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USB charger in RV-12

In an ELSA you can modify, etc. once you have the pink slip. As long as you don't do something that would no longer make it LSA compatible, it will still be ELSA. SLSA is a different ballgame. I'm sure others will chime in here.

You might also check this on-going thread http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=133618 on how to feed an iPAD Pro. It has some interesting insights.

Bob
 
If the E-LSA has its initial restrictions flown off, it becomes an experimental and you can make changes of this sort.

You don't need a TSO'd device, which this is, on an experimental, which opens up other options.

This thread discusses these USB sockets. Post #12 has a link to one that's proved successful.

Dave
 
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I'm replacing the 12V power point with one of these:



$13.98 at Amazon, including shipping.
 
Those cheap chargers might be worth trying, especially if you already have a hole in the panel they will fit. Trouble is, you seldom know if it will actually rapid charge your device until you try it. You also never know if it will generate a lot of electrical/rf noise. The reviews on Amazon aren't usually helpful since most reviewers don't really know what to look for and the devices change names, sellers, and manufacturers so fast that it's hard/impossible to find one that you absolutely know should work.

For $8-$15 it's probably worth the gamble, and there's a reasonable change you'll be happy with it. After that, you might decide it's worth it to spend $65-75 on the one from Commit Lift.

I like the form factor of the device from true blue power, but the price is difficult to stomach for a 5v DC power supply.

USB power is one of a half dozen things I seriously overthought on my airplane.
 
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gammaxy said:
Those cheap chargers might be worth trying, especially if you already have a hole in the panel they will fit.
Click to expand...
Exactly what I thought. It's a drop-in replacement for the existing 12V power point in the RV-12, for which I have no use. If it works - great! If it's a POS -- well, I'm not out $75, or $338. I could spend a couple of hours hacking together my own USB power supply and have a lot less than $75 wrapped up in it, but it was worth the $14 risk to me.

We'll find out once the weather warms up enough, and I have the time, to pull up the seat floor and install it along with a few other things that need doing.
 
Forgo the wiring mess and just plug this in


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David Paule said:
If the E-LSA has its initial restrictions flown off, it becomes an experimental and you can make changes of this sort.
You don't need a TSO'd device, which this is, on an experimental, which opens up other options.
This thread discusses these USB sockets. Post #12 has a link to one that's proved successful.
Dave
Click to expand...

You don't have to wait until phase I is completed. An ELSA is experimental once the airworthiness certificate is issued. Any mods may be done at any time after certification. Again, the mod must not take the aircraft out of LSA parameters.
 
My iPad cord is hardwired into the panel so that audio can be routed into the audio panel. I went to the local Dollar General store and bought an $8 duel port adapter withat a 2.1amp port.

Disassembled it and sodered the dedicated inputs and outputs.

It now charges on the fast rate. I can have Garmin Pilot, Bluetooth ADSB, WiFi radio, and music player running with the screen bright and it will charge itself.

Previously it was about a break even with battery consumption and charge with only Garmin Pilot running when using the previous charge circuit.

Also the switching supply does not affect the radio reception that I can tell.
 
I received my USB adapter from eBay and installed it yesterday. My 12 is an early SN so the 12 vdc socket is always powered independent of the main solenoid. There is a very small continuous current draw from a blue LED that remains lit as well as the switching regulator that steps down the voltage. I think the current is ~ 5mA at idle so no big deal. I will measure and verify but for now the winter trickle charger will maintain the battery. Frequent flying in good weather will negate the USB idle current between flights. The USB socket is very convenient to power the mini iPad running ForeFlight. Comm radio shows no RF interference from the USB step down circuitry. Looking good-to-go.

5ujr7l.jpg
 
I hadn't looked to see that the 12V power point is wired directly to the battery. Bummer, I kind of assumed it was switched. Anyway, I measured my USB outlet and it draws 12 mA with the LED, 10.2 without. I hate blue LEDs anyway, so I popped it apart and clipped the LED.

Next time I have the cowl off I'll see if I can easily move the wire for the power point to the other side of the master relay.
 
OK, done. I moved the power supply lead for the 12V power point from the battery positive terminal to the switched side of the master contactor. If you do this, note that you'll need to either replace the ring terminal with a larger one, or do what I did -- use a needle file to enlarge the hole to fit the stud on the contactor.

I now have a dual USB charging outlet that's switched by the master switch. No noise in the audio system at all, it's dead quiet. I may put a short lead with a couple of alligator clamps on the old power point, just in case I need to power a tire inflator or something some day. I have some laying around, clipped from long-dead battery chargers and such.
 
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