Adding a 12 volt USB-C power delivery port to a camper

[Denver Sandy]

A MacBook Air requires a 30 watt supply of power. The only outlet I'm aware of that provides that power is Leviton T5635.
It's available on Amazon but not cheap.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Denver Sandy

A MacBook Air requires a 30 watt supply of power. The only outlet I'm aware of that provides that power is Leviton T5635.
It's available on Amazon but not cheap.

That is a combined 120V/USB wall outlet. Installing it in an RV (or anywhere else) would be very short-sighted, as I explained earlier. The protocols are changing and a 30W charger is already too small for some applications. The PD 3.0 spec defines a maximum of 100W (20V x 5A), and the recently agreed to PD 3.1 extended protocol goes up to 240W (48V x 5A). A 100W PD 3.0 charger can be powered by a 15A 12V cigarette lighter socket; when 100W+ PD 3.1 devices start showing up their chargers will have to be wired directly to the 12V or 120V power supplies, but for now it is not necessary to use such a permanent connection.

Because the PD spec is non-proprietary and a part of the USB specifications it is likely to become the standard for future devices. One key feature is that it is bi-directional: a USB-C port can be used either to power a laptop from a charger or for a laptop to power a peripheral USB device. (Not all USB-C ports on a laptop will necessarily have this function.) It is the future so best to start planning for it.

[Mike Lewis]

I have a cigarette lighter-type USB C charger that I bought a while back at an O'Reilly Auto Parts store. I'm using it and it charges the MacBook Air overnight. It is a Carbon XT model 24533 (I think-- the tiny print is hard to read). It has two USB-A and one USB-C outlets and cost about $20.

I bought a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro because of the Air's lower power requirements. It seems to be working out.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

I bought a couple of USB-C jacks from Amazon in order to have a place to plug in my MacBook Air, which gets power via USB-C. Although the ports were marked "PD", they didn't work. Apparently the MBA doesn't want to charge from them. I did a bit of research and found this:

https://senormisterioso.wordpress.co...t-to-a-camper/

I have not yet tried the product mentioned on this website, but I intend to do so. FYI.

I've said this on numerous occasions. The best option for USB charging is installing 12 volt cigarette / power ports. USB standards are constantly changing. However, you at least for the foreseeable future will be able to purchase an automotive adapter for your USB appliances.

[Brian B-P]

Device which incorporates a USB port powered from the AC outlet that it is mounted in will only work with shore power or an operating inverter. Even if you assume that USB standards will never change again, that seems like a poor choice to me for an RV.

The idea of accessor ("lighter") sockets makes sense for flexibility, but those sockets are terrible power receptacles - there were never designed for anything other than a lighter. The various devices (USB power supplies, but also accessory sockets, voltage meters, switches, etc) which mount in a commonly-sized hole (roughly 1-1/8", for which panels are readily available) make sense to me, but I haven't looked in detail into what types of USB supplies are available in that format. There is this one with a 30-watt USB-C PD port...

[Vermilye]

I have a MacBookPro that requires a 90 watt power supply. For dry camping I use a standard 12V receptacle combined with a Bat Power 120W Laptop Car Charger & their 65 watt Pro E MacBook Pro USB C converter

While the converter is only rated at 65 watts, I have not had a problem keeping the MacBookPro charged over months without AC.

[Hawkeye Ed]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Device which incorporates a USB port powered from the AC outlet that it is mounted in will only work with shore power or an operating inverter. Even if you assume that USB standards will never change again, that seems like a poor choice to me for an RV.

The idea of accessor ("lighter") sockets makes sense for flexibility, but those sockets are terrible power receptacles - there were never designed for anything other than a lighter. The various devices (USB power supplies, but also accessory sockets, voltage meters, switches, etc) which mount in a commonly-sized hole (roughly 1-1/8", for which panels are readily available) make sense to me, but I haven't looked in detail into what types of USB supplies are available in that format. There is this one with a 30-watt USB-C PD port...

That’s the same panel-mount outlet that Mike discussed in Post #13 that he said he couldn’t get to work with his MacBook Air. That could be because it doesn’t output enough amps or because of some other issues that CarinaPDX discussed in Post 20, particularly the type of cable used.

I do agree with you that the newer chargers with their increasing amp draw are less and less practical being used in a cigarette-lighter type outlet. For folks who like to tinker with electrical devices, installing a panel-mount charger is becoming more and more attractive but everyone’s situation is different.

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

There is this one with a 30-watt USB-C PD port...

