Exterior USB not charging

[brroberts]

Attached is a bad quick picture of the ETI installed exterior 12VDC and USB outlet. My iPad & iPhone charge just fine on the interior outlets; however, they do not charge on the exterior outlet.

On shore power:
Interior USB outlets measure 5.08V .6A
Exterior 5.38V .7A

Is the .3 greater voltage just enough for ‘i’ devices not to accept it?

Solution / suggestions?

When we got the trailer it did work (Sept ‘21), now it doesn’t. It is clear both the 12V & USB outlets have power.

[SteveSgt]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Is the .3 greater voltage just enough for ‘i’ devices not to accept it?

I'm assuming you're still using the same phone, and didn't just get a new one.

I used to run a classic iPod (with a mechanical hard drive) directly off a 6V SLA battery (6.5v - 5.9v) without failure or any problems.

I don't have inside knowledge on the latest Apple circuit design, but I would be surprised if new models weren't equally tolerant.

I would suspect a poor connection before anything else. Perhaps you should swab or spray out the trailer-side USB connectors with some kind of contact cleaner like "Deoxit" [ https://caig.com/deoxit-d-series/ ].

USB connectors are made by enough companies with a wide range of precision and quality. Could it be that the connector on your tester seats and contacts better than the connector on your phone cable?

[HABBERDABBER]

Any electrical connection exposed to the elements is going to have a tough time. It may be your iPhone and it's needs, it may be a connection, it may be corroded contacts at the outlet.

You now have your very own electrical demon to exorcise.

[brroberts]

Nothing looks corroded. All is bright and shiny. To replace it is ripping out the bottom paneling over the wheel well. We’ll see. It may not be worth it right now. I’ve found sometimes ETI paneling comes easy, and other times I have to destroy it. I don’t really feel like destroying this. I know some have removed it for additional space, but we don’t need more space.

[Tosh]

Originally Posted by brroberts

...
Is the .3 greater voltage just enough for ‘i’ devices not to accept it?
....

it's possible. I know that some Apple wall power adapters run @ 5.1v, which matches your indoor voltage measurement. I'm not sure how well the iPad tolerates "over-voltage". In the USB specifications more than 5V is allowed for USB-c but USB 1.1 does not. I think the same is true for USB 2.


If you had one of those 12vDC to 5V USB adapters lying around, you might try and see if that works

[diannelgraham]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Attached is a bad quick picture of the ETI installed exterior 12VDC and USB outlet. My iPad & iPhone charge just fine on the interior outlets; however, they do not charge on the exterior outlet.

On shore power:
Interior USB outlets measure 5.08V .6A
Exterior 5.38V .7A

Is the .3 greater voltage just enough for ‘i’ devices not to accept it?

Solution / suggestions?

When we got the trailer it did work (Sept ‘21), now it doesn’t. It is clear both the 12V & USB outlets have power.

From day one the USB connector on the outside did not charge on my Dec 2021 21c the 12 volt plug beside it does. Escape sent me a new USB plug as a warranty replacement. On the 21C the battery compartment is right in the way making it difficult to remove the plug. I only added that option so I could run my 12 volt tire compressor so I'm just going to live with the bad USB port.

[brroberts]

Trailer is under warranty, but no offer was made to replace it by ETI. Only a link to the wrong part. It’s not expensive, but a pain to replace. I’m not sure what the warranty is on that particular part.

[diannelgraham]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Trailer is under warranty, but no offer was made to replace it by ETI. Only a link to the wrong part. It’s not expensive, but a pain to replace. I’m not sure what the warranty is on that particular part.

I reported mine with in 30 days of pick up so most likely why they sent a new one. If you ever past through Snohomish WA I have one I will give you.

[DGLP]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Trailer is under warranty, but no offer was made to replace it by ETI. Only a link to the wrong part. It’s not expensive, but a pain to replace. I’m not sure what the warranty is on that particular part.

Hi Randy,

We had a defective 12 volt outlet on the passenger side of the trailer, behind the rear hatch, just under the lower right marker light. Dave Warren sent us a new 12 volt outlet in early September of this year, about 4 months after we picked up the 21 NE. The threaded retaining ring on the inside of the trailer was accessible under the bed. It was really tight. I had to use a hacksaw blade to cut it and break it off. If your front USB/12 volt outlet on the 19 is in the same spot as ours on our 21 NE, just behind the entry door, it would really be a pain remove the USB outlet if you're not able to easily loosen the plastic retaining ring after taking off the paneling.

