Build Thread Auxiliary USB charging point in auxiliary footwell power point

[Jean Mercier]

Before beginning, let me be clear, I have a Left-Hand Driving (LHD) car. The only “right” way to drive a car .

Therefore, if you drive a right-hand car (the wrong way ), you should think in inverting everything I mean: left is right, right is wrong, up is down, and so on. Jokes aside, let’s continue …

I decided what destination I would give to the auxiliary footwell power point on the right side (passenger side) of my LHD car, actuated by the “INT2” roof panel switch. It is the side I would sometimes place a dash cam, my partner sits there sometimes (in the seat, not at the dashcam location), therefore she will need to charge her cell phone. Or anything else I need often, but will not be necessary for my driving.

I bought, months ago, before getting my Grenadier a Chinese 12V to USB 5V power point (2X USB-C and one time USB-A). My intention was to find a way to place it on my central dashboard instead of the seat heating switches position, that I don’t have any way! But I changed my mind, and will use it in the pillar!

First part (already posted in another thread, but I post it again here: “How to dismount the plastic pillar piece”:
Taking it off (with small damage, I mean one or two plastic pins slightly bent):

• first remove the "footwell step", or how is this called ("Trim Panel"), pull it straight up.

• Second, remove the floor mat, but first remove the plastic screw (in my case under the fire extinguisher):

• Third remove the screw of the plastic wall cover at the right side. Don't forget my car is Left Hand Driving (but for Right Hand Driving people, everything is at the other side of the car!), This picture was taken afterwards, without dismounting the floor mat.

• Fourth, put your left hand (again, don't forget I have a LHD car) as high as possible with fingers behind the piece and tear it of as straight as possible. And here you are ...
• Fifth the "pillar piece" looks like this, and don't ask me questions about that hole I made ... you will understand later, but look at the clipping parts!

• I hope I forgot nothing

Once dismounted, I drilled a hole, see the picture above. Why at that place? Well, the higher the better (ergonomics, water getting in the car), but there are quite some connectors and wiring behind that plastic pilar cover, and the only suitable position was this one, if I didn’t want to modify other things.

Then I mounted my USB connector.

I stripped the “Ineos wires”, used three layers of heat shrinkable tubes, soldered the wires together (of the Ineos and the USB charging connector). I don’t pretend this is the best way (or most professional way) to do this, but comments are welcome
.

See next for more ....

 

[Jean Mercier]

I then connected the wires to the USB charging point mounted in the plastic pillar

I did push the pillar back in its place and tested the power point, and ready. To test it, you have to switch on the roof power button AND the INT2 button.

That’s how it looks when not in use! In my opinion, quite neat. Thanks for the applause and if you don’t like it, please tell me why

 

[DaveB]

I then connected the wires to the USB charging point mounted in the plastic pillar
View attachment 7814820View attachment 7814821
I did push the pillar back in its place and tested the power point, and ready. To test it, you have to switch on the roof power button AND the INT2 button.

View attachment 7814822_12380

That’s how it looks when not in use! In my opinion, quite neat. Thanks for the applause and if you don’t like it, please tell me why

View attachment 7814823

Damn good job
Copy paste on the other side?

 

[DaBull]

I then connected the wires to the USB charging point mounted in the plastic pillar
View attachment 7814820View attachment 7814821
I did push the pillar back in its place and tested the power point, and ready. To test it, you have to switch on the roof power button AND the INT2 button.

View attachment 7814822

That’s how it looks when not in use! In my opinion, quite neat. Thanks for the applause and if you don’t like it, please tell me why

View attachment 7814823

Hands Clapping / Applause / DaBull

 

[bakepl]

I then connected the wires to the USB charging point mounted in the plastic pillar
View attachment 7814820View attachment 7814821
I did push the pillar back in its place and tested the power point, and ready. To test it, you have to switch on the roof power button AND the INT2 button.

View attachment 7814822

That’s how it looks when not in use! In my opinion, quite neat. Thanks for the applause and if you don’t like it, please tell me why

View attachment 7814823

Great job Jean. I suspect I'll be wiring in two DT plugs each side to power light duty devices given it's a 10amp circuit.

