Switchable USB Socket

Now that the lighter socket runs off the leisure battery I wanted to swap it with a dual USB socket with a switch to turn it on and off. Neither of us smoke so a USB version would be far more useful than the original socket for powering our phones/sat nav.

I went for a Blue Sea Dual USB Socket which proves a 2.1A output across the 2 sockets.

Removing the Lighter Socket

I followed this great video by GoWesty which explains how to remove the lighter socket, it was pretty straightforward. I reached around from the left side and wiggled the plug free, in retrospect I could have left this until I pulled the inner section out.

View of lighter socket rear

Lighter socket plug removed

Prising the metal back

Removing the inner section

Removing the outer section

Parts List

• Blue Sea Dual USB Socket
• 3-Way Wago Terminal Block
• 21A Electrical Cable
• Blue LED Illuminated Rocker Switch
• Male and Female electrical crimp connections

Making Holes

I used a micrometer to measure the size of the USB socket (28.49mm) and switch (20.23mm), then used a Step Drill Bit to enlarge the holes in the dash to the correct size. Luckily, a previous owner had already drilled a random hole next to the lighter socket so I just made it bigger.

Measuring the Blue Sea USB socket

Measuring the switch

Blue Sea USB socket and step drill bit

Ste Drill Bit in action

Wiring

The illuminated switch needs it’s own earth connection for the LED) so I used a 3-way Wago terminal block to split the black earth cable.

This is the wiring which ends in one positive and one negative male spade connection:

To connect my new set up to the van’s electrics I simply pushed the spade connections into the plug which powered the old lighter socket. The new black cable went into the brown negative terminal and the new red connected to the red positive.

The connection into grey/blue cable is unused (this powered the LED in the original socket).

The Blue Sea USB Socket has a locking collar which needs screwing in from behind. I fed the cables through, connected everything up then reached around the back to secure it in place. The on/off switch just pushed in.

Testing before installing

Feeding the cables through the Blue Sea locking collar

Finished Result

I’m very happy with the end result, it fits in really well and the blue LED even matches the stereo!