Fitting 5V power to a 211 glovebox

[flying banana]

Afternoon all. So I am in the process of sorting out a couple of Raspberry PIs to act as 1) Bluetooth audio receiver (my car doesn't have Bluetooth audio fitted) and 2) An in-car media centre - wifi based so the kids can stream movies from the PI to their iPads on long journeys.

I have a pathological hatred of exposed cabling and so the PIs will be mounted in the glovebox. I therefore need to sort out 2 x 5v (ideally) power supplies terminated in micro USB connectors to go direct into the PIs.

The obvious way to do it would be to add a 12v standard power socket in the glovebox and use a 2a dual USB charging adapter - nice and neat internally provided I can find some ultra short USB-Micro USB cables (15cm or less.

The reason this post is in "interior" rather than "electronics" is that I need to figure out where it's safe to mount the power adapter from a clearance perspective. I will take the feed from the cigar lighter in the dash cubby, but have no idea (without taking the whole glovebox unit out) where critical wiring/ducting/dash structures or vents go. I do know the Pax airbag is mounted above it so don't want to be hacking away blindly at this.

Does anyone have prior experience of routing a power source into the glovebox of a post facelift 211 E class, and if so is there any pointers/pictures/advice I can take advantage of.

Many thanks in advance

 

[DaveLondon]

This is what you're after. Effectively the gubbins of a mobile phone charger. I'm sure you could easily fashion a little case for it, or attach to the side of the glovebox if needed. 5A will be more than enough to run a Pi.

DC 12V 24V 40V to 5V Step Down USB Step-down Power: Amazon.co.uk: Camera & Photo

 

[richard]

These are neat.

HubVolt DM - iSimple

We use them when someone needs a hidden USB for feeding a dash cam etc ,or when someone wants a USB in the glovebox.

You don't use the funny shape mounting, they mount pretty much flush (ok, so you have to drill a hole for them) - you can see where you are drilling on the left hand side and these are very shallow with no exposed wiring compared to a cigarette lighter socket

You can probably get a USB -> dual micro USB splitter cable quite easily

Cheers

Richard

 

[flying banana]

This is what you're after. Effectively the gubbins of a mobile phone charger. I'm sure you could easily fashion a little case for it, or attach to the side of the glovebox if needed. 5A will be more than enough to run a Pi.

DC 12V 24V 40V to 5V Step Down USB Step-down Power: Amazon.co.uk: Camera & Photo

Useful, thanks

Just had a bit of a nosy around and there's space to mount that behind the dash end panel by the passenger door. I could then cut a small slot in the plastic blanking plate on that side of the glovebox to get the USB cables through into the glovebox. a couple of Velcro cable fixtures and it looks like a goer. Added bonus of being able to use the space between the gloveboax and the dash end panel to lose excess wire.

Just nee to find a little plastic box to mount that in - there's plenty of bare metal in that void....

Cheers again

 

[flying banana]

These are neat.

HubVolt DM - iSimple

We use them when someone needs a hidden USB for feeding a dash cam etc ,or when someone wants a USB in the glovebox.

You don't use the funny shape mounting, they mount pretty much flush (ok, so you have to drill a hole for them) - you can see where you are drilling on the left hand side and these are very shallow with no exposed wiring compared to a cigarette lighter socket

You can probably get a USB -> dual micro USB splitter cable quite easily

Cheers

Richard

Thanks Richard - I'd probably need a couple - the PI likes a nice fat stable power supply and 1a for two is pushing it at bit. I'll have a nosy around for similar stuff though

 

[DaveLondon]

Useful, thanks

Just had a bit of a nosy around and there's space to mount that behind the dash end panel by the passenger door. I could then cut a small slot in the plastic blanking plate on that side of the glovebox to get the USB cables through into the glovebox. a couple of Velcro cable fixtures and it looks like a goer. Added bonus of being able to use the space between the gloveboax and the dash end panel to lose excess wire.

Just nee to find a little plastic box to mount that in - there's plenty of bare metal in that void....

Cheers again

My pleasure. I didn't check, but I'm sure there will be some kind of plastic case in the 'people bought this alongside' bit. Good old Amazon algorithms!

 

[oldguy57]

Maplins sell small plastic boxes just for this type of thing - come in all sizes.