5v USB outlet for Letric XP

sed6

sed6

Active Member
Anyone found a way to add a USB charge port to our bikes?

I have an idea; 60v to 5v step down converter with a USB plug for your phone that draws power from the headlight plug. About the size of a cigarette lighter. Any interest?

I'm going to make a few once the parts arrive and I'll show them off then.

If there is interest I can make them and sell them to you all for about $10 shipped!
 
Sed6, I thought about your idea for a while and want to offer an opinion.

Running a gps on a phone and having the display on all the time can drain the phone battery pretty fast. The big advantage to your idea is that it would be super convenient to just have a plug that’s permanently installed on the bike and is always ready to go.

However I wonder if a disadvantage (I have little knowledge on this so take this with a huge grain of salt) would be that you’re adding another point of failure to the ebike. The failure could be adding some kind of port that water can access and cause corrosion or maybe a short in the circuit that can cause the ebike to not function.

Personally, I think I would prefer to utilize a portable power bank to charge a phone and/or power another usb device such as a usb light or something. Power banks are pretty inexpensive on Amazon and usually have at least 2 USB ports. Some even come with quick-charge capabilities if your phone supports that feature. If it breaks or gets misplaced, a replacement power bank can be shipped in days.

Anyways, just my 2 cents. If you decide to make this mod on your bike, I would love to see pictures!
 
Teaser, stayed tuned...


20200808_181731.jpg
 
Question for you: Where are you planning on attaching this to? Will you need to splice into wires? Would be nice to be able to couple into an existing wire and not make a permanent cut.
 
I had good success! A little snip here and some solder there and you have a 48v to 5v USB jack for all your charging pleasure.

20200810_225433.jpg

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I'm waiting for the proper size shrink wrap, until then I gave it a few wraps of electrical tape.

Obviously it ties into the headlight circuit, as such no juice to the USB unless the headlight is on. A small compromise IMO.

Hope you like!
 
I had a similar idea, but set mine up for 12v into a cigarette lighter outlet so I could plug in my Garmin GPS. This also allows ubiquitous USB car charger plugs to be used, as well as any other 12v-based device.

I used a 60v buck converter ($10.99 from Amazon) adjusted to 13.6v, and made a mounting plate that I fastened to the forward support of the rear bike rack. The input of the buck converter is connected through a fuse to the adapter tap I have inserted between the Dean's plugs that connects the bike's battery connector. This way no permanent changes are made to to the bike wiring.

The adapter is just a male and female Dean's connected back to back with wires coming off the junctions. If you remove the 4 screws holding the battery connector to the bike frame, you'll find a Dean's connection about 6" from the connector. (This is how I connect my spare battery that's mounted in a metal box on the rear bike rack.)

I also considered using the headlight output, but didn't want to have to turn the headlight on to power the buck converter. If, for some reason, I don't want the 12v buss energized, I can simply pull the fuse, otherwise it's "on" whenever the battery is turned on.

IMG_1168.JPG
 
I have a simpler way that works great for the "non-mechanical" people that still want to power a phone or light or whatever. Just buy one of those mini bike frame bags with two side pouches and a top pouch for your phone and slide a power bank into one of the side pouches. Not as fun as tweaking your bike to make it your own but a really easy way that anyone can use to add a power point to their bike.
 

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Kimbo said:
I have a simpler way that works great for the "non-mechanical" people that still want to power a phone or light or whatever. Just buy one of those mini bike frame bags with two side pouches and a top pouch for your phone and slide a power bank into one of the side pouches. Not as fun as tweaking your bike to make it your own but a really easy way that anyone can use to add a power point to their bike.
Click to expand...
Fine idea. But definitely not simpler. Perhaps you misunderstood. Mine you plug into the headlight and forget until you need power. Then grab your charge cable and plug it into the GIANT battery you're sitting on. Easy peasy.

My next version will not require the headlight switch to be used. It'll be 5v direct from the battery that works without your key even. Again it'll be plug play like this one.
 
I just keep a back up power pak in my Rock Bros just in case my phone needs a charge. However, most of my rides are an hour or less so I havent required the charger. I am seeing more and more Ebikes on my morning rides these days. Mostly old guys like me!
 
SED6, if your next version will adapt into the Dean's plug between the battery and bike circuitry rather than the headlight plug, won't the key still be needed to activate it? On my XP, power doesn't get out of the battery unless the key is on... (Otherwise you'd have to open the battery case to connect your gadget upstream from the switch... and that would definitely be neither easy nor convenient!)

I also considered using an external (12v) power pack to run my Garmin GPS, but went with the 12v buck converter off the bike's power. Not simpler or easier, I agree, but for me much more convenient and versatile. And it's always available (when the key is turned on ;)), unlike a power bank I forgot to bring or failed to charge. With the wide array of automotive gadgets that plug into the lighter socket (including USB chargers) it made more sense to me than a 5v system that's pretty much limited to USB charging. Besides, I like to tinker, tweak, modify and improve things...

But if all one needs is 5v USB charging, your gadget makes sense and is a simple solution. Anyone concerned about the headlight being on while charging could just unplug it!
 
I’m becoming a fan of “simpler is better.” I use a tap directly off the battery power out wires. A proper StVZO headlamp that operates on a range of voltages works best for me. 6-85V Input Range, and StVZO

DB6858D8-2248-4718-8AD9-B84CB8455A1E.jpeg
I’m


59728834-4990-4835-A7D9-41389DCEFDF9.jpeg
 
Is Lectric using Anderson PowerPoles to connect the 5-blade battery connector to the bike circuitry now? My XP - which is less than a year old - uses Dean's!
 
Solarman said:
Is Lectric using Anderson PowerPoles to connect the 5-blade battery connector to the bike circuitry now? My XP - which is less than a year old - uses Dean's!
Click to expand...
Sheesh! Shown as an example. The same can be done with Dean's!
 
sed6 said:
Fine idea. But definitely not simpler. Perhaps you misunderstood. Mine you plug into the headlight and forget until you need power. Then grab your charge cable and plug it into the GIANT battery you're sitting on. Easy peasy.

My next version will not require the headlight switch to be used. It'll be 5v direct from the battery that works without your key even. Again it'll be plug play like this one.
Click to expand...

I prefer your original idea, that way you have control of the buck converter input right at your fingertips. You could add a switch to the headlight so if you didn't want to run the headlamp but wanted the USB for say a music player you would turn off the "manual override" switch that feeds the headlight, still allowing for fingertip control of the usb.

BTW, where did you get the fe/male connectors for the headlight? I replaced mine with a cheap, brighter, 4 LED I got on Amazon and used the one in the stock LED for the new light. I'd like to restore the pigtail on the original light.
 
Last edited:
JoyRider said:
I prefer your original idea, that way you have control of the buck converter input right at your fingertips. You could add a switch to the headlight so if you didn't want to run the headlamp but wanted the USB for say a music player you would turn off the "manual override" switch that feeds the headlight, still allowing for fingertip control of the usb.

BTW, where did you get the fe/male connectors for the headlight? I replaced mine with a cheap, brighter, 4 LED I got on Amazon and used the one in the stock LED for the new light. I'd like to restore the pigtail on the original light.
Click to expand...

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