HOW TO WIRE USB OUTLETS (In a Camper Van Conversion Electrical System) 

Lovin this series! i am a 66 yr old grandma of 2 who was going to farm out the electrical part of the build - but no more! Going to go shopping for some fun looking tools. Looking forward to next weeks video already. Thanks.

FINALLY! A 'how to' video that actually shows the 'how' component! Thank you so much for putting this together, the series looks to be unmissable for anyone setting out on a van build, or wanting to up their van building skills. Really looking forward to the next videos in the series.

Thank you so much for taking the time, to lay out this step by step demonstration. Extremely helpful!

This is the best series because u show the parts, tools and the process along with a bunch of tips. Thank you!

Love the series so far, just purchased wiring to pre wire prior to main build & scared of electrical- glad to have these videos 👍🙏

This step-by-step video makes your 12V Branch Circuit Guidebook come alive. It's just the right amount of information and explanation. Great job and thank you! I'm looking forward to your other 12V wiring presentations :-)

Very informative content giving me ideas for my camper van conversion

Very cool video this will help a lot of people you are very patient and clear talking through the steps. Enjoying the series.

Nate, your attention to detail and showing the audience exactly what you are doing and why is absolutely one of the best I have seen. You really have a gift for conveying information in such a pleasant and informative way. Keep up the good work.

Great video again, really loving the series. Am 7 months in waiting for a Transit, kind of self inflicted pain watching your videos as I just want to start build myself :0 Thanks again, Andy.

So, a lever nut is just a little terminal block. Great idea to have them in-line for add-on circuits, rather than home-run each circuit back to the fuse block. RU-vid should have a feedback button stronger than "Like". Love your videos!!!

Top notch videos. I've watched these kinds of videos for years but there's never enough detail for non-professionals. These deserve more views than some of the inferior videos that get hundreds of thousands/millions. I will seriously consider buying from you guys directly when I get to that point, if for no other reason than to support your efforts.

Thank u guys...very helpful from start to finish...gave me huge confidence to build the van myself...

The best channel on yt for diy van builds…amazing resource….

I know this is a older video. I just found the series and I'm loving it. I would like to add to what you are showing from a troubleshooting point of view, it's easier if your negative is in line with your positive. I.E. first fuse use the first negative spot. So if you start on one end your positive and you're negative wires are straight across from each other or at least in the same number of holes down.

Tabletop demonstration is 🔥

Best video I've seen on this subject, thank you!

Well done first class wiring

When we did our 2018 Ford Transit 250 conversion (completed a year ago), I was most stressed out about the wiring of the USB outlets and puck lights with dimmers. Once I finally completed all of that, I found out just how simple it really is. When people ask me about the wiring when they watch our van build series - I tell them that they should not overthink it, because in the end, it is just two wires - positive and negative - and some connectors. The dimmer for our two regions of ceiling puck lights was only a little tricky, because I had the wrong kind of dimmer. I ended up getting the same brand of lights (Acegoo) and dimmer and all was well. I run our whole setup with Ecoflow lithium all-in-ones (Delta 1300's and Delta Max), instead of the "traditional" 100Ah Battle Born setup. We do not really do winter camping, so I do not have to worry about keeping them warm - I just lift them out of the van and take them in our house. Another advantage is less gear - no charge controller,. inverter, MPPT, etc. because all of that gear is inside the Ecoflow units. Also, when at a national park campground with no shore power, I can easily carry one to a nearby campground bathroom and plug it in. The Ecoflows charge crazy fast and no NPS staff have ever cared. Just another option for powering a van - it works perfectly for us. I also have a 200W solar panel on top and tomorrow I am installing a Victron DC to DC charger to safely charge while driving. Without the Victron, if I wired directly to the alternator, I would quickly burn it up charging the Ecoflow units. Great series - excellent filming and editing that demonstrates the tasks without wasting viewers time with patting a dog or doing slo-mo coffee-making or having your wife "accidentally" walk by in a bikini! : ) Blessings!

Best channel on RU-vid 👍👍👍👍👍

Always great videos

Very helpful. Thanks 😎🍷🚍⚓️🇬🇧👍

Nice video bro you make it look like real easy thanks

You guys are amazing!!!

Love the simplicity of the video but you must practice/demonstrate safe electrical practices including, verification that power is removed prior to starting. Thanks for the series, love it

Just bought our van, but no USB sockets. This video has given me the confidence to have a go myself. Thank you!

New to this. You guys are great. I am learning from start to finish. I do not know anything about Instant gram...yet. Just got a 2022 170 3500. I will be following you Thanks

Great video! UK viewer!

I learned something today, I was unaware of lever nuts. Thanks :). I was a bit surprised that you decided to go with USB instead of 12v power outlets.

Fantastic!

👍👍Good info guys.

On one of your older videos you recommended installing 12v sockets instead of usb ports because of the speed technology advances. I'm glad I did that, because I found a 12v adapter that powers my laptop. And also because I've changed other divices to usb-c. Is there a reason now to install as usb ports? EDITED -- I just reached the end of the video -- you installed both. Also, LEVERNUTS ARE THE BEST!!! I so enjoyed installing them. 😁

Nate cleaver use of the box wrench to put wire loom on! Was no one else impressed by that trick?!?

Great videos y'all! I am learning so much from your tutorials. I see you are using 16 ga wire to run to your pucklights, but am wondering what ga you are running from the battery to the fuse block? Thanks and I love this channel!

Awesome intel. 👍

Hey. Thanks for USB video. Had Your consider two things. DC/DC converters are usually somehow switch regulated and that for cabable be reason for RFI. As HAM radio operator always be bit conserned. Another item is had your thinked USB-C. Those are increasing brand - and offer bit more power as ordinary A-type.

Nate, I realize this video is a year old, but I’ve just seen it for the first time and have a question: Is it just a trick of the eye where it looks like your initial wires going from the fuse block out to the outlets are reversed? That is, it looks like the red wire is going to the negative buss bar and the black is going to the positive side. Thanks for all the great videos, they’re really inspirational.

Love these videos as they are clear and concise. Can you tell me what gauge wire you recommend from the battery to the fuse board. Appreciate different distances but say 3-4 feet from the battery? Thanks

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

First off great series. Like others I will now tackle the install myself. I’m looking for some specific advice how can I contact you one on one.

Is there a video explaining / sourcing the the fuse block? Thanks!

Nice 1 guys

Do you happen to have a guidebook or video showing how to wire a USB-C jack?

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been so frustrated with trying to learn how to wire 12v and how to daisy chain.

Hey Nate love all your videos you are the only 2 people I will follow for our van build(when we finally buy a van) just a couple of questions... Q1I heard Installing a cigarette socket is a better idea than usb because you can get USB adapters to slot in making it more versatile and because they can be updated also it doesn't constantly drain the battery. Is this true? Q2. Also could I install a USB c adapter or does it have to be the usual USB outlet Thanks for your help

Thanks Nate, Retired electrician here with very little 12V experience and no solar at all... Currently 3 mos into a cargo/camper conversion and wish I'd found you last January! Planning on paralleling 90AH battery and Aux from car to a 6 ckt 12V fuse block. 120V shore pwr runs a 3amp trickle charger to a 5amp fuse. Solar ctl panel to a 10amp fuse. 12V lighter sockets, USB jacks, lighting and radio/DVD player all fused accordingly. WHY CAN'T I USE A 20A SPEC GRADE 2 POLE SWITCH FOR THE SOLAR DISCONNECT? 100watts @ 16V is a little over 6 amps...

Hi great vids, thank you. Is there a reason you use seperate red and black wires rather than two in one outer sleeve( ithink you in the U.S call it 12 2 cable)? Thanks in advance

really useful. the lever nuts look like a worthwhile purchase. will you have any 12v items that require separate switches installed? water pump, heater, that kind of thing?

Hi, Do you have a video how to program Victron DC to DC 30amp charger?

Should i use the watt rating on the solar panels to calculate the how many panels the inverter can handle. Or the volts x amps? (This number is a little higher than the stated watts)

Really been enjoying your videos. We have usb outlets in our van put in by winnebago. We've slowly been changing things to our personal preference. Question for you, when we plug in our phone charging cable to the usb immediately i hear a high pitched sound coming from the usb outlet. But when its unplugged there is no such noise. Any ideas? The wire by itself or plugged into phone makes the noise.

Are these outlets wired in parallel? Also, how do you calculate what wire gauge to use when you don't know what appliances will be plugged in? Do the outlets come with a rating like "rated to 5 amps" so you can calculate wire gauge using wire length and maximum amps? Thanks!

This may be a dumb question, but I see you attached the hot and ground to opposite ends of the bus bars. I have all my circuits wired next to each other (don’t worry, no fuses yet). Do I need to switch them?

I have a VERY important question. Where can I get that shirt Nate is wearing in the intro. Cut, Strip, crimp, heat shrink. I love it!!!

Great video!! Can you integrate how to connect a toggle switch to a circuit like that just in case you want to power those outlets down and turn on when needed?

Great video. I was wondering if you or any of your viewers could help. I just installed a 4-piece set. one display that shows voltage. One is an on/off switch. One is a cigarette lighter style, and one is two usb. My problem is when I plug in my phone, I'm getting 6 to 8 hr charge times. I have a 10 amp fuse and plenty of battery. The only thing I can think of is the factory wiring is too small. If I rip it all out and replace with 16 gauge will that give me a faster charging time? Any ideas?

Awesome videos! I’m using it as a base to build my live-aboard sailboat. I want to only have 12v DC onboard. Running DC appliances with many different voltages are becoming a bit of a headache. Shavers, laptops, CCTV cameras, raspberry PI, WiFi etc. are all running at different voltages from 8 - 20v DC. Have you find an efficient way to step down and step up DC voltages in a 12v DC system? XY-SK 80 adjustable power supply is the closest solution I could find but it’s cumbersome to set up. Keep up the awesome videos!

*Check out the full electrical installation tutorial for this build:* ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-E5q7_4FH4LQ.html Want to see these USB Outlets actually wired and Installed into the walls of the van? Check this one out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cf2BjQxMKDI.html *Resources mentioned in this video:* ➤ USB Outlet Wiring Kit: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/camper-wiring-kits/branch-circuit-wiring-kits/12v-usb-outlet-branch-circuit-wiring-kit/ ➤ 12V Branch Circuit Guidebook: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/solar-wiring-diagrams/12v-branch-circuits/ This is the specific 12V USB Outlet we used, but it looks like it's sold out/discontinued: amzn.to/3xYDdKU Our wiring kit will work with pretty much any of the other hard-wired USB outlets found here: amzn.to/3A4Ae6p ➤Shop the EXPLORIST.life Store: shop.explorist.life ➤Shop Battle Born Batteries: battlebornbatteries.com?afmc=explorist_bb67 ➤Binge the Transit Van Build: ru-vid.com/group/PLmvhcyi4n0TVfA4XCYJBkzfUXunSON1zX

Great video as always. Complete beginner question. How do you fasten the USB outlet to the wall? They all have the plastic tightening nut on the back, but how are you suppose to tighten it when the walls are up and you don't have access behind the wall? What am I missing. Thanks

Hi there, I thought in a previous video you recommended not hardwiring USB outlets so if the technology changed, such as with USB C, You could easily swap out the USB A outlet shown in this video with a USB C outlet? Thank you for your helpful videos!

My solar panels have a couple of voltage ratings on them. They are…. Open circuit voltage & voltage at PMax. Which voltage number should I use to Calculate the panel wiring configuration? There are also 2 amp ratings (short circuit current and current at PMax) which amp rating should i use to calculate my solar panel lay out?

Hey, at what rate do the usbs charge? Also can this be done to provide a fast charging usb c? Thanks

heya, can you add a switch to this series? also can i have 5 x 15w usb connected in the same way together? will the 12v supply be split between all of them? this is what my USB ports say - Output voltage: 5V - Output current: 2A - Max. 15W power consumption, consider when selecting suitable drive Thanks so much!

Great video! Can you link the outlets used? EDIT: I took the time to read all they way down and I read your edit! Thanks IF you are looking for the outlets they used just keep scrolling.

It's totally OCD, but I would have to put the negative in the terminal directly opposite where the positive was! that way it is easy to know which is which when the board is fully populated. like I say, either works but for a fully neat job and a good dose of OCD....

I love you Yanks...

Newb question... um how do I wire the input source. It's threaded and but it doesn't look like it uses a screwdriver. I'm kind of stuck on step one. lol

I'm not sure if you have any kids but just in case, Happy Mothers Day and have a great one.

Are you going to reroute the factory wiring harness? If so, I would love to see a video around this topic. If not, what was the decision process around leaving it?

What about dealing with voltage drop? Is that not an issue in this case? I found these usb fast charging ports I would love to use on my van, but they generate 90w max and already have 16 gauge wires attached. My run will be about 20ft and if I added 4 of them, that would be about 30amps at full use which I'd need 10 gauge, right? I am not sure how I should wire these up. If I make a single circuit for each one, the 16 gauge wire will have too much voltage drop. I'd appreciate any help.

On the fuse block, how come you didnt put the black wire across from the red wire? Isnt it more manageable that way as opposed to opposite ends?

Love the videos, do you or have you worked or designed 50 amp services with the milultiplus 2. All the pieces should be in the mail coming my way but had a few questions about my existing inverter. It is only dedicated to the fridge, has its own breaker in the junction book and fridge wires go straight to inverter bypassing the junction box. My question is should I just leave it or require all of that into the multiplus. Sorry for the long post

Does the kit come with usb outlets? I don’t see that in the parts included. I’d also like the ones with no lights but where can I get them?

What are your thoughts about tinning the end of the wires. Do you think it would make a better connection?

I feel like you covered this in another video, but I'm wondering why the wires from the Wago's to the USB connectors are only 2 to 3 inches long? Any particular reasoning for that?

I was searching your store for the USB outlets, but you don't seem to have them. Do you have a link for this product?

I saw your wiring kit in your shop but it does not include the 12v usb outlets themselves. Do you have a link to those?

Hi Nate. Awesome information, especially since I'm about to start the wiring in my build. My question is about wire size because the usb sockets I purchased came pre-wired with 20 gauge wire. Is it ok to connect straight into that wire with a 14 gauge?

Nice. what do you think about soldering? all these lever nuts can add up, and are cumbersome. what's easier than soldering cables and parts? cheap (nearly free) , very secure, and in the rare case you need to open or redo stuff, the soldering iron is your friend. what's your opinion?

If you only have one circuit, why do you need any lever nuts? Just wire the fuse panel directly to the USB port with spade connectors?

I thought you didn’t like usb dedicated and recommended the 12v open plug?

Great video. Please can I ask. I want to add another USB port to my fuse board. With battery and everything connected do I add the red live cable into fuse board first or do I add the black cable to the earth point first. Or does it not matter. Want to do this safely thanks

what is the point f using a lever nut if you are only connecting one USB outlet? Why not just wire direct fuse block to USB?

Do you have to unscrew the box off the wall to change the fuses??

Hey Nate, which software tool do you use to create your wiring diagrams?

Hey Nate. Is there a reason why the third USB port has a levernut? Could it also be connected directly to the positive and negative wire leading from the second USB port?

Would it matter if you used a 3 conductor lever nut instead of a 2 conductor on the last outlet?

Do you have any more information on the "Lever Nuts?"

A comment / warning. 2014 I was installing a new sailing boat. Also there should be some USB chargers. So ordered them online - somewhere on Amazon - if I remember right. Later I measured their idle current - some 60 - 80mA. That seems a lot so I decided to insert a switch. For me this should go with much less. I recommend to test them before installing. Otherwise they eat up your battery soon.

No mention of the power of those chargers? The latest phones & tables require big power to even charge now days. Those are usb type A connectors. Do you have an option for USB 4.8A chargers? As well as supporting PD 3.0 and QC 3.0 specs? What about type c connectors since most device want that these days.

1. What is the best way to check the system is working properly? I understand to follow to owners manual but since I have followed a plan of yours I was wondering if you have specific numbers and or a video? ( 3000w INVERTER | 400-600Ah | 400 TO 1200W SOLAR -CAMPER SOLAR KIT) 2. 110v in fuse box does not have power, how to trouble shoot? The inverter is not putting out power where the triplex wire is hooked up going to the fuse box but everything has a correct reading. 3. How to test shore power? (Without having a shore power wire to plug into van) 4. I have purchased some cheap “5 pin Halo switches” i am hoping to use them as a three way switch, do you know if this is possible? If so do you have a diagram or can you explain how to wire it? They have 5 wires(common,positive, negative, normal open, and Normal closed) 5. Do you know specific brand or switch that looks like “5 pin halo switch” that is meant to be used as a 3 way switch. 6. There extra positive wire for BMV monitor that goes into the b2 terminal, does it need to go to battery bank for extra battery monitoring?

Why my usb glowing even I didn’t plug fuse in yet 😅

How can you have a problem with lights in your USB charger. I sleep with my eyes closed or is that only an Australian thing

Question... would it be worth it to NOT wire in USB ports, and just buy a USB included 120v outlet, if you're already including 120v outlets? Is there ANY GOOD reason NOT to do that, and just have the USB outlets on the 12v circuit, as shown here? I mean, i know that USB 120v outlets are pretty expensive, but if you're only including a total of 4 or 6 USB plugs, besides what you replace your cigarette lighter(s) with, unless you ACTUALLY use your cigarette lighter for something, then that would likely eliminate a little bit of wiring that you would normally have to do...

What is fuse rating? Thanks

Did you lizard skin the interior?

Wouldn't it be easier just to solder the wires than heatsink them?

Are the USB all the same and are they old slow 1.5 watt where can I get USB quick charge and USB type C charge ports my tablets can't be charged with the fast charge or type C my fitbit watch won't charge on the slow or USB type C my phone takes too long to charge from the slow and can create a dangerous situation I was with my sister in her vehicle my phone was almost dead so I plugged it in to her built in USB slow charge because I was going home afterwards a 2 hour drive and I need a phone incase I have problems or come across someone who needs help our running around took over 3 hrs with my phone plugged in and off all the time afterwards I headed home 15 minutes later just after I left the big city my phone made it's dieing sound and shut off great almost 2 hours to go and no phone it's almost impossible to find a Type C quick charge for the auxiliary plug in also I looking at going solar and one utuber made sense when he said it's wasteful to go from 12 volts DC to 120 volts AC and back down to 5 volts DC or even 12 volts for our cpap machines so I'm going to put 12 volt DC by our bedside and our chairs to charge our phones and tablets and power our cpap machines so I'd like to find a reasonable price type C plug in

I just couldn’t trust those little clamps on those wire connectors. It seems as if the mechanism cannot provide ample enough clamping power, and also will those clamps wear out and loose clamping capabilities over time.

I won’t put the liver nuts less connector better