USB Charger at Helm

Cableguy Greg

Being that all phone chargers now are USB based, I added a USB charger port at the helm to the right of the steering wheel. It was made by Blue Sea systems and I powered it via the cigarette charging port. I had to measure 10 times before drilling the 1 1/8 inch hole, but I think it turned out well.

JC290

nice work looks like factory install 

raybo3

Nice job looks great 

Cableguy Greg

Thanks!!! Unfortunately no @Alswagg. It is a dedicated charger port.

jme097

How do you get the wires behind the panel? I may have not looked at mine good enough but I don't remember seeing where to get to panel? Just trying to run my seablaze underwater lights to the accessory switches on the panel. Thanks guys

Stodge

I just bought one for my helm.  Plan to tie it to the cigarette lighter plug's power.  Planning to put one down below next to the cigarette lighter plug there too.  I thought of just switching over to USB only, but I have too many 12V devices that have cigarette lighter plugs.

Cableguy Greg

jme097 said:

How do you get the wires behind the panel? I may have not looked at mine good enough but I don't remember seeing where to get to panel? Just trying to run my seablaze underwater lights to the accessory switches on the panel. Thanks guys

I unscrewed the switch panel and ran the wires across. The boat is prewired for a swim light and a washdown pump. My boat had the swim light, but I wanted to add the Coastal Night Lights DS underwater lights, so I used the wires for the washdown pump. The wiring diagram for the 280 is on here... http://rinkerboats.vanillaforums.com/discussion/3038/280-ec-wiring-diagram#latest

It helps with finding the colors of the wires. The washdown pump wires terminated by the batteries and were zip tied to the harness. Here is a pic of my panel.

Cableguy Greg

Stodge said:

I just bought one for my helm.  Plan to tie it to the cigarette lighter plug's power.  Planning to put one down below next to the cigarette lighter plug there too.  I thought of just switching over to USB only, but I have too many 12V devices that have cigarette lighter plugs.

At the galley plug, I switched one of the two 12v plugs to a USB charger. I figured that 2 12V plugs was one too many. I was going to put the helm USB plug by the existing 12V outlet, but I decided against it because I keep my phone one the right side of the steering wheel. I didn't like the cord laying across the top of the wheel. I used these connectors to tie the two together.

jme097

Thanks Greg! I have the transom light on the boat. I bought 4 seablaze 3 underwater led's that im gonna install so I was just curious before I started the install

Cableguy Greg

The underwater light should be prewired to the area next to the rear of the fresh water tank. The factory installed light was on the port side of the transom.

MarkB

I wired my underwater light to my cockpit lights. Just took current off that circuit. It's been working no problem for 3 years.