizes of USB ports in common use and I see it as the responsibility of the traveler to have chargers and cables in his kit....

If he knows he is traveling by car, it makes sense to carry a mousehole type charger, but otherwise a wall wort should be there.

I so hate the DC mousehole non-standard, that I am amazed that it still has any traction. I have noticed that a lot of the newer vehicles have USB changing ports near most of the seats. As our fleet has been so varied, I used to have the USB adapters labeled by what they did fit. Even if they do go in and make contact, there is no reason you should expect them to stay as there is no retention feature included. This is a use for tooth picks.
<Rant Off>

Matt

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Re: USB charge points [message #365489 is a reply to message #365399]

Sat, 17 July 2021 11:15

Christo

Messages: 108
Registered: April 2019
Location: Weymouth, MA

Karma: 0

Senior Member

I have installed two sets of USB ports at my dinette. The first is a replacement 110vac receptacle with integrated USB ports (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076ZTMM8N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). The second is a dual USB outlet that’s connected to the 12v feed of the under-cabinet light fixture (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LBLYTST/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). It’s installed in the bottom of the overhead cabinet.

Christo Darsch
GMC Nor'easters
1977 Eleganza II - "The Komet"
3.50 Power Drive, Disc Brakes, Alcoas
Weymouth, MA

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Re: USB charge points [message #365505 is a reply to message #365489]

Sat, 17 July 2021 21:39

boybach

Messages: 566
Registered: December 2020
Location: Vancouver Island

Karma: 4

Senior Member

Christo wrote on Sat, 17 July 2021 09:15

I have installed two sets of USB ports at my dinette. The first is a replacement 110vac receptacle with integrated USB ports (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076ZTMM8N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). The second is a dual USB outlet that’s connected to the 12v feed of the under-cabinet light fixture (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LBLYTST/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). It’s installed in the bottom of the overhead cabinet.

The 110 receptacle looks good but I need power when drycamping and maybe late at night where I might not be able to have the Onan running ......so I went all 12v house power for my charge points.

I thought about installing in the bottom of the cabinet too ...I might do something like that in the bedroom but for now I have a pair of 2-slot USB sockets, a voltmeter and a master switch mounted on the 4 unit plate I posted earlier. All the components are the same diameter so I swapped out the cig lighter with a second USB component and used the cig socket on a modified vinyl blanking plate under the table support. The installation is fused and switched so the whole thing can be turned off when I don't need it.

Larry

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