Handlebar mounted USB-A power outlet via your Cycle Analyst

[Mongo]

Setting up a USB outlet up on the bars has probably been written up elsewhere in some thread - if so, here it is again. Some of the older displays had a USB jack, alas the feature is mostly disappeared.

I set up such an outlet directly off the battery XT90 (fused) on one of my Photon bikes, here's the Cycle Analyst power tap version:

1. purchase, via Amazon, eBay, elsewhere a handlebar-mount USB outlet, making sure that it's rated for more than the voltage source you're going to tap into - most aren't. The one I linked to and show below is rated for 36-100VDC
2. purchase, via Amazon, eBay, elsewhere a (preferably inline) 5.5mm x 2.1mm Female DC Barrel Jack
3. gather up your wire cutters, strippers, soldering iron, and preferably a multimeter

Here's what the outlet linked to above looks like - the cord is 5 feet long:


The inline barrel jack looks like this:

Piece o' cake boys and girls, just solder 'em together after deciding how much in-between cord you want - red wire to the center pin, black to the outside pin. But first, I'd read the ohms across the USB outlet box wires and make sure it's the same after soldering the jack to it (and not zero). Why? To make sure soldering heat didn't damage the jack's rather fragile center pin insulator.

Don't expect supercharging via this setup, just a trickle (5ish volts). More than enough to keep a GPS going, and enough to charge up a headlight.

The USB outlet case is a little bulky, so I underslung it down near the stem and under the Cycle Analyst:



On another bike, it's underslung on the left side and powers a GPS:

 

[harrisonpatm]

When I see a product like this, I like to compare it to what I would do: purchase the individual necessary components, draw and 3d print a small case, wire it myself. And yet, the one you linked is only $8. I think that's a pretty good deal. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll keep this in mind myself, even though I don't use CA.

 

[Mongo]

When I see a product like this, I like to compare it to what I would do: purchase the individual necessary components, draw and 3d print a small case, wire it myself. And yet, the one you linked is only $8. I think that's a pretty good deal. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll keep this in mind myself, even though I don't use CA.

Thanks much for the note, @harrisonpatm - the price does help, dunno how long it'll last. The first one I set up has been working for a year.

 

[slaphappygamer]

I thought the CA power output, at the DC jack, was only rated for 1A. Some phones would struggle to charge that slow.

 

[Mongo]

I thought the CA power output, at the DC jack, was only rated for 1A. Some phones would struggle to charge that slow.

Yep, @slaphappygamer, at the battery-level voltage. Dunno if you look at is as X watts into the buck convertor, and still get ~5 volts @ 2.1 amps out?

I'd agree, the output is probably not enough to maintain a current smartphone, especially with the display brightened up and the GPS on. I'm too nervous to mount my phone on the bars, as I rely on it for too much - instead, I use an inexpensive speed-only GPS or a fairly power thrifty bike-centric mapping GPS.

Grin used to sell a somewhat similar setup that had two, 1 and 2 amp outlets:

 

[slaphappygamer]

Not sure. I was reading about this in the Unofficial Cycle Analyst Guide.



I’m still trying to understand how the DC jack works. I’d like to power my lights and wireless charger with it, but I also don’t want issues.

 

[kuromaku]

I’m still trying to understand how the DC jack works. I’d like to power my lights and wireless charger with it, but I also don’t want issues.

Anecdotal, but I have a ~30W LED headlight, ~2W taillight, and ~10W Qi charger connected to said DC plug on a 16s NCA battery, and has worked for a few years without overheating the polyfuse even at 40°C ambient.

 

[slaphappygamer]

Anecdotal, but I have a ~30W LED headlight, ~2W taillight, and ~10W Qi charger connected to said DC plug on a 16s NCA battery, and has worked for a few years without overheating the polyfuse even at 40°C ambient.

Wow. Thanks. That’s very good info. I believe my power draw is similar. I’ll double check!

Are you using a buck converter for the Qi charger?

 

[kuromaku]

Are you using a buck converter for the Qi charger?

it has a built-in buck, yeah.