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MG TD TF 1500 - Any interest in a USB Charger?

Last summer on our annual drive, I was using my iPhone for navigation and would consumed the battery in less than a day with the GPS running. I forgot my backup pack at home and had to use the GPS judiciously.

So I came up with this, a USB charger that slips into the trouble light outlet on our cars and is capable of charging an iPhone (or your iPad, Dave Sander). It measures 1-3/8" across the flats.

It is rectified, so it works on positive and negative ground cars.

So the question is, is anyone interested in something like this and what would you pay for it? There isn't a cover, so you have to be comfortable with that and can't have a long key chain with metal tangling over it. Maybe someone else can come up with a cover if they have a 3D printer or 3D wood router, there are 4 screw holes for attachment.

Blair

Blair Weiss

Looks pretty slick, but I don't know how marketable it might be. The alternative is to wire in a cigar-lighter socket, and just use a USB charger designed for that. You can get the socket and charger for a few bucks.
S Maas

Wow, Blair, that's outstandingly nicely made. It wouldn't be all that hard to 3D print a top cover for it to make it very pretty indeed. How much are you asking for one?
Kevin McLemore

I know the market is relatively small for this item and there are workarounds... isolating a power outlet and use an off the shelf USB charger.

Most people know apple products are finicky when it comes to chargers.. you need the secret code on the data pins.

I didn't do it to make my million, I did it to learn something and have something different in my car.

That being said, there is about $6.00 in components in this charger... the PCB being the most expensive part. I could probably get it down to around $4.00 if I made a batch of 100. USPS flat rate shipping is $5.95, so that's $10.00 without any time to assemble and test it. If I got $10 for labor and that's selling myself short and sold it for $20 shipped, that's probably too steep for most. That's why I asked what is it worth to people...

Blair
Blair Weiss

Nice!

My solution for temporary usage is a box with fuse, cigarettelighter and two wires with connectors for the outlet in the dashboard.

Bela

That is nice but I just wired a standard cigarette lighter extension with a two prong end and have a 12v USB unit plugged in.
Geoffrey M Baker

Well done, and octagonal too! This is very attractive because it costs the same as a cigarette socket, but you don't have to splice your wiring and bolt in another device. Much better idea.

If this is a generic 3V USB port then I'd gladly pay $10 to have one delivered to my door. It does need a cover, and being octagonal will make it harder than if it were round. Are the posts exactly the same size as the correct, period accessory plugs?
Steve Simmons

Steve -
Yes, it's the same pin size and distance, as the trouble light socket. But for $10.00, I am putting 2 dollars in every box delivered if I only sent the parts, not assembled.


Blair
Blair Weiss

Blair, if you want to send me an STL file for a cover I can run you off some 3D printed tops... I have access to a very high quality 3D printer with quite a few color choices. It would look cool to have the MG logo on the front!
Kevin McLemore

Kevin,
I have access to a 3D printer, I haven't made a cover for it yet, you wouldn't have a MG logo in DXF format would you? I once saw a dimensioned logo drawing, don't remember where.


Blair
Blair Weiss

I think it would look better without a logo, like any other accessory. M.G. never manufactured their own accessories so if you had to have a logo, I would put a Lucas logo on it. You would get a look of confused looks at car shows. ;)

Either black or something resembling bakelite would be appropriate.
Steve Simmons

Steve -
Now that would be funny!

Blair
Blair Weiss

I don't happen to have a DXF MG logo, no, Blair, but there are at least two different STL files on 'thingiverse.com'.... search for "MG Logo".
Kevin McLemore

Blair,
I have a 3D printer and could make a cover/box for you. I would need the dimensions 1) across the face, 2) the depth, 3) the thickness of the material, 4) the exact location and size of any screw holes.

I also have an MG logo in DXF format, but I need your email address.

Cheers,
Lew Palmer
lew (at) roundaboutmanor (dot) com
Lew3

Blair, I did find an MG logo in DXF on the 'net... I uploaded it here, if it's helpful...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_8AsMwa8PEcemo0STRWRG9SdjA/view?usp=sharing

Kevin McLemore

Kevin,
Thanks! I grabbed them. I'll see what I can do next week.

Thanks Lew also.


Blair
Blair Weiss

Blair,

Put me down for one please. jneel43 (at) hotmail dot com

Jim
James Neel

Blair et al,
I had a dual USB port unshielded but at the suggestion of Dave DuBois I got a Marine model. It was cheap and easy to install. I have a positive ground TD.
Mort

I have a mount for my iPhone and when I use Google Maps I keep the phone plugged in and I never run out of juice.

We also listen to Oldies when we travel and I have a Big Jambox Bluetooth speaker that also plugs into the other port.

Mort 50 TD

The cigarette lighter accessory port also allows you to use one of those cigarette lighter style volt meters so you can monitor the performance of your generator and the condition of your battery. Jud
J. K. Chapin

Blair, if you proceed I'm in for one.

Thanks,

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

This thread was discussed between 24/10/2015 and 27/10/2015

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