Good morning, new member here. Just bought my 2017 XLT and already added Husky mats, ordered the Metra dash kit etc.

Looking to add USB ports for extra charging ports, and would like to figure out if it’s possible to make the 12v ports/usb continuous power? I carry a work tablet around and need constant power to keep it charged.

Thanks in advance.

 

Can't help on the USB ports, but follow this for the 12volt outlets.
Its a relatively easy mode to the fuse box under the hood.

https://www.f150forum.com/f118/i-now...24-7-a-337920/

 

let me make sure I'm reading your post right.

you want to add usb ports for charging only and you want to make them to be continuous power.

As long as you aren't trying to tie them to the SYNC system usb port that is also data connection for your phone or thumbstick etc - then easy peasy.

I would however start by trying to talk you out of doing constant on power. IE as if it was directly tied to the battery. Few reasons - one is the BCM system that monitors the output and charge rate of the battery. It is calibrated for the power system and it's current controls of shutting down unnecessary load to preserve the battery. By adding something that is constant on - regardless of the engine state or even accessory power state - you subvert that system.

If you are on a work site and leaving say a tablet plugged in for some 4 hours or more I would tell you to seriously consider one of those 10,000 or some Ahr portable charging devices - and having that to carry the tablet while the truck is off. It adds versatility.

after that however I would get 2 of the 2 port, 12 v to usb adapters that show capability for up to 5 amps. Anker makes one I know - it's what I have in my car right now. There are now some that internally support the qualcomm fast charge 3.0 - so they can supply up to 20v to a device that can use it. If you have apple products this might not matter so much.

But if you are planning on mounting the ports somewhere as if it's installed that way - lots more work. Otherwise you install a new cigarette lighter port or 2, wire those to the fuse panel like in that thread provided using the extra slots - which will be setup of keyed accessory power - thus key on, power available. Then plug the usb adapters into those. I'd even put them in the center console if you have that - or I would run the lines under the dash board and put them under the glove box if you don't have the console.

This way when you leave and shut down the truck - the BCM system will act as normal and will preserve the battery - when you get back in and start up you will have power supplied. Running the USB converters separately gives them each access to full 12V power - so they can supply full USB power to your devices.

And like I said I would look into one of those battery charge blocks for your tablets to keep them up when the truck is off. some even are made to power 2 devices at a time.

 

I’m not on a worksite. I work in sales and leave my tablet in my truck while not using it. My 07 has constant power and my tablet stayed charged anytime I wasn’t using it. Would like the same thing in my 2017.

 

been a while since I looked but is one of the outlets still constant power.

I mean I remember on the older models I think they wired one of the power points to be always hot. and the other accessory only

don't know if that's still a normal thing.

 

If its a 2015 and newer forget what you know about the 12volt outlets. 2015 and newer all stay on for a short period after you shut the truck off, the BCM takes care of that. I want to say its a 15 minute delay. You can extend the time out using software called Forscan, even with that set to a longer time period, if the Battery Management system decides your trucks battery is low, it will still shut off the outlets.

If you want to have one of the 12 volt outlets hot all the time, you have to make the modification in the fuse box under the hood that I gave the link for. All you are doing is installing a jumper with a fuse in it, it bypasses the relay control for that 12 volt outlet.
That's what I did with mine, nothing like charging your phone while your away and coming back to a phone that is not much better than when you left it. I use the 12 volt outlet for charging since I can get the high output charger for my phone. I only modified one of them to be on all the time.
All my old trucks had full time 12 volt outlets, the big difference is these newer trucks have so much more electronics, so more drain on the battery.
I would not depend on the USB ports in the truck to charge anything.

Of course if your talking of adding extra USB ports to the truck that's a different thing. I would hot up one of the 12 volt outlets full time and wire the USB port off that wiring, then its hot all the time.

 

So even going the forscan route may not keep them hot? even a couple hours not will be better than zero.

The extra usb’s would be nice so I don’t have to carry extra charging plugs with me etc. example - where the solo USB port is for sync, it would be nice if there were 2 usbs there etc. would be nice if I had a USB port or 2 for the backseat, aside from buying a usb plug for the socket etc.

Hope that makes sense.

 

No, the Forscan route is a toss up, one time it will work and chances are when you most need it, it won't. It all comes back to the state of your truck battery. That's why I did the modification instead.
Don't know which USB hub you have, but the one I have has two USB ports on it. I have one plugged in with a USB flash drive with music, the other if I plug in for Android Auto. Otherwise I do all my charging via the 12 volt outlet. The plug I have for that has two outputs, one quick, one standard.
This is the plug I got, works great, getting near a year old.
Anker Quick Charge 3.0 42W Dual USB Car Charger

 

Thanks for all the info. My Sync port has 1 usb slot, I am upgrading the factory radio to a Pioneer 4200nex with the Metra Turbo Touch dash kit. Just waiting on the dash kit to arrive, hopefully it’ll be here Saturday. Amazon has me spoiled with 2 day or faster shipping.

 

I know that feeling, I have even used the free 1 day a couple of times. I feel for the local stores, but 90 percent of the time they don't have what I want in stock.

Livoniabob is the guy to ask about the 12 volt outlets, he is the one that came up with the jumper solution to heat it up all the time. He uses the small portable refridgerators in his truck when he travels, only killed the battery once so far. I haven't had any bad effects with mine either, I have both a fridge and charging the phones when traveling.