Reasonably Priced USB-C Outlet

[Flybyjim]

Try SteinAir for the ports

[desertdave]

A quick update for those who are purchasing newer iPads that need a USB-C. This Molex USB-C outlet has the capacity to run my iPad and charge its battery at the same time. Definitely a worthwhile purchase.

[umberto.orlandi]

Thanks for the update. Any news about possible noise in the radio headset?

[desertdave]

No noise so far. It has been a good purchase.

[Av8r_Sed]

I hope nobody is actively looking for one of these nice Molex USB outlets. Mouser and Digi-Key are showing 99+ weeks lead times for these.

[FoxbuilderWill]

Digi-key shows same but also lists 698 in stock.

[PapuaPilot]

Digi-Key is showing 698 in stock currently. Mouser is out of stock.

[SilverFox5]

Thanks for the info Eric!
I missed the pin chart on the dwg showing pin1 being positive.
Curious if you installed one of these chargers and what thickness your panel was.
Did it snap in and fit ok?
Thanks again for all the other info.

Joe

[Eric Page]

Curious if you installed one of these chargers and what thickness your panel was.
Did it snap in and fit ok?

No, I haven't used the Molex charger. Instead, my airplane will have the most expensive USB charger known to man! It's a bit of a story; feel free to skip to the text below the line...

Back when EFBs were first getting popular in aviation, there were only a couple of eye-wateringly expensive TSO chargers, and one very amateurish offering for the experimental market (it used a linear regulator, essentially a 20-watt heater behind the panel).

I naively thought I could do better, so I spent about a year and a pile of cash developing a charger for airplanes that would identify and rapid-charge two tablets from any of the popular brands, automatically shut off if the alternator quit, not make any noise in radios or headsets, and that I could sell for a reasonable price. I worked with chip-makers' application engineers, made multiple prototypes, created an LLC, designed a website and reserved a URL for it, wrote a datasheet and installation instructions -- the whole works.

The product development was a successful effort but it was overtaken by the market. There are now at least a dozen other options with slick packaging and big marketing budgets. There's no way I could compete, so I cut my losses and folded up my tent.

I don't regret doing it -- I leaned a ton and had a good excuse to buy electronic test equipment -- but I got a little over my skis WRT setting up the business side of things before I had anything to sell. That wasted a LOT of time.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I'm going to use my final prototype charger in my airplane.

---

To address your question about panel thickness, the Molex drawing indicates that it'll accommodate panels that are 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 or 4.0mm thick. It looks like there are discrete steps on the little side clips that hold the unit in place.

[SilverFox5]

Hi Dave
I purchased 2 of these chargers with the plugs and pins. I’m not much of an electrician but do understand 12 volt system’s. Can you tell me what size wire you used to install yours? What size fuse are you using? Should I wire the 2 lm installing with one fuse or keep them separate? Also what pin positions did you use? I see the data sheet dwg lists pin position #1 and 4. Does it matter which one is positive or negative? Thanks for any suggestions from anyone.

Joe
Building Kitfox5 Taildragger
912uls