SAE to Mini USB power cable - does it exist?

I know you can do SAE to cigarette lighter, and cigarette lighter to Mini USB; or SAE to Powerlet, and Powerlet to Mini USB, but is there something that skips the conversion in the middle?

I tried Googling for SAE straight to Mini USB but couldn't find anything!

Jim at Eastern Beaver http://www.easternbeaver.com will make up just about any cord you could want. If an SAE to mini-USB is possible, he will do it.

This would be pretty easy to do.

If you cut an SAE wire apart you'll have two wires: positive and negative.

If you cut a USB cable apart you'll have 4 wires: positive, ground, data+, data-

Connect the positives together and the negatives together then test with a voltmeter to make sure you hooked them up correctly. Make sure to slip on heat shrink tubing to make it look all nice and pretty.

The catch...
I assume you want to hook a USB device (phone/gps/etc) up to your SAE cable. Be forewarned... USB devices use 5v and your SAE cable will put out 12v. If you hook a 5v device to a 12v source, bye bye device. You'll need a voltage regulator to drop down to 5v. I also suggest using an inline fuse as a backup.

[image: View Post]DesignGoggles, on 21 March 2012 - 11:29 PM, said:

This would be pretty easy to do.

If you cut an SAE wire apart you'll have two wires: positive and negative.

If you cut a USB cable apart you'll have 4 wires: positive, ground, data+, data-

Connect the positives together and the negatives together then test with a voltmeter to make sure you hooked them up correctly. Make sure to slip on heat shrink tubing to make it look all nice and pretty.

The catch...
I assume you want to hook a USB device (phone/gps/etc) up to your SAE cable. Be forewarned... USB devices use 5v and your SAE cable will put out 12v. If you hook a 5v device to a 12v source, bye bye device. You'll need a voltage regulator to drop down to 5v. I also suggest using an inline fuse as a backup.

Yes, that's a pretty big catch.  Good way to make home-made fireworks though.

12V direct from your battery into a 5V device would be, shall we say, somewhat troublesome. :pissed:

Thanks guys. I totally forgot about the voltage difference between the two. I'm looking to connect my Garmin nüvi GPS, and it only has a Mini USB plug. Interestingly though the factory cable is cigarette lighter to Mini USB, so either that cable contains a voltage regulator built in or the device is auto-sensing from 5V DC to 12V DC (which I think is unlikely).

You're going to need a 5v dc/dc converter.  

Be aware that some devices (I know Garmin GPS for sure) will go directly into data mode if you just supply 5v.   The cigarette plug supplied with the device (again, Garmin I know) actually puts a small resistor across the data terminals or from the +DC to one of the other terminals to throw the device into power-up/recieve mode.   You will need to google the device you want to power to see what the requirements are for data mode versus use mode versus charge mode.

http://www.newark.co...w-5v/dp/72R3616
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Data Sheet:  http://www.murata-ps...er/oki-78sr.pdf


Edit: Garmin Nuvi Pinout example.... may or may not be your application.... do your own research....  http://pinouts.ru/GP...er_pinout.shtml



Also be aware that some off-the-shelf USB cables that you might buy with intent to hack to your needs do not have wires running to all the terminals.  You will need to make sure that the cable you want to hack has all the conductors you will ultimately need.
The easiest path would be to hack an existing Garmin car charger that you know works to wire it into your bike.

..... or put a cigarette lighter plug on your bike, like I did.

I cannibalized a very small cigarette socket-USB unit for my recent tank-mounted electronics project.  It was a Griffin PowerJolt, with a 2A output.  Stick a standard mini-USB cable in there and you're done.

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Ciao,

This might be an option:

http://www.twistedth...ctview/7224/90/

I can't speak to 5v vs. 12v, but I can't imagine the dudes that made it didn't take it into consideration.

I've used one of these before for a GPS. You can put an SAE end on the wires if you want, or go directly to the battery.
http://www.amazon.co...s00_i00_details

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I converted a ciggarete usb outlet to work from my powerlet plug/bmw style, if your willing to cut apart one and repackage it you can just soldier the leads to the correct end of the usb outlet.  I then shrink wrapped the whole thing.

These guys have quite a few options. I have several of their products on my bikes.

http://electricalcon...n/pplug-usb.htm

Here is one option.
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:pissed:    I actually cut up a spare converter to make one of these.  Who knew they were available off the shelf?

Glenn

[image: View Post]wera803, on 22 March 2012 - 10:08 AM, said:

I've used one of these before for a GPS. You can put an SAE end on the wires if you want, or go directly to the battery.
http://www.amazon.co...s00_i00_details

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[image: View Post]BonusVFR, on 22 March 2012 - 12:16 PM, said:

These guys have quite a few options. I have several of their products on my bikes.

http://electricalcon...n/pplug-usb.htm

Here is one option.
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That's what I've been looking for, thanks for the link.

[image: View Post]NorthernVFRDave, on 22 March 2012 - 10:00 PM, said:

That's what I've been looking for, thanks for the link.

Good company.  I may even put one of these on my Wing.

[image: View Post]NorthernVFRDave, on 22 March 2012 - 10:00 PM, said:

[image: View Post]BonusVFR, on 22 March 2012 - 12:16 PM, said:

These guys have quite a few options. I have several of their products on my bikes.

http://electricalcon...n/pplug-usb.htm

Here is one option.
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That's what I've been looking for, thanks for the link.
Me, too. The flush mount version. Thanks!

Your welcome.  I have two power plugs, two voltmeter setups, and a set of driving lights from EC....good stuff.

I have what you're looking for.
SAE in USB out in one small package (about the size of a thumb drive).
Contact me at 2001sportster@gmail.com for more information.