Blue Sea Dual USB Charger Socket

[HRowland]

I picked up a new Blue Sea product, a dual USB charging socket. It has the same mounting method as a 12V power socket but has two USB charging ports. It provides up to 2.1A at 5V and would be good for charging various iThings and other USB powered devices. The high current rating is good for iPads. I bench tested it and determined that it has an internal switching regulator so efficiency is good. With a 5 ohm load to draw 1A on the USB output it required less than 0.5A input when powered with 13V. Parisitic current draw is 15mA. Here is a link to the product:

http://www.bluesea.com/products/1016/Du ... ger_Socket

I plan to install one behind the helm so I can route an Apple charging cable up to an iPad on top of the helm. I will install another one in the port side overhead compartment to power my bluetooth GPS puck (my iPad is WiFi model, no built in GPS) and my Verizon 4G hotspot.

This will keep the existing 12V power outlets available for handheld radio charging and anything else.

Howard

 

[baz]

Is this the one you are describing ?

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...&subdeptNum=50529&classNum=50531#.UVTTtb-9OAE

 

[HRowland]

Yes, that's it.

Howard

 

[HRowland]

One more note, I will be using this to mount the socket, Blue Sea PN 1014. The USB charger socket is the same size as the 12V socket and fits in the bracket perfectly.

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... id=1190228

Howard

 

[HRowland]

I installed a USB power socket behind the helm to power an iPad used on top of the helm console. This works well, the iPad charges while in use.
I also installed 12V power sockets in the V-Berth and cockpit.



Howard

 

[baz]

Howard:
Nice work.
Is that power socket fused ?
Did you splice/tap into the existing 12V Cig Lighter socket that's stock on the helm's panel?
Photos for the V-berth and cockpit if you can manage that would be informational as well. 😉

 

[HRowland]

Howard:
Nice work.
Is that power socket fused ?
Did you splice/tap into the existing 12V Cig Lighter socket that's stock on the helm's panel?
Photos for the V-berth and cockpit if you can manage that would be informational as well. 😉

Yes, I connected the 12V side of the USB power socket to an existing 12V socket fuse on the helm fuse panel, specifically the fuse for the helm station power socket. The V-Berth 12V socket is also connected to this by chaining from the back of the USB socket (you can see the white cable in the picture). Since I am only powering low power devices (iThings, Kindle, handheld radio charger, etc.) connecting 3 sockets to a single fuse is not an issue, it should never come close to its current rating.

This is the cockpit 12V power socket on the port side. It is powered from the port downrigger wires that are not used in my R27. I cut the terminals off of the end of the wires and spliced in additional cable to reach the new power socket. I used adhesive heat shrink crimp butt connectors. The fuse panel in the genset compartment had a 40A fuse for the downrigger, I changed this to 15A to match the power socket rating. The wire is also heavy gauge (10G if I remember correctly) and did not fit in the 14G butt spice so I trimmed a few conductors off until it fit.



This is the power socket in the V-berth below the helm console. I will put some black wire loom over the cable to dress it up a little.



Howard

 

[HRowland]

I installed another Blue Sea dual USB charger socket inside the port overhead compartment. This powers a Bluetooth GPS receiver (Dual XGPS150) that I use with my WiFi iPad (no built in GPS). The second USB port powers a Verizon 4G WiFi hotspot.

This keeps the cables out of site since I put these devices in the overhead compartment. Previously I used a USB charge adapter in the 12V socket near the Fusion stereo but the cables were unsightly and could get in the way.



Howard

 

[Spinner]

Hello Howard, which external GPS puck are you using? Any issue with the Navionics app on the ipad??

Sue P
Spinner

 

[HRowland]

I use the Dual Electronics XGPS150 Universal Bluetooth GPS receiver. I use it with iNavX, Navamatics Charts and Tides, DragQueen, and Boat Beacon. I have not used Navionics but according to the manufacturers web site it is supported:

http://gps.dualav.com/explore-by-lifest ... tter-apps/

Howard

 

[Spinner]

Thanks, Howard!