So I've had an idea regarding using my phone with the Mr12volt mmi box (would be the same for any other MMI box).
Firstly some background....
MMI boxes have the choice of either a wired or wireless connection, and most seem to like the wireless connection. And to be honest this is preferred simply because it's convenient, you get in the car, leave your phone in your pocket (or wherever you have it) and it just works. Now there's nothing wrong with this, except on long journeys where your phones battery is running out of charge a lot faster than normal due to the constant connection. Now I'm sure some are thinking that you'd put your phone on charge, either a wired charge or a wireless charger. The problem with this though is heat build up, especially with a wireless charger even more so, and in the summer months this can be quite troublesome if too much heat was building up.
Now a solution is that if you are going to plug a phone charger in anyway then you might as well just plug into the USB lead from the mmi box, and this is a good solution, no problems with signal drop and no excess heat build up. BUT, the charging capacity of the MMI box isn't all that good. It'll keep it charged, but wont really put much extra into it.
So all of this will work but there is a downside to all of them in one way or another. So what we want is a way to charge our phone properly while on the go and a good connection to the box all at the same time
Well I think I've got the solution, one of these....
Now firstly you're probably thinking, "well that's not going to fit our cars!", and you'd be right. What it needs is a little fabrication and a small bit of wiring.
So looking from the back of it there are two sockets
The one on the left is a 4 pin connection that has 12v+, negative and lighting. The other is for a Fakra plug that has the USB control. So you then connect the USB of the Mr12volt box with a USB to Fakra cable to this socket, something like this...
This then carries the data signal to/from the Mr12volt box for the new USB-C socket, and the 4 pin power plug supplies the better charge rate, you simply just use a USB-C to USB-C charge cable for your Android phone (USB-C to Lightning for Apple devices). This can still work for just charging any USB-C device.
For the 4 pin power plug you could simply tap into the cigar lighter socket wiring as it has all three wires already (+, - and lighting) and the circuit is rated for three sockets (ashtray, inside centre armrest and one in the passenger footwell), of which most UK cars have only two anyway so you'd not be overloading the circuit.
DISCLAIMER** This is only theory at the moment, as I've not actually tried it, but I'm in the process of doing so.
I've ordered the parts and will be assembling a test rig soon, then, if successful, I'll fully install it. I've bought my socket attached to the mounting plate of a G20, which gives me the chance to do a bit of fabrication and have it at an angle to assist inserting the cable (chop off the angled socket section), as I'll place it in the passenger footwell somewhere in the location that the OE 12v socket would have gone. This should give it a nice OE look but keeping it out of the way.
Hope you like the idea
I'll update this as I go
Firstly some background....
MMI boxes have the choice of either a wired or wireless connection, and most seem to like the wireless connection. And to be honest this is preferred simply because it's convenient, you get in the car, leave your phone in your pocket (or wherever you have it) and it just works. Now there's nothing wrong with this, except on long journeys where your phones battery is running out of charge a lot faster than normal due to the constant connection. Now I'm sure some are thinking that you'd put your phone on charge, either a wired charge or a wireless charger. The problem with this though is heat build up, especially with a wireless charger even more so, and in the summer months this can be quite troublesome if too much heat was building up.
Now a solution is that if you are going to plug a phone charger in anyway then you might as well just plug into the USB lead from the mmi box, and this is a good solution, no problems with signal drop and no excess heat build up. BUT, the charging capacity of the MMI box isn't all that good. It'll keep it charged, but wont really put much extra into it.
So all of this will work but there is a downside to all of them in one way or another. So what we want is a way to charge our phone properly while on the go and a good connection to the box all at the same time
Well I think I've got the solution, one of these....
Now firstly you're probably thinking, "well that's not going to fit our cars!", and you'd be right. What it needs is a little fabrication and a small bit of wiring.
So looking from the back of it there are two sockets
The one on the left is a 4 pin connection that has 12v+, negative and lighting. The other is for a Fakra plug that has the USB control. So you then connect the USB of the Mr12volt box with a USB to Fakra cable to this socket, something like this...
This then carries the data signal to/from the Mr12volt box for the new USB-C socket, and the 4 pin power plug supplies the better charge rate, you simply just use a USB-C to USB-C charge cable for your Android phone (USB-C to Lightning for Apple devices). This can still work for just charging any USB-C device.
For the 4 pin power plug you could simply tap into the cigar lighter socket wiring as it has all three wires already (+, - and lighting) and the circuit is rated for three sockets (ashtray, inside centre armrest and one in the passenger footwell), of which most UK cars have only two anyway so you'd not be overloading the circuit.
DISCLAIMER** This is only theory at the moment, as I've not actually tried it, but I'm in the process of doing so.
I've ordered the parts and will be assembling a test rig soon, then, if successful, I'll fully install it. I've bought my socket attached to the mounting plate of a G20, which gives me the chance to do a bit of fabrication and have it at an angle to assist inserting the cable (chop off the angled socket section), as I'll place it in the passenger footwell somewhere in the location that the OE 12v socket would have gone. This should give it a nice OE look but keeping it out of the way.
Hope you like the idea
I'll update this as I go
Scottish Borders
Ware, East Hertfordshire
