Yesterday I replaced the cigarette lighter in my dashboard with a high-speed USB-C / A combo charging port and voltage meter.
It's a very easy project and I'm super pleased with the results.
The key to this project is the availability of a bunch of high-speed, high power charging sockets.
Here's the product I chose:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TMDTQQV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Installation is relatively straightforward.
First, remove your stereo head unit.
Second, reach behind the plastic panel that has the cigarette lighter in it to the right of the head unit, and unplug the power connector from the rear of the cigarette lighter
Third, remove the plastic panel that contains the cigarette lighter. It pulls straight out from the dash. And then unplug the three power connectors for the switches for the convertible top, door locks etc. the power connectors pull straight off.
At this point you now have the right hand plastic panel in your hand, and the cigarette lighter is still attached to it. Remove the cigarette lighter by first prying up on the two clips attached to the side of the cigarette lighter barrel - they pull straight up and away from the barrel. Then then, push down on the clip on the side of the cigarette lighter just behind the plastic panel, that will allow you to slide the cigarette lighter forward and out of the plastic panel.
Now get an exacto knife and trim the interior rim of the hole the cigarette lighter was attached to. You just need to take off the tiny ridge on the inside of the hole. If you test fit the new charging port you will see that it is just a tiniest bit too large for the hole unless you trim that ridge.
Optionally, remove the rubber cover that came with the USB charger. It's not necessary and without it you have a cleaner looking installation. Once the trimming in the previous step is done you have a tight fit and you can screw the power port into the hole where the cigarette lighter was. It fits perfectly. You do not need to install the locking ring that came with the new charger - you will have a tight fit without it.
The last step is to take a short length of 12 gauge wire and attach a female terminal to one end of it. Install the wire by soldering it to an existing ground wire connected to your head unit, or attach a lug to the wire and ground it at any available metal screw behind where your head unit was.
To reassemble, plug the center connector of the wiring harness that formerly went to the old cigarette lighter to the positive input on the new USB charger terminal. The center terminal is attached to a thick red wire - this is the 12V positive power source that the new charger is looking for. Slide the female terminal on the ground wire you just installed onto the negative terminal on the USB charger. At this point, turn the ignition into accessory mode and test that the new charger works okay. Note that you need to turn the charger on by clicking the small button on the right of the charging ports.
Putting everything back together takes about 2 minutes. Reattach the wiring harness to the switches, reattach the plastic piece to the right of the head unit, and reinstall your head unit.
By following these directions, you can go back to your cigarette lighter if you ever choose to - nothing is destroyed as part of this installation.
Altogether this was about a 30 minute project, and now I can rapid charge two devices at once, plus you can easily monitor your charging system and battery health. I can also confirm this unit charges a Google Pixel 5 in high-speed mode.
1998 Porsche Boxster
Linear Mode
