Announcement

**m3f_BMVV_E36M_3a5659be53** · 03-17-2011, 03:48 AM

What I did to charge my iphone: bought a cigarette lighter ipod charger, cut the cigarette lighter plug portion off. Took the obc out, then the cigarette lighter/sun-glass tray. Then I pulled off the two connectors that hook up to power the cigarette lighter, tapped in my ipod charger. Pulled the ipod charger connector around the sunglass tray through the hole located in the sunglass tray.

It looks very stealthy and it retracts by itself. No messy wires and it allows me to charge my ipod even if the car is parked overnight. It also still allows you to use the cigarette lighter if you needed it.

You could do the exact same thing with your phone charger.

I really like the results, hate messy wires around the shifter area.

**m3f_daytonavio_5b5738d1ba** · 03-17-2011, 03:50 AM

Perhaps you can just disassemble your current cell phone cigarette charger. The part that plugs into the cigarette outlet usually has a built in voltage and current regulator which is specific for your phone. Just tap into a 12v source in your car and hard wire to to the disassembled cigarette phone charger. Important thing is to utilize the existing regulator and perhaps add a fuse.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**m3f_eatsleepla_cd8297af17** · 03-17-2011, 10:42 AM

What I did to charge my iphone: bought a cigarette lighter ipod charger, cut the cigarette lighter plug portion off. Took the obc out, then the cigarette lighter/sun-glass tray. Then I pulled off the two connectors that hook up to power the cigarette lighter, tapped in my ipod charger. Pulled the ipod charger connector around the sunglass tray through the hole located in the sunglass tray.

It looks very stealthy and it retracts by itself. No messy wires and it allows me to charge my ipod even if the car is parked overnight. It also still allows you to use the cigarette lighter if you needed it.

You could do the exact same thing with your phone charger.

I really like the results, hate messy wires around the shifter area.

you just cut the cigarette portion off, but don't you need the voltage/ current regulator as the next post states. I'm pretty sure your phones not supposed to receive 12V straight up, and that the charger adapts that current.

Perhaps you can just disassemble your current cell phone cigarette charger. The part that plugs into the cigarette outlet usually has a built in voltage and current regulator which is specific for your phone. Just tap into a 12v source in your car and hard wire to to the disassembled cigarette phone charger. Important thing is to utilize the existing regulator and perhaps add a fuse.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**m3f_roarE36M3_c861262699** · 03-17-2011, 10:53 AM

http://www.bavauto.com/assets/imglib500/82110004075.jpg

**m3f_eatsleepla_cd8297af17** · 03-17-2011, 06:37 PM

http://www.bavauto.com/assets/imglib500/82110004075.jpg

i want to hardwire it, i don't want to take my flashlights spot. ive seen that and everyone posts it as if it is a solution, but its not a solution to my question (no offense). that is a halfa$$ solution to the "I dont want to use my cigarette lighter problem, but thats not my problem. i want to hard wire, thats just moving the cigarette lighter plug to a different spot

**m3f_BMVV_E36M_3a5659be53** · 03-17-2011, 09:43 PM

you just cut the cigarette portion off, but don't you need the voltage/ current regulator as the next post states. I'm pretty sure your phones not supposed to receive 12V straight up, and that the charger adapts that current.

My bad, what I did was take apart the cigarette lighter plug. I didn't just chop it up and throw it away. Then I just attached the two ends at the bottom as if you were to just have it plugged in from the top.

**m3f_eatsleepla_cd8297af17** · 03-18-2011, 01:55 AM

My bad, what I did was take apart the cigarette lighter plug. I didn't just chop it up and throw it away. Then I just attached the two ends at the bottom as if you were to just have it plugged in from the top.

I'm not follow you but here is what i ended up doing. After trying to get a USB hub installed, then accomplishing that, then realizing the usb hub only allows data and a minuscule amount of power to pass through, i ended up scrapping that whole idea.

Then i took my current car cellphone charger and snapped the cigarette lighter male portion of it open. i noticed there was a spring which went to the button on the tip (power) and then the side prongs are ground. I snipped the spring and button off, the soldered the a stranded wire to that point on the circuit board. Then i cut off the side wing-prong things and soldered a ground wire to it. Then i used wire taps to tap into the OEM cellphone harness located under the cupholders in the center console. Much better than using the cigarette lighter and is clean.

Next project, tap into something behind the OBC or in that general vicinity to run an ipod power cord out the hole in the sunglasses tray with my ipod cord. anyone know of a good place to tap in in that area?

**m3f_eatsleepla_cd8297af17** · 03-18-2011, 10:59 AM

Next project, tap into something behind the OBC or in that general vicinity to run an ipod power cord out the hole in the sunglasses tray with my ipod cord. anyone know of a good place to tap in in that area?

:bump:

**m3f_roarE36M3_c861262699** · 03-18-2011, 12:16 PM

understandable... gonna suck when u have to do it all over again when u get a new cell phone in a year or 2.

**m3f_M3_ATW_ee160d765f** · 03-18-2011, 12:56 PM

I installed a new cigarette adapter in my glovebox, hardwired it into the line that is for charging the flashlight. (I didn't take up the spot for the flashlight like that BMW accessory posted above)

I plug in my iphone charger in there, and can run the cord out of the glovebox while its closed. Works pretty well.

**m3f_eatsleepla_cd8297af17** · 03-18-2011, 04:30 PM

understandable... gonna suck when u have to do it all over again when u get a new cell phone in a year or 2.

not at all. First of all micro-usb is the new standard for cellphones and will be for some time. second, with the wire taps in place the hardest part will be taking the glovebox out which takes 2 minutes after the first time. To solder the wires onto the cigarette lighter was easy, it took only as long as it takes for the soldering iron to heat up. By the time that heated up i had the cigarette lighter all ready. I'm gonna wire up another one today, prob take around 20 minutes total

**m3f_Drewguy** · 03-18-2011, 04:55 PM

Maybe I am missing something, but I have been pretty happy with my Belkin USB Car Charger (http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=500201). I keep the USB/iPhone cable in the glove box when I am not using it and the charger is always in the socket in front of the shifter. The USB port sits almost flush, so it isn't in the way at all. The other benefit is that I can use the USB/iPhone cable to connect to any USB port to charge my phone.

**m3f_eatsleepla_cd8297af17** · 03-18-2011, 05:18 PM

Maybe I am missing something, but I have been pretty happy with my Belkin USB Car Charger (http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=500201). I keep the USB/iPhone cable in the glove box when I am not using it and the charger is always in the socket in front of the shifter. The USB port sits almost flush, so it isn't in the way at all. The other benefit is that I can use the USB/iPhone cable to connect to any USB port to charge my phone.

I want to eliminate any cords around my shifter and make it clean. What you posted is basically an interchangeable cigarette lighter, which is cool, but do to the poor placement of the socket its not ideal

**m3f_HfAsianInv_73f2b69b9c** · 03-18-2011, 07:22 PM

Just slide one of those inductive charging pads into your seat cushion.

Announcement

Hardwire a cellphone charger?

Hardwire a cellphone charger?

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment