Does anyone know where to buy a kit so you can install a AUX USB outlet/charger somewhere in the car? (Similar to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPjrDIu3hYY)

I know I could just buy one, but I'm wondering if it's possible to make your own safely. I have plenty of extra USB cables of multiple varieties.

The reason I'm asking is that I just bought a GPS, and if I go on long trips I'd have to have it plugged in to the cig lighter. The problem is, that is where my USB outlet/adapter is located, which is where I charge my phone.(Granted, now that i have the GPS my phone doesn't need to be charged nearly as much because I don't use the map function on it anymore).

I did consider putting in a second 12 volt cig/adapter that I used in my Wagon. I don't know where the mounting bracket is though. Even if I did, I don't really know where to put it in the car that doesn't look way out of place.

Ideally I'd like it to be one of the removable rectangles on the gear shift console (of the 4 of them in the area, 3 of them are housing something currently. Seat warmers and the transmission/sport mode). But I think the 12 volt adapter is bigger than the rectangle is.


That lead me to thinking of the USB charger/outlet hidea.


Does anyone know if it's possible to make your own USB plug that I could put in the dash or by the gear shift area (in the same plastic rectangle parts I referenced earlier)? I don't know if that's a safe or viable option though.

My concern would be over taxing the wire, if I don't have a proper adapter thing going.

Here's an idea:

I do have misc cig adapter from an old phone charger that has a USB port built in it.

So could i install my aux cig lighter, plug this adapter into it, and put a USB extender on it and install that into one of the plastic rectangles in the center console?

Would that even be safe?
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

I finished 3 of them.

2 of them are like the picture i posted elsewhere in the thread, and another is different. It's not as pretty, but it works.

I did find out that the one(s) I wanted to put in the back won't work. The coupler is too deep (at least, without taking apart the center console and modifying it).

I'm kind of disappointed in finding that out, because I just finished making a jig to make the holes and complete the job in about 15 minutes (as opposed to my old way, which was about 3 hours worth of work).

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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

Where do you usually mount your GPS (or where would you want to)?

I mounted an additional 12v plug in the map pocket of my S70 plus one in the trunk liner. The ones up front can feed a GPS, Sat radio, Bluetooth earpiece, phone charger or whatever sitting in the map pocket or mounted to a Panavise mount to the right of the radio.

I ran all the wiring while the dash was out for the dreaded mount repairs. I also had to pull the fusebox to replace a broken lower relay panel. I had a fusebox from a wrecked C70 off eBay for the lower panel and it came with all the fuses, circuit breakers, and a few relays too. I wired the new accessories to a unused, constant 12v fuse source intended for a block heater. That circuit splits, with one going to the trunk and one to the right side of the dash via the big bundle at the base of the windshield. They each have their own relay (aftermarket) and circuit breaker (Volvo), and are energized from a rebadged rear foglight switch in the dash. the relays and circuit breakers are all in the lower relay panel just like the stock electrical system. I put a custom yellow LED and resistor in the switch to remind me when it is on since it works without the key. All wiring connects are soldered and covered with heatshrink tubing. Works great and can safely handle more power than the stock console sockets. But I wouldn't have done it quite that well if I didn't already have the dash out and the interior stripped to put in dynamat and the trunk mounted amp, speakers and wiring. To be honest, if the dash didn't have to come out, I'd still be using an aftermarket splitter. What I have now is worlds safer and far more integrated and convenient but it also wasn't truly necessary.

I'd wire for 12v plugs and just use a flush mount USB adapter when and where it's most convenient. I have one circuit for my extra front sockets, they're just wired in series with a 20 amp value on the circuit breaker and fuse. The rear just got one plug but I can always add another back there in the same fashion. I just figured that single socket at the rear might need to pull more juice for a 12v cooler on a road trip.

I have my GPS on the windshield.

I ended up buying a new cig lighter adapter, that has 2 USB's and 2 12 volt plugs.

