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Times are a’ changin’ folks! And when it comes to USB-C outlets, that’s a change we’re happy to embrace. Number One came with USB-A outlets, but since then, we’ve updated all our devices and we’ve been wanting to update our RV outlets, too. James finally did so; see a video look here:
And can I just ask, what is it with the lights on these outlets?! Why do they all come with them? A bright blue light shining in a tiny space like an RV can be a total sleep thwarter in the dead of the night. Manufacturers, just stop with the lights already, mkay?
Here’s the LINK TO THE USB-C OUTLET we used, which, at least has a switch to turn off the pesky lights.
If you’re comfortable with basic electrical work; this is pretty much a painless 10 minute mod. Well, unless you bonk your head like James did. Luckily, we have pots of styptic powder in his shop, in the RV, in the house… I guess the good news is since he drew blood, we can call it a project!
But here’s hoping yours isn’t a project. Enjoy!
Nice to upgrade to these. Many of these will support full USB-PD profiles, and are designed to be used by 12VDC or 24VDC systems. They can buck the voltage, but can’t boost the voltage. So if you run them with 24VDC, many will support the 60W (20V 3A) USB-PD charging profile which works great for laptops. I’ve been switching mine out to these, with the plan down the road to swap this circuit over to a 24V power supply. The model I got has two clips that hold on the front cover, and popping that off allows you to pull the circuit board out. From there it’s fairly easy to desolder the blue LEDs.
Do you have a link to the model you got? I’d love to be able to remove the LEDs…
Sorry.. was out a bit for holidays. The one I got was this one. I spent a bunch of time on amazon digging for comments where people said they could remove the LEDs, and there’s some Q&As where people say you can take the cover off. It’s a tad big longer than the stock ones on my van, but was able to fit it in after converting the straight spade terminals to the flag style crimps.
https://amzn.to/3tO4vFV
Thanks!
I broke a vane off of a 200 MM vent fan that circulates furnace air in my RV one time. I found a replacement in the next small town but like most computer fans now-a-days, I had the choice of a disco lighted fan or white lighted fan I picked the white light option. So for the rest of the trip I had had to sleep at night with the white glow of that danged fan. So I feel for you with the blue light. Enough with the lights already!!
This USB-C outlet is most of the way to a good product. Two misses: the LED lighting, and the pushbutton. When the button is pressed to turn off the light, the USB outlets shut off. That might be fine in a car’s dashboard, but not in the living area of an RV, where the blue light will illuminate sleeping areas. I do wish electronics manufacturers would get over their blue LED craze.
I know what you mean, and I agree.
I wish the light just turned off the silly LED. Or even better, that it wasn’t there to begin with.
In any case, since we’re using these inside a cabinet, the light isn’t noticed, so I’m kind of OK with it.
(I did look to see if I could disassemble it to drill out or break the lights, but no dice…)