I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: USB Lead adaptors
Merry Christmas everybody. Fingers crossed we get back to “normal” in 2021.
Further to my previous posts and the excellent advise from members I have decided on installing a PIONEER AVH-Z5200DAB Android unit and will see if there are any offers in the new year sales. My question relates to the USB lead for connecting my mobile phone to the Head Unit to run Android Auto etc. My phone is USB C, my Wife’s phone the standard micro USB . Obviously I only want to install one USB lead to the head unit and use an adaptor to switch between the phones. But do the adaptors allow the full functionality? Does anybody have the same problem and successfully used an adaptor? If so any recommendations?
Regards Glenn
You’ll have a standard USB fly lead coming out of the rear of the unit, you route this to the point where you intend to store or mount your phone. Then plug your USB lead from phone to the USB connection. Most phones I’ve had recently (Android) have the USB lead that plugs into the wall charger, use this one to plug into the car head unit lead. I bought a spare lead to match the phone connection to keep in the car, save taking the one from the house each time. Also got one for the iPhone but we’ve since replaced that (wife’s phone) with a similar Android phone.
USB 3.0 Flush Mount Cable - USB 3.0 and 3.5mm Aux Extention Mount, Flush, Dash, Panel Mount Cable 1/8 AUX for Car Bike Boat Motorcycle Radio Stereo Android Wince GPS (1 Meter)
My USB connection doesn’t charge the phone, it just keeps enough for the phone to continue working, at the end of a long journey thephone is dead. My work car it is fine - so must be form the head unit, so yes & no they work.
On another note Android Auto is AWFUL - I disable it in my 5, but have it re-enabled for the work car - again might just be the different units, but other than that it is awful - I had a work iPhone in my last job and the Apple car play is so much superior to android auto IMO.
I have the same Pioneer Head unit fitted to my NC Mk 3.
I have a centre console mod and USB socket installation as per Ruberdub’s picture above.
I use a USB micro lead that has an apple lightning adaptor and a USB C adaptor attached to the end, unfortunately i can’t remeber where i bought it as I would love another.
All USB cables are not equal, they don’t all transfer data and some are better at charging than others, i have some cables that allow my Samsung phone to ‘fast charge’ whereas some other cables only normal charge from the same wall charger…?
Try measuring the resistance of the wires in the USB lead, the outer two pins (1, 4) carry the current. Bear in mind the phone will need about 1Amp to run satnav and its screen, and maybe more to recharge. Then remember there is only 5V available, so any measurable resistance in that wire will be killing it.
Ideally the loop impedance through both conductors should be less then 0.1 Ohm, and 0.3 Ohm is pushing it. Aim for a USB lead with 18AWG power conductors, and always fit the shortest that will reach.
If the lead is really cheap, chances are it does not have much copper in it, so not 18AWG. Also the descriptions are often outright lies, eg for a 1metre lead some might claim 18AWG (0.05 Ohm loop) or 24AWG (0.2 Ohm loop), but are often 28AWG (0.5 Ohm loop) or worse when measured.
I ended making up my own USB charging leads for a while (Maplin bits, expensive). However in 2017 I found some that were OK and are still working today, but of course there is no guarantee offerings on sale today are still OK.
Thank you everybody for your feedback. Good info as always. I had not considered that the flying lead from the Head Unit could end in a standard female USB. Unfortunately the Centre Console kit from MX5parts does not fit the Mk3.5 / 3.75 but will look at using the Panel Mount Connector in either the glove box or existing centre console along with quality leads to each phone.
Regards Glenn
Interesting
I have a gizmo that plugs into the power socket and takes music from the phone via Bluetooth and outputs it to the stereo via the aux plug.
There is also a USB-out to power the phone but it barely charges it.
I must say it hadn’t occurred to me that this might be down to the lead…
