My cigar lighter is at the end of a 12 V cord which plugs into an accessory plug on the panel with a 90 degree male plug. The current at 12V is low and the cord to the cigar lighter is mostly hidden. The multi-output USB power supply then plugs into the cigar lighter, with both located inside the aluminum glove box. The 5V cord to the iPad then runs through a hole in the glove box to the left side of panel, hidden away so you can’t see it.
This seems to work fine, presumably the aluminum glove box shields any RF radiation adequately. I had no trouble in that regard, no matter which inexpensive USB power supply was used, the only trouble was finding one that supplied adequate 5V current to maintain the iPad at 100% charge, now long since resolved. I also like that I can easily unplug 12V power at any time.
All of the above cost next to nothing and more importantly can be updated without hassle for any future hardware update.
Harkwood USB charger
Has anyone installed one of these? It’s a fraction of the cost of the Garmin unit, which I was planning to install but just couldn’t stomach getting literally robbed blind for a part that costs nothing to make. Happy to see a European low-cost alternative.
They are great – highly recommended !
Note that they support somewhat less power.
The MidContinent True Blue power units are even more expensive than the Garmin GSB15, but with up to 60W or 100W (depending on the model) per port on USB-C PD, they can power even a laptop… if your alternator can provide that.
Is it really worth installing USB power in an aircraft?
We had some installed in our club aircraft recently. Great to have, now.
But I do wonder about the longevity of these things. We’ve had standards change from USB A, Mini USB, Micro USB, USB C along with 1.0, 2.0 3.0, 3.1. A whole range of charging possibilities such as Samsung Fast Adaptive Charging, Qualcom (various iterations), IQ, Power Delivery. Now the wattage is starting to be important.
How long before you have some ports permanently installed in the aircraft that are hopelessly outdated as our devices change to some new standard (USB D Nano 4.0 with superfast xenon charging anyone)?
dublinpilot wrote:
How long before you have some ports permanently installed in the aircraft that are hopelessly outdated as our devices change to some new standard (USB D Nano 4.0 with superfast xenon charging anyone)?
As long as there is downwards electric compatibility everything will be solved using the proper cable – male USB-A in one end and whatever in the other will go a long way. Of course you won’t be able to use the superfast xenon charging.
dublinpilot wrote:
How long before you have some ports permanently installed in the aircraft that are hopelessly outdated as our devices change to some new standard (USB D Nano 4.0 with superfast xenon charging anyone)?
I fully agree, which is why I’m not going to pay crazy prices for one. At this price, and installed in an instrument hole, it’s basically disposable.
An ipad shuts down pretty quickly anytime in the summer with sunshine on it when charging at 0.5A. Your chances of it running when charging at 2A plus are close to nil. The concept is intended for locating the nearest macdonalds 
I have the portable version, runs pilotaware (which needs a good supply for the raspberry to boot) and has been faultless over several years!
My automotive quality USB power supply sits inside the planes metal glovebox, velcro’d in place and powered by a permanent, fused and accessible 12V accessory plug on the panel. Cost next to nothing, cables are mostly hidden away, works well to power my iPad Mini and Stratus 2 (ADS-B IN) full time, and it’s replaceable in a few minutes with no paperwork. I’ve been using it for several years without issue but when my portables are updated someday I can make up something new to replace everything outboard of the 12V accessory plug, similarly at next to no cost.
