Center dash 12v socket disassembly

Ticket · Mar 15, 2020

Hi All,

Looking for the tear down instructions to get at the 12v sockets in the center dash.

I have a 12v dual usb with led voltage display, that I would like to replace one of the 12v sockets with.

https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Version-CHGeek-Waterproof-Motorcycle/dp/B07FJQGXCM/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=12v+usb+outlet+4.2+amp&qid=1584232565&sr=8-14

(you can throw away the rubber cover)

any feedback is appreciated.

cheers.

Ticket · Mar 15, 2020

Sorted it out myself...

The trick is removing the side panel down by the gas pedal, get in behind then pull the power connector off the 12v socket, pry out the socket with a pry tool and needle nose pliers from the front.
I chose the lower socket because its easier to get to.

Trim up the hole a bit to fit in the new usb / voltage display (slightly bigger), spin the nut on the back to secure.
I removed the spring for the door/flap in the front.
plug the spade connectors + - into the existing power connector harness.

Done...

Ticket · Mar 15, 2020

final product....
marred the plastic at the bottom a bit, being impatient with removing the old socket.

Blacklisted · Mar 19, 2020

I am about to do this also for our van, glad to see its fairly easy. Did you have to put connectors on the factory harness or is it spade connectors also?

Ticket · Mar 19, 2020

Blacklisted said:
I am about to do this also for our van, glad to see its fairly easy. Did you have to put connectors on the factory harness or is it spade connectors also?

I put spade connectors on the wires coming from the usb socket, it has connectors on the back of it where the provided wires connect to the blade connections.
Then plugged those spade connectors into the stock harness, + -

should of taken more snaps, nobody showed much interest.

everybody was kung flu fighting!

egads · Mar 21, 2020

Doesn't that usb also connect to the audio system? How does having two usb inputs work?

Blacklisted · Mar 21, 2020

egads said:
Doesn't that usb also connect to the audio system? How does having two usb inputs work?

The USB he used is just power with no data, you just wire it to 12v. I have used them in several other cars and I think now they are more useful than the cigarette type power plugs. Seems like most electronics use a USB plug now.

Ticket · Mar 21, 2020

Blacklisted said:
The USB he used is just power with no data, you just wire it to 12v. I have used them in several other cars and I think now they are more useful than the cigarette type power plugs. Seems like most electronics use a USB plug now.

Roger that...

I wanted more 2.1 amp usb ports or 4.2 amp total output.
The dollar tree 12v lighter socket one I had, were 2 amp total for 2 sockets.
Which don't support fast charge, or powering tablets or cell phones with 5000 Mah batteries.

My only complaint about this unit is the positioning of the 12v display.
not very well thought out, as when you have 2 plugs in the usb ports it is difficult to read the display.
if you intend to install one, find one with the display at the top and usb ports at the bottom.

I installed this for a multiple reasons, one for the better charge ports, and the other to assist in diagnosing a phantom load on the van.

when I leave the van for 2 days, the battery is dead below 11volts, after a full charge.
Battery is 1.5 years old and an upgraded AGM.

more troubleshooting fun, most likely self inflicted.

parmm · Mar 21, 2020

Ticket said:
Roger that...

I wanted more 2.1 amp usb ports or 4.2 amp total output.
The dollar tree 12v lighter socket one I had, were 2 amp total for 2 sockets.
Which don't support fast charge, or powering tablets or cell phones with 5000 Mah batteries.

My only complaint about this unit is the positioning of the 12v display.
not very well thought out, as when you have 2 plugs in the usb ports it is difficult to read the display.
if you intend to install one, find one with the display at the top and usb ports at the bottom.

I installed this for a multiple reasons, one for the better charge ports, and the other to assist in diagnosing a phantom load on the van.

when I leave the van for 2 days, the battery is dead below 11volts, after a full charge.
Battery is 1.5 years old and an upgraded AGM.

more troubleshooting fun, most likely self inflicted.

I'll quote the following:

As with all gelled and sealed units, AGM batteries are sensitive to overcharging. A charge to 2.40V/cell (and higher) is fine; however, the float charge should be reduced to between 2.25 and 2.30V/cell (summer temperatures may require lower voltages). Automotive charging systems for flooded lead acid often have a fixed float voltage setting of 14.40V (2.40V/cell); a direct replacement with a sealed unit could overcharge the battery on a long drive.

