Being a frequent traveler, I find myself in a new rental every other week. As a result, I've really become accustomed to charging my phone by simply plugging it into a USB charger, while still having the cigarette lighter socket available for radar detector, GPS, or whatever. I already know about the existence and use of the variety of adapters that fit in the 12V cigarette lighter socket, but I wanted to leave mine open.

So after a little thought and under $30, I have now have a dual USB charger for the wife and I.

I bought the USB charger socket off of Amazon. I'm sure you can find it cheaper if you look around.




First I removed the seat so I'd have more room to work. The black panel is the target. Twist the plastic screw at the vent and the vent cover will slip off. After that there is one metal screw to remove and the plastic panel can be removed.



IMG_20130112_112352_980_zpse0ae1a66.jpg



Next mark a location for your 1 3/16" hole. Be careful, as there isn't much room for error in it's placement.

IMG_20130112_112516_572_zpsabfaee45.jpg


The socket slips into the hole and there is one plastic retaining nut that secures it in place.

IMG_20130112_112843_638_zps1be4502d.jpg


IMG_20130112_112836_559_zps5a2cf0b7.jpg


You'll need to now tap into a ground and 12V source. This part is self explanatory, so have at it. Go with a constant 12V if you want it to charger when the key isn't in the ignition. This location is very accessible and it won't cost a fortune to replace the panel if you screw up or decide to remove it.

This project took approximately 1 hour to complete.

IMG_20130112_113945_788_zps84e68610.jpg
IMG_20130112_132118_294_zps31594809.jpg



And here's a screen shot showing the battery is charging on my phone when it's plugged in.

Screenshot_2013-01-12-11-40-19_zps95ce6189.png