 

[DaveB]

I would like to put double outlets in these 4 locations
Two outlets down near the bottom of the central stack for charging phones
One up on the left of the dash (RHD) for powering a dash cam
One up on the right of the dash to power a HUD phone or other screen.
USB outlets are meant to be 1.5A max so there is plenty of capacity to have several outlets coming off each of those 10A circuits.
I have two iPhones with me when working so would like to charge both at same time.

 

[DCPU]

Excellent work and again, cracking photos to document the process and allow others to follow with a degree of confidence.

Is the max current draw less than 10A? I'm wondering if you could downgrade the fuse in the easy access fusebox, put a higher rated one in the inline one (I assume that's what it is just behind the outlet) and so save having to pop the footwell cover again if that fuse pops.

 

[Eric]

Excellent work and again, cracking photos to document the process and allow others to follow with a degree of confidence.

Is the max current draw less than 10A? I'm wondering if you could downgrade the fuse in the easy access fusebox, put a higher rated one in the inline one (I assume that's what it is just behind the outlet) and so save having to pop the footwell cover again if that fuse pops.

That makes sense. But if that is done you could just negate the in- line fuse, unless it was integral to the socket wiring upon purchase

 

[DCPU]

That makes sense. But if that is done you could just negate the in- line fuse, unless it was integral to the socket wiring upon purchase

It looks integral, so I was just thinking of a less invasive way of "bypassing" the harder to access fuse.

Sods law would be that the in line fuse type would be faster acting than the blade type in the easy access fusebox; and might still blow first even if a fuse rating level above.

 

[Tomdoc]

I then connected the wires to the USB charging point mounted in the plastic pillar
View attachment 7814820View attachment 7814821
I did push the pillar back in its place and tested the power point, and ready. To test it, you have to switch on the roof power button AND the INT2 button.

View attachment 7814822

That’s how it looks when not in use! In my opinion, quite neat. Thanks for the applause and if you don’t like it, please tell me why

View attachment 7814823

Fantastic job Jean. Merci

 

[Miki]

Good job.

Everytime you 'owners' post a pic underneath mats etc, I am surprised how little sound deadening there is ....
Is the Gren' noisy on the road ?

 

[Tom109]

@Jean Mercier - Great job!

When someone is in the passenger seat and charging a phone or using the dash cam, does the cable get "in the way"?

 

[Tomdoc]

Pardon?

 

[Jean Mercier]

@Jean Mercier - Great job!

When someone is in the passenger seat and charging a phone or using the dash cam, does the cable get "in the way"?

Sure not in the way of the driver, as it is located at the opposite side, and the responsibility of wiring the devices to that charging point is for the user

 

[Tomdoc]

Good job.

Everytime you 'owners' post a pic underneath mats etc, I am surprised how little sound deadening there is ....
Is the Gren' noisy on the road ?

Sorry....what?? Hang on I will pull over.


Just joking - anything has to be better than my FFR 24V FFR Lightweight soft-top Series II.

 

[DCPU]

Good job.

Everytime you 'owners' post a pic underneath mats etc, I am surprised how little sound deadening there is ....

I was thinking the opposite:

 

[alvan]

Great job. Just a question about something I don't understand. Where are the cables controlled by the INT2 on the roof panel switch? And, since I like the solution on the panel as DaveB pointed out, can any other power cables be found under there?

 

[Tazzieman]

@Jean Mercier whilst your statement "Before beginning, let me be clear, I have a Left-Hand Driving (LHD) car. The only “right” way to drive a car ." is taken as jest , as someone who sometimes drives a LHD non power steering old 911 in a RHD country I will make this observation: reversing and holding the steering wheel with your non dominant hand (the other bracing against the seat - I'm not a swivel head) is bloody hard - esp down a narrow laneway or parking.
The same I imagine goes for reversing a trailer/boat/caravan etc.
If you visit , we can set up some cones , and use a stopwatch
The brain works one way better than the other, unless you are truly ambidextrous!

 

[Miki]

I was thinking the opposite:

Ah, I see. it's on the back of the panels rather than on the metal flooring/bulkhead itself ....

 

[DCPU]

Ah, I see. it's on the back of the panels rather than on the metal flooring/bulkhead itself ....

But to be fair to your first observation, this stuff seems fairly light and open cell. It not like the stuff you usually see stuck to the panels.