Adding 50w USBC power to dash

[Darkspeed]

Realizing that I could not plug my 15w Magsafe charger into the USBC port in the dash I have decided to add a 50W 5V USBC supply behind the dash to power the Magsafe charger and also my mac laptop if needed for roadtrips. The USBC female connectors are rated for 5V 5A, so 25W each and I will fuse them at 5A each.

These are the parts im using:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0886DNNSP/

https://a.co/d/fqTicUO

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RY8Y2QV/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B24WHS4H/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086YBP5VW/

Sponsored

 

[Darkspeed]

I will post updates on this soon.

This is part of my effort to have wireless carplay and a slap on magnetic charging solution for the Gladiator.

For wireless carplay im using :

OTTOCAST U2-AIR - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09Q65SX47/

works perfect in my center console!

For a grab bar mag safe mount im using :

Apple Magsafe Charger - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L5NP6NG/

Ram Arm - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005KWPJ04/

Ram Ball Mount - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09J9ZCDDD/

1" ball - https://www.bulletpointmountingsolu...unts/products/jeep-jl-grab-bar-mounting-point

Magbak Case - https://magbak.com/pages/cases

The Magbak case really makes the phone stick!

I plan to route the charger wire into the dash and possibly flush mount the other USBC female for laptop use.

 

[Darkspeed]

 

[amoyer_01]

Not sure if you have a need to look at your phone while "driving" since you will have Carplay going, but a different location will prevent the added light of your phone blarring at you during night driving. I put my wireless charger on the angled shelf in front of the shifter and below Aux switches. I used double sided tape to mount the charger, I put a 6" or 12" cable up to the media USB port to power it. Works like a champ for magsafe compliant cases. I didn't go through all the trouble of adding an extra USB charger so mine only charges at normal rates not the higher rate of fast charging. I am not a fun of having so many different devices pointed at me while driving like others, but that me. Just wanted to give a different idea. I do like adding the extra USB port for fast charging up front and might go that route (my Willy didn't come with the rear passenger media ports, so I added them). I might put it under the "hidden door" that my charger is sitting on.

 

[Darkspeed]

Not sure if you have a need to look at your phone while "driving" since you will have Carplay going, but a different location will prevent the added light of your phone blarring at you during night driving. I put my wireless charger on the angled shelf in front of the shifter and below Aux switches. I used double sided tape to mount the charger, I put a 6" or 12" cable up to the media USB port to power it. Works like a champ for magsafe compliant cases. I didn't go through all the trouble of adding an extra USB charger so mine only charges at normal rates not the higher rate of fast charging. I am not a fun of having so many different devices pointed at me while driving like others, but that me. Just wanted to give a different idea. I do like adding the extra USB port for fast charging up front and might go that route (my Willy didn't come with the rear passenger media ports, so I added them). I might put it under the "hidden door" that my charger is sitting on.

My 2023 diesel rubicon won’t let me use my apple MagSafe charger in the #1 USB port. I get an unsupported device warning on the screen.

 

[kg4wsv]

Realizing that I could not plug my 15w Magsafe charger into the USBC port in the dash I have decided to add a 50W 5V USBC supply behind the dash to power the Magsafe charger and also my mac laptop if needed for roadtrips. The USBC female connectors are rated for 5V 5A, so 25W each and I will fuse them at 5A each.




View attachment 293365

Make sure you test on the bench before you start cutting...

Sorry but these two probably won't get the job done. There is a _lot_ going on with USB-C power delivery, and dumb power supplies won't cut it for full USB-C power.

You need something like this

https://www.coolgear.com/product/usb-power-delivery-60w-high-power-industrial-adapter-charger-ccg3pa

and that USB-C M-F cable you've got listed will need to be built correctly for USB power delivery.

I've used the previous generation of this power supply to power my laptop with no problems (although I didn't mount it behind the dash, it's for field operation not mobile).

-j

 

[sharpsicle]

This looks fine for basic charging, but for rapid charging or laptop charging, I don't think this will negotiate properly to get the right voltage-amperage combination to work at its best. Unfortunately USB-C operates at more voltages than just 5v and it needs to negotiate that connection with the power source.

I would think you'd be better off installing a charger certified to have the QC protocol and plugging into that instead, like the one @kg4wsv linked above. I would also use fully intact USB-C cables so the connected device can properly negotiate for optimum power supply.

 

[Darkspeed]

Make sure you test on the bench before you start cutting...

Sorry but these two probably won't get the job done. There is a _lot_ going on with USB-C power delivery, and dumb power supplies won't cut it for full USB-C power.

You need something like this

https://www.coolgear.com/product/usb-power-delivery-60w-high-power-industrial-adapter-charger-ccg3pa

and that USB-C M-F cable you've got listed will need to be built correctly for USB power delivery.

I've used the previous generation of this power supply to power my laptop with no problems (although I didn't mount it behind the dash, it's for field operation not mobile).

-j

I’m actually replicating a system I built and currently use in my bmw so I know it works however the regulation on the coolgear unit is probably a lot more tight. Thanks for pointing out the coolgear unit, I have used their rack gear a few times but did not know they made s as small usb supply.

 

[kg4wsv]

I’m actually replicating a system I built and currently use in my bmw so I know it works however the regulation on the coolgear unit is probably a lot more tight. Thanks for pointing out the coolgear unit, I have used their rack gear a few times but did not know they made s as small usb supply.

Glad that worked for you, but I'm surprised it worked, especially at 15W charge rates.
It's not just regulation, it's negotiation. Well behaved chargers (even 10W or 15W) meet design specs for announcing what current levels they support. Some of my old iphones wouldn't charge at all on just a +5V pair. But there are lots of devices out there that ignore specs (all the way back to USB 1 where you're not supposed to draw more than 100mA without negotiation with the host for the full 500mA - almost everyone ignored that).

To get higher power out of USB C, there are higher voltages - up to 20V - required, and there's some communication going on to make all that happen. For example the 60W output is 3A at 20V.

-j

 

[amoyer_01]

Make sure you test on the bench before you start cutting...

Sorry but these two probably won't get the job done. There is a _lot_ going on with USB-C power delivery, and dumb power supplies won't cut it for full USB-C power.

You need something like this

https://www.coolgear.com/product/usb-power-delivery-60w-high-power-industrial-adapter-charger-ccg3pa

and that USB-C M-F cable you've got listed will need to be built correctly for USB power delivery.

I've used the previous generation of this power supply to power my laptop with no problems (although I didn't mount it behind the dash, it's for field operation not mobile).

-j

Can this just get wired up to an AUX switch? This looks like a great option and would cut out a bunch of other work if it can just go to a ground and the AUX power wire.

 

[kg4wsv]

Can this just get wired up to an AUX switch? This looks like a great option and would cut out a bunch of other work if it can just go to a ground and the AUX power wire.

It sure can, and that sounds like a great idea.

-j

 

[Darkspeed]

At the advice of @kg4wsv I have decided to try out the coolgear unit

https://a.co/d/fqTicUO

Sponsored