These are Dave's instructions:
In regards to the 12volt ext connection yes I can send you out a new one. To replace it what I do is back out the two screws closest to the 12volt plug. Once I have done that I undo the retaining ring on the inside. Sometimes the ring does not want to back off so I cut the ring off. Once the ring is off the 12volt side will push out the front of the trailer. To install is the reverse it will make sense once you see the replacement part. Make sure you look at the back of it before plugging the wires in as there is a + and – side for the wires.

Hope this helps.
Happy New Year.
Darrell

[brroberts]

Those rings can usually be removed with pliers if need be, but in this case, the paneling over the wheel well in my 19 felt pretty tight. We’ll see.

[DGLP]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Those rings can usually be removed with pliers if need be, but in this case, the paneling over the wheel well in my 19 felt pretty tight. We’ll see.

I tried slip joint and channel lock pliers - no luck. Difficult to get a good purchase given the proximity of other cables and the inability for me to turn on my side under the bed. I just followed Dave's instructions to cut off the retaining ring. Just took a little longer.
Good luck.

[GPS]

We have the same issue. The outside 12v works but the usb doesn't. I looked to see if it was loose on the inside. But to no avail. Have a cheap 12v usb plug as the fix. We are new last oct.

[splicer]

I also had the same issue, bad on trailer delivery. Picked up a replacement on Amazon. Not easy to replace.

[CharlesinGA]

Why would anyone want USB ports on the outside of the trailer.

If you need to replace them, just buy new ones, but get QC 3.0 compatible so if any of your devices are ever QC 3.0 then they charge faster (a lot faster). I would want a thin bead of RTV on the underside of the flange where it seats in the mounting plate, as the cover does not protect that area.

I'm trying to figure out how to install one in the bed area of my Sasquatch trailer ;>) I have a circuit that only supplies two lights, one underneath the bed in the storage area and one outside at the dump station, so I will tap off that circuit, as its two unused lights and nothing else.

I'll mount one of these on the wall, probably in the rear corner (head of the bed)

2 PCS 1 Hole USB Socket Tent Panel Plastic Housing, DAMAVO Multiple Function Car DIY Accessories Boat ATV Motorcycle RV Marine USB Outlet Panel



And one of these or similar as I don't need a volt meter and this has a on/off switch on the face of it so the light won't bother me being on all the time.

56W USB C Car Charger Socket, Ouffun Aluminum Metal 12V/24V Multiple USB Outlet PD 20W USB-C and Dual QC3.0 Ports with Power Switch



Charles

[GPS]

I like usb charging outside so I can have my phone on the kitchen playing music, doing it's thing. We spend nearly every daylight minute outside so that is where the need is for us. I think that is why most of us get the option.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I opted to install a 12V 'trolling motor' socket outside, fused for 30 amps, and have a pigtail with the trolling plug on one end, and a PowerPole PP30 on the other end... I have a variety of accessories that can plug in via the Powerpole including a lotsa-sockets multi-charger. a car stereo in a carry case, etc.

[CharlesinGA]

If I need additional outside power, I use my "Pocket Juice" battery pack, which will run the phone for hours, as it has a 8 or 10K mAh Li-ion internal battery. I have a two position charger similar to the one I showed, mounted near the dinette with 3 ft or so cables plugged into it and laying on the dinette. They are USB C cables and I have adapters to micro connectors dangling on small chains from each cable.

The less holes in the fiberglass, the better.

Charles

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

Why would anyone want USB ports on the outside of the trailer.

Charles

I have to admit that when I first saw that folks were having exterior USB outlets installed I did a little head shaking. After years and years of dealing with exterior 12 volt outlets at my boat helm and dealing with the inevitable corrosion and poor contact I was amazed that anyone would think that the much more delicate USB outlet was suitable for exterior use.

My solution to having exterior 12V or USB is to have a hatch dedicated to cables of all sorts. I took a standard electrical outlet port and cut the interior back off. It allows me to put in and take out all sorts of power from 110V as a dedicated line to interior heating, 12V of all sorts including my portable solar panel and if ever required plug a USB adapter into my coiled 12V extension cord.

Ron

[brroberts]

I’ve had exterior outlets on my freshwater boat with no problem. My saltwater boat - I wouldn’t even consider it. The USB outlet on the Escape is corrosion free.

[Camp@Home]

On all the Samsung phones I worked on, the USB input could tolerate up to 6V. That was the spec on the charge controller I.C. on the circuit boards. I would expect I-phones use similar devices. Probably all Texas Instrument devices. Since it worked originally, I would speculate some connection issue to the phone, most likely the socket since I assume the same cord works inside to charge phone. Suggest DeoxIT spray to clean as a quick check. No scrubbing needed, just plug in&out a few times then leave it.