But I still bought the UBS thing (Ive forgotten what it's called, coupler maybe?), and I have successfully put it in the plastic rectangles.

Here is, hopefully, a decent picture:


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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.

Nice job, and I'm betting the color difference is only seen in pictures. Once you get it wired up, maybe get a black dust cap to finish it off. It would look slick, keep out dust and debris and look more OE. Possibly like these (cheap and would give you a few extras): http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicone-Rubber-Protective-Anti-Dust-USB-Plug-Cover-Stopper-for-Laptop-Computer-/151933007832

Nice job, Duke! Granted, pulling the dash is a bit of work but it makes drilling holes so much nicer and helps with routing and hiding the wires. I hope you tagged the new wires for the next owners.

The last time I pulled a dash, I managed to re-glue all of the T25 mounts for the kick plates. They were all broken and the T25 screws didn't do much to hold things together.

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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Thanks, Klaus. Yes, I did quite a bit of labeling.

I only discussed the 12v plugs I added. I actually didn't add directly into the bundle that goes along the base of the windshield. They are in a separate bundle housed in a flex tube with heat shrinked ends taped along the original loom. So it's armored for future chafing. There several extra wires (that go nowhere for now) for any future needs. There are two 14 gauge power wires from existing unused fused circuits in the fuse box. One switched and one unswitched. They split and each fill two of four fuse positions on an auxiliary fuse block on the right side, which is labeled. It just sits on top of the rear inside portion of the kick panel. I'm only using two of the four fused positions so far.

One is a switched source to turn on an active audio crossover in the glove box. One unswitched source is used to power 5 green LED's with a tiny rocker switch in the 'roof' of the map pocket so I can see any items in the pocket at night if I need to. With the resistors I put on, they are pretty dim. The green color was to approximate the stock dash lighting. They are a bit too green so I may try sanding them to give them more diffusion and to possibly mute their color a bit. I think I put a 1 amp fuse on each of these circuits on the aux fuse block, plus the block is fed from an already fused circuit, so everything pretty darned safe. This way I have some extra positions for anything else I might want to add on the passenger side in the future.

I put a 10 gauge wire on a small, multi-mount ground block routed to one of the stock bolt locations where the steering support bar would be mounted low on the right A-pillar if it were a right hand drive car. That is a good solid ground there. So there are plenty of ground locations for these circuits ready as well.

What might go there? Well, I've been trying out a Chinese Yatour 'digital music changer'. It emulates a six disc changer, using the stock radio input and controls, I use it with an SD card but it can use a USB stick and adds an 3.5mm aux input. So you can play an ipod through it as well. It is a bit finicky on file naming relating to playback order and things like that. But as long as you read enough to know what it wants, and change file names accordingly, it works pretty slick. I'm liking it quite a lot. I was also thinking of adding Sat radio in the future when we can afford it again. So there's that, too.

http://www.buytwowayradios.com/products/xlt/ca200.aspx?source=voltage&gclid=Cj0KEQiAkIWzBRDK1ayo-Yjt38wBEiQAi7NnP1BHLdqnPUUJOE-jctiwHKODnDyL6JhiIExEPdGtZsoaAr_f8P8HAQ&ad=53736626959

A two holer? Cheap. Probably find them at Walmart and autoparts stores.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

For $20 or so, you could buy a new USB plug with 2 ports. Plugs into the cigarette lighter.

What the video described is what someone might want if installing a plug in the rear of the center console or even inside the center console. Except that the expensive (?) plug only works for one USB cable.

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Keeping it running is better than buying new

my issue is that my GPS won't work with a USB port, so I only need the one for my phone.

That's why i want to make an in dash or put it in near the gear shift area, so I can still have my phone plugged in AND have the GPS plugged in.

If I could use the USB connector to USE the GPS, this wouldn't be a problem (as i have a 2 port adapter already)
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1985 245. 246K Gone..but not forgotten.