I did something really stupid... or PSA

If you follow the "What did you do to your 4th gen today" posts you'll see I made a rather long post about what I've done in the past 10 days to mine. But I left this part out mostly out of shame. Especially since I've been an ASE Master technician for over 30 years and I'm currently a high school auto tech teacher. I shouldn't have screwed up like this. Now the likelihood of anyone making the same mistake I did is pretty slim but I thought I'd put out a warning anyway. After all confession is good for the soul, right?
In an effort to clean up a rat's nest of charging cables, etc. I decided to add a couple of hidden USB ports; one hidden inside the console and another in the roof above the overhead console where the map lights are, (to plug in my dash cam and eliminate a wire hanging down). Without thinking it through I bought 2 female USB connectors with pigtails, (These) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XXMJBS1?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details and wired them directly to 12 volts. I should have gotten true USB ports with the electronics inside to reduce the output to 5 volts. Major, major mistake. So the first time I plugged my iPhone in it ruined it. But at first I didn't know that. I thought it just wasn't charging. So I plugged in my rechargeable flashlight; (really loved that flashlight, lol). Then I realized both were ruined. (Dodged a bullet on my dashcam. Apparently it was able to withstand the 12 volts). And almost immediately I realized what I had done. Thankfully I had the insurance on the phone so I got it replaced. But the flashlight which I had gotten at Sam's was no longer available at the price I had paid so I went with a different one on Amazon. Not sure it's quite as bright but at least it does have adjustable zoom. (I guess the 90,000 lumen claim wasn't quite accurate, LMAO). Anyway, on the odd chance that someone else may have a brain fart like I did I wanted to post about it.

 

Live and learn. We're all human and even being a master tech and high school shop teacher doesn't make you infallible. It's fixed now and you've provided some useful information to the rest of us!

 

That's how I'm looking at it. Still want to kick myself though, lol.

 

Oh... Noo... At least it was yours and not SO or friends. I have purchased the round ones. Then replace the lighter outlets with them.

 

I can't believe you did that. I never make mestreaks.

Thank you for sharing this. I'm sure you will save someone from a similar issue.

Have you posted a pic of your 4Runner on this forum? I read your description and would love to have a look at it.

 

LOL. I'm pretty sure I posted some awhile back but a lot has changed since then. One day when I'm not feeling lazy I'll try to get some and put them on here.

 

Yeah I'm glad it was my own. I wanted to keep my round outlets cause I have a couple things that still plug into them, 12v fan and air compressor. Plus I'm driving with the lid shut over the outlet in the console for the first time in about 3 years, lol.

 

Definitely a PSA, thank you! If someone in your shoes could make that mistake, chances are very high someone without your background not only could but would. Now we have some warning, so if it's done again, you did what you could...

 

Don't worry, I once hooked battery terminals up backwards and fried the electronics in my Supra. Moral of the story, is don't rush reassembling a vehicle in the dark while tired and sunburnt from working on it all day long.

 

So then what’s the purpose of the USB things you bought?

 

The only thing I can think of would be to repair a damaged usb cord.

 

More likely to install a new mounted connector or repair a damaged mounted connector like you intended to use them as, but in principle totally adjacent to the mark. And you could use them to fix a cable, but you'd have one bulky end. Plus, it's power only, no data connection, though the data variant is one click away if you'd need data.

I've had an IT guy stick an unregulated 9V power supply into the power supply port of a powered USB hub one time. There were fireworks that day. I measured the output from the USB ports. It did not disappoint.

 

It’s weird these are even available…isn’t an USB, at least the socket side, supposed to be a able to pass data and have the little chip to regulate stuff, as a part of being called a USB?

Makes as much sense as selling 120v sockets and saying it can also be wired 220v. Or running diesel through a regular gas nozzle.

 

It's a USB power connection. You don't need the data lines if all you're doing is charging stuff. For instance, I'd doubt there are data lines in the 2020+ 4Runner rear passenger USB ports. It's not like that data would go anywhere. The lack of a couple wires saves a few cents, and you're never going to use those wires anyway.

Your smartphone mini wall wart charger operates on this principle. It's not unusual at all. You can even get wall outlets that have USB ports built in so you can charge your phone or whatever directly from the wall and not have to use a wall wart.

If you need data, click on the 4 wire version in the Amazon page.

Also, if it's simply a cable or a cable-like connection, there is no little chip.

 

If it makes you feel any better...

I used an Add-a-Fuse for my extra USB chargers and it worked well. One day my passenger power window died. Hmm. So much for Toyotas being reliable perhaps... Went to dealership (under warranty)... As I was waiting in the lobby my eyes got wide and I realized I was an idiot. My Add-a-Fuse was plugged into the passenger fuse and I had kicked it out by accident as the box was next to my left foot. I am an electrician...

 

yabut the op’s passed 12v. That’s what I mean

 

They're just connections that got wired to 12V. There's nothing regulating that in USB. The regulation chip you're thinking of doesn't exist. OP threw the connector's voltage way out of spec. It's a thing that can happen even if by accident.

The ability of the connector and the wire to carry that 12V effectively is its own question, but it's not so much different and was apparently sufficient enough to carry the 12V well enough that it damaged the phone and whatever.

In this situation, you could also undervolt the connector. Imagine 3V being provided by the connector. You would just wire it up to one of those coin cell batteries. They're usually 3V.

 

Ok thanks. I bought a usb socket to wire in as a charging port. One of those Bluesea ones or whatever they are called. It’s meant to surface mount on dash, has a rubber cover, etc. Would anything I plug in to this get 12v? I thought these type of things were actually voltage regulated in some way, and that that’s part of what makes them USB, versus any other 12v connection.

 

You're better off pasting a link of whatever it is you bought because I don't know what it's equipped with, but you'd do good to be careful no matter what you got. This topic might have just saved your bacon.

 

Uh huh. And laziness…I’ve had it a year and haven’t installed yet. Mostly because I dont know a good spot for it. So I guess laziness, lack of imagination, and this topic saved my bacon lol

 

Ok here is the thing

 

I googled it and found this: https://www.bluesea.com/products/1039/12_24V_Dual_USB_4.8A_Chargers_-_Switch_Mount

It's got circuitry inside of the module that'll take 12V and safely convert it to the USB 5V. It's way more involved than the mounted USB socket in OP's post. You'll be fine as long as you wire up the power source correctly.