AGM and other sealed batteries do not like heat and should be installed away from the engine compartment. Manufacturers recommend halting charge if the battery core reaches 49°C (120°F). Table 1 spells out the advantages and limitations of AGM.

Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) Battery Information - Battery University
All that said, I have never ran into problems running AGMs in a system designed for Wet Cell batteries. I'll also note that I have ran sealed batteries with no problems in the Honda engine compartment. I do not trust a battery in a Honda Ody longer that 4 years. I believe that they are very over taxed by the electrical demand of the Honda's power equipment, i.e. rear power doors and hatch! Recently took a vacation to Charleston SC and noted how many times we opened and closed the doors and hatch when unloading and loading at the motels, without starting engine. That puts a heck of a lot of drain on the battery! Wasn't going to ask the wife to sit in the car while I carted the suitcases and stuff from the motel room and loaded it. I have a very happy home and don't want to ruin things.

Ticket · Apr 12, 2020

parmm said:
I'll quote the following: Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) Battery Information - Battery University
All that said, I have never ran into problems running AGMs in a system designed for Wet Cell batteries. I'll also note that I have ran sealed batteries with no problems in the Honda engine compartment. I do not trust a battery in a Honda Ody longer that 4 years. I believe that they are very over taxed by the electrical demand of the Honda's power equipment, i.e. rear power doors and hatch! Recently took a vacation to Charleston SC and noted how many times we opened and closed the doors and hatch when unloading and loading at the motels, without starting engine. That puts a heck of a lot of drain on the battery! Wasn't going to ask the wife to sit in the car while I carted the suitcases and stuff from the motel room and loaded it. I have a very happy home and don't want to ruin things.

must of missed this reply... apologies.
good points you make.

I have a 500 watt rockford amp and dbdrive sub installed on the van.
I don't run the risk of overcharge, and the stereo is always going. dash cam too and 2 cell phones charging.

My issue was caused by stupidity on my part, the voltage controller for the blackvue dash cam in park mode was not turning off and running the battery down to 11 volts constantly.
over the winter that took its toll on the battery, costco refunded it no question.
thank you costco for saving me money in my times of stupidity.

once I installed the usb / volt meter, I quickly determined the cause.
ME
Incorrectly wired the voltage control box for the dash cam to two battery connections, vs, ign and batt.

The new dashcams come with it all built in, too bad its such a pain in the arse running the wire to the rear camera, or id install a new thinkware.
but those curtain airbags!

cheers

ssl-3 · Dec 24, 2024

Ticket said:
final product....
marred the plastic at the bottom a bit, being impatient with removing the old socket.

Just adding own experience from this afternoon:

First, it's 2024. So the widget I selected has 2x USB PD on C connectors, and 2x USB QC 3 on A connectors, and a voltmeter.

After the panel by the accelerator was removed, I didn't remove the connector in advance. I didn't even use a trim tool -- it all seemed kind of tight for that. I just used a nice, shiny, smooth screwdriver and worked the socket out from the front. Marred the plastic a bit (yeah, you'll have that), but nothing particularly untoward. The whole thing came out as one, and then I removed the connector from the front. It was surprisingly easy.

The wires were very short -- almost impossibly short. To give myself a little room, I disconnected the green connector for the aux input (push tab, pull) and pulled the plastic retainer out that held a white connector in place. (These all fit back together beautifully.)

My particular USB power widget had parallel blades, whereas the Honda cig plug socket connector has a T-shaped arrangement. I was able to non-destructively liberate one of the terminals from that connector; I left the other one in place. (One might try to pick a widget with a T arrangement and perhaps eliminate this step, as well as the previous part about making more room.)

To enlarge the hole, I used a step bit. 1 1/8" was the magic size, and that was only one step larger than the hole started out as for my particular bit and my particular USB power widget. It only took a few (slow!) rotations in the drill motor to make this happen -- in retrospect, I could have easily done this by holding the step bit in my hand and turning it. It was the minimum amount of embiggening possible with what I had on hand, and it looks like the factory socket would still snap in if I ever wanted to do that.

Anyhow, thanks. That wasn't too bad to get done at all. (The only scary part was pulling on the panel to get it loose: I always get a bit of fear in me when I go blindly tugging on plastic clips, but they all came out perfectly and went back in just the same.)

Center dash 12v socket disassembly

Ticket

Ticket

Ticket

Attachments

Blacklisted

Ticket

egads

Blacklisted

Ticket

parmm

Ticket

ssl-3

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities