I've been looking on the web for info on this. Want to check before ordering so teaching out. I have searched the forum and picked up a few tips, but not yet confident to go ahead. Electrics confuse me more than mechanics ...

Below is what I plan to order(see photo). And this is the products note:

"Installation Note:  Come with adaptor. Directly plug into cigarette lighter power source harness on under dashboard panel. Black wire: Hook up to the negative."

Searching the web, it seems a matter of prising out the blank squares, unplugging any connectors present and plugging in the connector from the item. Is it as simple as that? What particular negative do I hook the item's black wire to?

Thanks in advance and all the best for 2025.

 

I think you’d be best removing the switch panel from the dash to do the job, although on the mk2.5 it’s a bit of a pain as you’ll need to remove the radio fascia first to access the screws. 
 

The blank panels don’t pop out that easily from the front Id say, plus each of the holes in the switch panel is slightly different to match groves/slots on the blanks or switches (assembly error-proofing) and you may need to trim either the opening in the switch panel or the back of your new USB housing. 
 

I’ve got one similar fitted in my dash mainly for the switch it came with but can’t remember the exact details on how I fitted it as it was some years ago. 
 

Failing any better suggestions I’d look at tapping into the feed for the dash switch backlighting - same as goes to the surround of the ciggy lighter socket below the switch panel if you have one. That’s connected with spade type terminals so you can tap off the orange connector with easily available spade crimp connectors. Negative off the main housing and positive from the piggybacked bulb holder on the side

 

@troy45 thanks for your input. My immediate takeaways:

A. Retrofitting is possible but not so simple (as I hoped).

B. I have taken the radio out before so can do so again. However, as I plan to upgrade it, probably best for me to tackle both things at the same time (fitting stereo upgrade and retrofit USB ports). That's a positive in organising the timing of the work.

C. Measure the blanks against the dimension diagrams of the USB port replacements to prepare.

D. Get a few crimp connectors.

FYR my cigarette lighter socket is not as convenient as the one above. Photo of similar to mine below. As you can imagine USB cables sticking up from a USB plug there can get a bit in the way of the gearstick, and look very messy sitting there too. 

what do you want the USB for ?  if just to charge a phone that might be possible - if you want to get music in to the headunit to make a noise - you need the later sound and connect BT module and wiring loom that also has USB in - if it hasn't got this nothing is going to happen

@Botus thanks yours. These would be charging ports only. I have have done a bit of reading and aware that it starts to get complicated to do more than that.

I have an aux-in socket in the glove compartment, if I want to plug in an secondary music input (usually listen to the radio though).

Ah, obviously I’m not familiar with all the combinations for where the 12V sockets are mounted. Ford in their wisdom put a start button there in my centre console 😅

Makes the job a bit more involved then. I’ve just realised that the illumination circuit to the power socket only works with headlamps or sidelights on, so if you still decided to use this method you’d need to feed from the 12V for the power socket itself. There may be other 12V supply’s kicking around but you’d need to find one then start cutting into the wiring to tap off to your USB.

Removing centre console topper is bit more involved to access your power socket but YouTube or posts on here are your friend, plus if the job in the dash got fiddly and you need to take out the ashtray the console topper needs to come off first to do that anyhow. 

@troy45 thanks for the follow up. I'm going to wait until I find the stereo I want then line up a couple of weekends to open up and familiarise, order and (hopefully) sort it. I might even have a go at the gear lever at the same time (want to see what I might be able to do with the bushings to firm up the gear feel in future). 

 

USB is 5v so any get up need to convert 12v - run one of the fusible things off one of the switched fuses on the GEM - its 2 foot away

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155211911025?

@Botus Thank you, that's a useful tip and link to a neat wiring solution. I've had the GEM out before so will look at that as probably easier than trying to wire back to the current cigarette socket (being placed so irritatingly near the gearstick). 

@Botus I also have a dash cam (gifted) to put in at some point and these connectors (your link) might be ideal to power it via the GEM (?)

Hi, I fitted two of these when I replaced my standard radio to an Xtrons unit.

The Xtrons units comes with an adapter that allowed me to feed a usb lead from the radio to the adapter and the adapter plugged straight into these USB units.