This appears to be the same as the one I installed that my MacBook Air ignores. Link to my "dud" in a previous post.

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye Ed

...particularly the type of cable used.

That made me think, so I tried the panel-mount charger with the same USB-C cable that will charge my laptop from the Carbon XT charger. That didn't help. It's the charger, not the cable.

I did discover that the on/off symbol on the panel-mount charger is an actual on/off touch switch, and it switches the USB-A socket at least. It also switches off the annoying blue LED light. The power symbol on the left doesn't switch anything.

[Selkirk]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

The idea of accessor ("lighter") sockets makes sense for flexibility, but those sockets are terrible power receptacles - there were never designed for anything other than a lighter.

Availability of multiple reliable 12v-based USB power/charging sources will be an important factor as I plan my trailer build. Like others have mentioned, I figured the most flexible approach would be to install multiple 12v sockets (wired on separate circuits) . I had not given much thought to accommodating high-current chargers, such as those discussed in this thread....but this is an important consideration.

I can appreciate that lighter-style 12v socket is a less-than-ideal design, but what is the maximum recommended wattage/current draw rating, assuming a good quality plug is used? It looks like 10-20A range is very typical. I had assumed the sockets supplied by ETI could safely handle at least 80% of a typical 15A circuit.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

I bought a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro because of the Air's lower power requirements. It seems to be working out.

I agree, I just gave my old Pro to my daughter and I'm on a new MacAir- very pleased with it.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye Ed

That’s the same panel-mount outlet that Mike discussed in Post #13 that he said he couldn’t get to work with his MacBook Air. That could be because it doesn’t output enough amps or because of some other issues that CarinaPDX discussed in Post 20, particularly the type of cable used.

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

This appears to be the same as the one I installed that my MacBook Air ignores. Link to my "dud" in a previous post.

Thanks. I was just trying to illustrate the style of device, rather than the specific model.

Originally Posted by Hawkeye Ed

I do agree with you that the newer chargers with their increasing amp draw are less and less practical being used in a cigarette-lighter type outlet.

That was my point. If anyone knows of a power supply in this mounting format which does support the USB power standard of the moment, please share it.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Selkirk

I can appreciate that lighter-style 12v socket is a less-than-ideal design, but what is the maximum recommended wattage/current draw rating, assuming a good quality plug is used? It looks like 10-20A range is very typical. I had assumed the sockets supplied by ETI could safely handle at least 80% of a typical 15A circuit.

10 A is a common rating; 20 A seems very optimistic to me. But with enough time, even 1 A might be too much for the inherently bad centre contact design.

These things were originally designed to handle high current but only for the very brief time that it took to heat up the element in a cigar lighter to glowing hot, and modern accessory sockets may be of the same design but with inferior construction so they can't even handle a lighter.

[cityofdestiny]

I bought a couple of Nektek 12v chargers Nekteck USB Type C Car Charger... (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075WQQG7C...p_mob_ap_share) that have both a type c and traditional USB-A outlet. I use them for charging phones, tablets and a Dell laptop. Working great for over a year so far.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by cityofdestiny

I bought a couple of Nektek 12v chargers Nekteck USB Type C Car Charger... (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075WQQG7C...p_mob_ap_share) that have both a type c and traditional USB-A outlet. I use them for charging phones, tablets and a Dell laptop. Working great for over a year so far.

nice. sadly my new Dell XPS 13 uses a 60W USB C charger, 45 watts probably won't work to run the laptop while its also charging, although it might handle one at a time (sleep the laptop, fully charge, then run the laptop).

[cityofdestiny]

I'll check mine. I think it's 60w.

[John in Santa Cruz]

if you google `USB C 60W PD car adapter', you'll find some. careful, some are dual ports with 30+30, but others have an actual 60W port.

gawd, these Amazon Chinese brands crack me up. "WOTOBEUS". its like someone spilled a scrabble set and picked up 8 random tiles.

[cityofdestiny]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

if you google `USB C 60W PD car adapter', you'll find some. careful, some are dual ports with 30+30, but others have an actual 60W port.

gawd, these Amazon Chinese brands crack me up. "WOTOBEUS". its like someone spilled a scrabble set and picked up 8 random tiles.

I think my Dell is a 60W PD adapter as you stated yours is. The Nektek pushes 40 as you said. I’ve got two them and one of their wall warts and they’ve all been fine. I did disable the dell low power warning in the BIOS settings (more to stop the warning when using passthrough charging on a USB hub). The Nektek has been fine, though the laptop stays home in favor of a tablet unless we’re on a long trip.