wiring up USB ports in a console

[diymirage]

i bought the wife a '15 police charger and the dealer had installed a console it

inside this console are 3 USB ports and a SD card reader
my research tells me the police charger does not come with the wiring to hook this up to the radio, but i would like to run power to the USB ports to use them to charge stuff

it looks like all the wiring in the console is still there, but one plug is cut off

i presume i cant just run a keyed 12 volt to the USB ports, can i?

 

[72Duster440]

I am no help on this one, but USB ports are 5v. I would make sure there is some sort of voltage regulator in the port before putting 12v to something that you plug into it. "most" have a controller in them to handle this, but I can't speak for a factory one.

 

[j_anderson]

You need a power source that is suitable to step the power down else you could fry whatever you plug into the port. I have used devices like these.

Basically, you power them to a 12v source then plug a USB cable into it and use a surface mountable USB assembly.

This would be the simplest solution and then you just wouldn't use the factory hub. There may even be a factory block off plate to put in place of the factory hub/usb's

I suppose you could figure out which power wires go to which pins of the factory USB port and solder them to a USB plug or use a male usb connector like this. Then plug that connector into a device that supplies the proper power to those factory ports.

This is assuming your USB hub in the console has a pigtail connected to it. I cant tell from your photos if the cut wires are on the car side of the harness or the pigtail coming out of the console USB hub.

You would not need to connect the 2 data wires.. You will need to figure out which factory wires are power and ground though.

 

[67Dart273]

Some "USB ports" have regulators built in. You need to research the specific ones you have and go from there. The ones we used (no idea as to brand, etc) at the wheelchair joint mounted in about a 1" hole, worked off battery voltage, and had a digi voltmeter and 1 or 2 USB ports

 

[Treblig]

The USB ports might be for the on board computer that they use???

 

[Dana67Dart]

Before you do anything you need to make those wires safe. As in insulate them so they can not short

Then find a wiring diagram and see what the wires go to.

 

[Daves69]

Lol, last time I saw such as this ...........

tree rats were the prime suspects..........

 

[diymirage]

The USB ports might be for the on board computer that they use???

No, it is wired into the radio

(There is a big 12 pin or so connector for the police computer thingy aswell)