12v power for the Kids in the back

[MudRunnerTD]

So a little project I had was to sort out some charging points for the kids in the back of the GUIV for long drives. We need to charge the iPads and other devices. USB charging is all I need.

So I bought some plugs and housings off eBay with a view to fit them to the B pillar but as it turns out they may foul the seat belt for the front seats and was going to be a bugger to install.

Option 2. Into the door. I ditched the housings and fitted 1 to each door. 2 back doors and front passenger for the win.

Now the bastard was how to power them up? I had figured to run a fused circuit from the second battery via a switch. The USB points all have an LED light built in so I had to be able to switch them off via a switch.

Well yesterday I striped off a handle only for a look. Got the multi meter out and found 12v power at the window switch that had constant 12v whenever the accessories was turned on on the ignition. That will do me fine.

I gave Yendor a call to run my plan past him and confirm the window circuit could handle the extra load. All good. He recommended I grab an earth at each point though rather than the existing earth as that went back through the drivers door control circuit.

Here is a very quick and simple job that will make life easy on the road!!

The USB dual plug off eBay.



The window plug disconnected. The White wire with the silver band is the one you want. Far right.



Now note that there is structure under the trim. Drilling from the top using a hole saw in a drill press I drilled through the structure.







I broke off the tabs left using a pair of pliers so I could tighten the locking ring on the back.



Happy days.

Now I made a loom long enough to go from the underside of the plug, down into the handle, behind the trim, out the the hinge area. This is were I grabbed my earth.



Now I cut the white wire with the silver band and using a 3way crimp connector I spliced into this wire





And Bob's ya Aunties Grandma!!!







So the first one probably took 40 minutes including nutting out how I was going to do it, changing my mind, calling Yendor and finishing the job!

Wiring up through a switch from the second battery to the centre console then making a loom out to each door would have taken a good 4 to 6 hours I reckon.

The other passenger door took no more than 10 minutes!!





The front passenger door didn't miss out either







All three doors in about an hour!!! Stoked with the outcome! Thanks Yendor for your advice mate! Winner!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk cause AB turned it back on!!