charging ports!

B

bawachhe

New member
I know about the constant 12v power mod, and have just been procrastinating on getting it done. But with that, I've heard something on the wind, maybe? of another mod involving getting a bunch more (i.e. 3 total?) cig lighter/12v power ports in the 4th gen something like how it used to be in the 3rd gen (one of my favorite things about the inside of a 3rd gen is that I never ran out of charging ports).

Anyone know of such a well documented mod, or should I just wing it? (and if wingit, what do you suggest?)

I also got an A/C port in my center divider, which is great. But I wonder if I can add another one somewhere else safely, and also if I can change that port out for a 3 prong with the right wiring, or if that's just not possible on the 4r? That's just another idea I've been toying with.

TIA!
 
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I put a 12V outlet just below the hazard light switch and one in the rear center console. Took about 15 minutes to do the front, and about 30 minutes to do the center console.

I went with these off Amazon... they are good quality and easy to install. I used a 1-1/8" (I believe) hole saw and it worked like a charm. There's plenty of room to do at least 2 sockets where I placed my single. You could safely run the two off a single 18 gauge wire run to a 10 amp add-a-circuit... and then you pick if you want constant power or accessory based upon where you tap.

Blue Sea 1011 12V DC Socket : Amazon.com : Automotive

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Thanks to both! Guess I'll have to be handy with a multimeter then to make sure I've got the right wire, depending where I decide to put mine.
 
Another one gets the Gshadow mod lol.. Guys we have a Lexus LX470(Landcruiser) and my daughter prefers the Runner for trips just because of this mod :)
IMG_20130613_194331_387.jpg~original
 
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bawachhe said:
Thanks to both! Guess I'll have to be handy with a multimeter then to make sure I've got the right wire, depending where I decide to put mine.
Click to expand...

Always good to test, but the center is + and the barrel is -. You run the + back to the fuse panel, and - to the chassis. I did tap into the extra connector in the center console by the existing 12V outlet to run the rear center console outlet. For that I did need a multimeter to figure out the proper wire, and then I used a vampire tap.... which can be unreliable. If you tap, those wires tend to be 20 gauge, so make sure you get 18-22 taps, and not 16-18 taps.

But it's really easy to run back to the fuse panel. There are two 10mm bolts on the trim below the steering wheel, one bolt behind it near the center console once you remove that... and then two bolts behind the A/C controls once you remove that. Everything else is friction fit with tabs.

One investment that I swear by is my plastic pry bars. You can grab them at a home improvement store or auto parts store, but even cheaper if you have a Northern or Harbor Freight nearby. They don't damage the trim, and they'll slip into the tight crevices on the friction fit parts.
 
Instead of outlets, I put in dual USB ports in the rear of the center console. You could do the same in the front. Check out Rear USB Ports in my sig and there are some pictures that show how easy it is to do.
 
I've been mulling this one over and I was thinking about whether to have the 12v or the usb ports somewhere in my front dash (probably I'll replace the ashtray 12v with a USB and put in another 12v on one side or the other of my hvac), but here's a mod I've not seen elsewhere yet:
In that center of the rear console area where some put USB and some put 12v for the back seat people, I was thinking of putting in your standard house AC 2-plug, although I really want to avoid cutting into the duct.

Can it be done wire-wise, just tapping off the AC plug in the center console? and do you think there's enough room for one of those to be mounted in nix duct cuts?
 
An update

Well, I'm still mulling over what to do about charging/12v ports, but I did the constant 12v power mod along with a constant 115v power (you know, with the switch in the dash and all too; link here if you're curious), and I thought I'd mention that I got tired of the AC plug being in the bottom of the center console, where I also store other things like CDs and bibles and such, so I put in a house socket I got from home depot in the what-seems-to-be-otherwise-useless hamburger tray or whatever it is (someone please inform if you know what this thing's purpose is supposed to be per toyota) that flips out from the lid of the center console.

That was fun and took me a bit to mod the plastic to fit one of those, and routing the wire to the other plug's wires in the car inline was interesting, but I got it working. I know I know, pics or it didn't happen. Give me a little while and I will post them if I remember. (p.s. the house socket I bought was three-prong but I didn't connect ground because the car's ground doesn't act like house ground and would probably disrupt the ac inverter's inverting).

Like I said, still working on the USB/add'l 12v ports.
 
bawachhe said:
Well, I'm still mulling over what to do about charging/12v ports, but I did the constant 12v power mod along with a constant 115v power (you know, with the switch in the dash and all too; link here if you're curious), and I thought I'd mention that I got tired of the AC plug being in the bottom of the center console, where I also store other things like CDs and bibles and such, so I put in a house socket I got from home depot in the what-seems-to-be-otherwise-useless hamburger tray or whatever it is (someone please inform if you know what this thing's purpose is supposed to be per toyota) that flips out from the lid of the center console.

That was fun and took me a bit to mod the plastic to fit one of those, and routing the wire to the other plug's wires in the car inline was interesting, but I got it working. I know I know, pics or it didn't happen. Give me a little while and I will post them if I remember. (p.s. the house socket I bought was three-prong but I didn't connect ground because the car's ground doesn't act like house ground and would probably disrupt the ac inverter's inverting).

Like I said, still working on the USB/add'l 12v ports.
Click to expand...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/135307-radar-detector-usb-switch-blank.html

USB ports ^^

pics :rockthrow: :D
 
bawachhe said:
Well, I'm still mulling over what to do about charging/12v ports, but I did the constant 12v power mod along with a constant 115v power (you know, with the switch in the dash and all too; link here if you're curious), and I thought I'd mention that I got tired of the AC plug being in the bottom of the center console, where I also store other things like CDs and bibles and such, so I put in a house socket I got from home depot in the what-seems-to-be-otherwise-useless hamburger tray or whatever it is (someone please inform if you know what this thing's purpose is supposed to be per toyota) that flips out from the lid of the center console.

That was fun and took me a bit to mod the plastic to fit one of those, and routing the wire to the other plug's wires in the car inline was interesting, but I got it working. I know I know, pics or it didn't happen. Give me a little while and I will post them if I remember. (p.s. the house socket I bought was three-prong but I didn't connect ground because the car's ground doesn't act like house ground and would probably disrupt the ac inverter's inverting).

Like I said, still working on the USB/add'l 12v ports.
Click to expand...

That's the joint rolling table :rofl:
 
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