Very simple to fit, I just popped the exist blanks out of the dash, ran the leads through the hole left behind, plugged it in and popped the new switch back into the dash.

One is for charging the phone, I have not used it often, but is handy to have and the other one has a USB memory stick in it that connects to the radio for my music.

If I remember, the adapter was to take it from a USB to a USB C, I assume you could buy these, but mine came with one and I bought a second one.

 

Thanks

Martin

 

 

 

remove the shin panel 1 screw from memory to access the ciggy lighter, i swapped mine out for a dual usb unit that just screws straight in and picks up from the positive and negative lighter feeds

8 hours ago, Botus said:

USB is 5v so any get up need to convert 12v - run one of the fusible things off one of the switched fuses on the GEM - its 2 foot away

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155211911025?

I agree that’s the better option than dismantling the centre console etc plus the elephant in the room with my suggestion that would have given 12V for USB not 5V 🙈

@troy45 thanks. Good to have a consensus.

@Jimpster noted yours but do you have the same ciggy location (below)? What's the 'shin panel'?

 

no mines tucked in under and behind the gear lever, shin panel is the plastic bit that rubs the outside of your left leg, i checked today and yes its one screw.

looking at the pic of yours its easy to remove some of the centre console for access. If you have thin arms you nay be able to get up the side of the transmission tunnel

@Jimpster Thanks for the follow up. 'Shin' panel got it (named for a reason!) 😉

Cannot claim to be Spiderman with arm reach, but will see what I can do. Am going to tackle the whole lot in one go when I get round to it (including upgrading stereo) when I find the stereo (looking for right OEM one). 

Members have been very helpful and it gives me a good base to get stuck into the jobs.

I’ve had a couple of stereo upgrades - first was an Asure windows CE based unit that fitted into the standard oval fascia where I took the plunge and wired in a reverse camera at the same time.
 

Worked well enough until I decided to go to a larger screen version running on Android - Ownice brand off Aliexpress. Main difference with larger screen is no CD/DVD capability plus comes with a bespoke fascia that replaces the Ford one. Worked with my already installed reverse camera but had to swap to the GPS antenna supplied as my earlier one didn’t seem to work reliably with the new unit. 
 

My Focus came with factory USB etc so I’ve just run USB cable from head units to the connection in the console cubby box - Ford just use standard USB A to B cable for this anyway. 

@troy45 sounds like you have much more capability on the electric issues than me. My ambitions are lower, partly ability, but also the car is not the quietest so just want a more capable OEM stereo, better positioned charging outlets, a battery voltmeter. I have a camera which I might install once I get my head around it too. I don't have steering wheel voice or Bluetooth and probably not worth the effort of installing. Easier to get a second, quieter car if I need it to be an office.

Fair enough - they’ve been fairly straight forward upgrades but I do have fair experience with vehicle electrics for the wiring in fun and games.
 

Nice little extra with the android head unit it displays battery voltage at top of the screen where you’d have phone or BT signal bars etc. Think it’s by default rather than from a menu option but can’t remember exactly

@troy45 yes, that voltage reading is a nice touch. Also want a voltage meter, just pondering the solution that's easy and neat. A few ideas, will tackle when the weather improves.

@TDCI man if you’re going for an android head unit you can get the voltage through apps like Torque and maybe Forscan too.
 

Would need a Bluetooth OBD adaptor for some of those but my head unit did the voltage reading out of the box, picking up I expect through the CANBUS box the head unit came with 

21 hours ago, troy45 said:

@TDCI man if you’re going for an android head unit you can get the voltage through apps like Torque and maybe Forscan too.
 

Would need a Bluetooth OBD adaptor for some of those but my head unit did the voltage reading out of the box, picking up I expect through the CANBUS box the head unit came with 

the voltage at the diagnostic socket is not always correct - its correct for what is happening at the socket - but it can be 1 to 2 v less than some other systems on the car is getting....

@TDCI man Im fairly sure it’s what the car decides the battery voltage is through GEM and reported onto CANBUS, not a specific measurement at the OBD port. Similar or even jdentical to the voltage that would be shown if you use the test menu?

Not heard of different voltages on different systems before 

I'm reading from users that these 12v plug in voltage meters or similar are within 0.1 +/- of actual at the battery terminals. That's close enough for me.