Car Lighter-USB Hub

Make a portable, multicharging device for your electronics, that will let you recharge your stuff in your car.

Ok, in order to make this fun and easy device, we'll need:

1) regular USB hub (bought mine at 1,99 store priced at R$ 7,90 -- about US$ 3,50)

2) car lighter cell phone recharger that outputs 5VDC@>500mA (I happen to have a LG Scorpio KP215 cell phone, so I bought mine for this model on a street seller for R$ 13,00 (about US$ 6,00) -- this happens to be a bonus, check it later)

3) hot melt glue (optional)

4) electrician black tape (we don't need crazy wires touching each other)

5) multmeter (optional, but ok to check cables, etc. I learned I had a bad cable -- later on this)

6) pliers

7) knife

Well, this is a very easy project. So easy I'd say it's stupid. I saw some stuff looking like this here, at the site. Let's go.

Check this before, if you're in any doubt: https://www.instructables.com/id/S453PMXFJX8VQ0F/
Quick and easy info.

WARNING: DON'T BLAME ME if you burn your devices, your car, your finger and nose. It's up to you do the stuff presented here at your own risk and responsibility.

This car hub is ONLY for energy purposes and can be modified for any 5VDC source of electricity you may think. Here in the site, I could see some candidates. Of course, it's a matter of changing the input connector for the appropriate one. That's why I entered the SANYO contest with this.

Here are some interesting sources found in this site, worth a visit, on this theme:

Build a 4 x AA USB Altoids Battery: https://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-4-x-AA-USB-Altoids-Battery/

USB Cell Phone Charger Hack! (With Video): https://www.instructables.com/id/USB-Cell-Phone-Charger-Hack!-With-Video/

MintyBoost! - Small battery-powered USB charger: https://www.instructables.com/id/MintyBoost!---Small-battery-powered-USB-charger/

Converting a computer ATX power supply to a really useful lab power supply: https://www.instructables.com/id/Converting-a-computer-ATX-power-supply-to-a-really/

Changing the output voltage of a cheap power supply: https://www.instructables.com/id/Changing-the-output-voltage-of-a-cheap-power-suppl/

12V Car lighter to USB Adapter for less than 3 $ (1,5euro): https://www.instructables.com/id/12V_Car_lighter_to_USB_Adapter_for_less_3_euro/

USB Car Charger: https://www.instructables.com/id/USB-Car-Charger/

How To Make Your Own USB Car Charger For Any iPod Or Other Devices That Charge Via USB: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Your-Own-USB-Car-Charger-For-Any-iPod-/

TO DO: I saw a wonderful VGA adapter to USB, but can't find the link. Please help me.

Any time you use a 5VDC power supply, you don't need the car lighter connector anymore. It's just an easy way to convert the 12VDC from the car's battery to the output at the hub ports, which is "magically" reduced to 5VDC. Buying the ready connector is cheaper, safer and easier than try to build your on, unless you're deep into electronics. Plus, if it fits your particular cell phone, it adds up a usb cell phone cable as a freebie...

Well, I'm quite the contrary of Apostle Paul: I'm weak in words here, but I could talk a lot personally.. Maybe I'm just too tired today. Sorry all...

LET'S WORK:

1) Cut off the end connectors of both the cell phone charger and the usb hub, leaving some inches of wire with the connector (size may vary, I show mine) and set aside (we'll work on them later).

2) Connect the wires (in my case, I got red and black from one cable and red and translucent from the other) with the correct polarity. My case was red-red, black-translucent. YMMV... Try connecting the same colors or, if in any doubt, have a polarized device, like a led or use the multmeter to check your wiring.

3) Protecting the connections from touching each other, test it in the car. Turn engine on and see if there's nothing wrong with the output. You can see mine pictured, check with multmeter.

4) If everything is OK, time to insulate wiring. I used hot melt glue in this project, plus the electric tape. Use the best you can. You'll want reinforced and well insulated cables.

Having this LG 5VDC cell phone is great, cause I could make a USB charger from the leftovers... Remember when I told you to set aside the connectors? We'll use them now.

Here is an easy step. Make a USB cell phone charger.

Just wire the two connectors together, insulate and voi-la. Remember, of course, to cut off the data wires. Now you can charge your cell phone on any USB port, plus our car lighter hub and even at those MP3 players chargers.

My car is a GM Omega Suprema 1993 (also known as "a barca" -- "the boat", in portuguese, in the sense of a bathtub). It's the same car as the Vauxhall Carlton and Opel Omega A Caravan/Wagon.

I'm too cheap to buy a real stereo, since the original died and is still wired to the speaker system. So from time to time I like to take my MP4 for a ride... I got some speakers too, and here's my "gig" for reference. The best is that you can use this small sound system in any car, good if you have a fleet of old junk, like I do. I also have a 1982 GM Opala Caravan that has no sound system, but has a good lighter, so I can hang on everything, listen to music, and charge my cell phone at the same time.

Hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to vote!!! :-)