Usb In The Cabin From 12 Volts

Linda and I always charge our phones on our night stand and use the phones for our morning alarms... so I have been trying to decide how to do that without running a cord all the way to the foot of the bed where the 12 volt outlet is.


We rarely plug into to 110volt - so I wanted it to work off the battery and didn't want to run new wires from the back.


I finally decided to install DC-to-DC converters behind the cabin lights - yes I did have to modify the wood to make a small channel for the USB cable to come out from behind the light, but it’s in the back and very small - so no big impact.


Here is the link to the converter - they are cheap on amazon. And some pictures to show how I did it.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MEF293V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Dave K

 

My 560 has a 12v outlet inside the storage compartment at the front of the cabin. I plug my phone charger in there. Doesn't the 550 have this also?

 

Ours does not, but it’s a 2010 model serial 386.

 

Our 2007 550 Ultra has a 12v outlet in the driver side lower cabin storage compartment too.

 

Hi Jim,

Yes - I have a 12 outlet and a 120v duplex, but it is at the foot of the bed - this are right next to our heads and the small storage bins I have mounted on the wall under the factory shelf... which is where I would put my phone at night for charging and alarms.

 

I think the confusion was that I, and possibly some other folks, were thinking that your description of the outlets being at the "foot of the bed" actually meant at the very foot end of the bed, which of course would have been very inconvenient, and would have made your TD a bit unique, as opposed to them being in the storage compartments, which are at about hip level, and within arms reach when lying on the bed.
Having a USB right up next to your head would of course be very convenient as well, especially for the purposes described. Sorry your pics wouldn't post properly, it would have been nice to see your mod.

 

I think what also was confusing is that beginning in 2016, Teardrop Travel Trailers by Camp-Inn, usb and 12v and a 120 did become standard inside the cabinets at your head. Prior to 2016, it was sometimes a customer request at build, but wasn’t standard. So many people don’t have that (like me, older model) but yet many people do, and are confused as to why you needed or wanted a usb mod...they have them right there!

 

Yes, that would make it even more confusing. Ours is a 2007, so I wasn't aware of the additional standard outlets added in the cabinets at the head of the bed.

 

Dustin - you are right, I really meant the outlets that are at the bottom of the cabinets - not actually at the foot of the bed. We had used that for watching movies on the iPad - but for easy access to pillow side charging and alarms - I added these USB ports.

Best to all -

Dave K

 

Nice install Dave K! The idea of running wire to the front cabinet to do a factory-like install is pretty daunting.

I took a different approach, running 12v and 110v extensions under the mattress from the knee/cabinet outlets to come up at the headboard cabinets.

I needed power for other reasons beyond phones... but quite like the phone-charging approach you took.