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Old 03-25-2021, 06:50 PM   #1
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2015 20' Flying Cloud
Cincinnati , Ohio
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Fried USB Charging Ports

We have a 2015 FC20. The bedroom has two dual USB charging ports. While charging two phones (not connected to shore power), we detected a burnt electrical smell. We've charged the same pair of phones here for a couple of years. The ports were very warm to the touch. Unplugged and removed the ports. The Airstream wiring coming to the ports looks to be relatively heavy gauge (unmeasured). The wires are spade connected to six inches of thinner 20 AWG wire that are part of the ports.

I want to replace these with higher quality product. Any suggestions for a brand to look for? Marinco looks interesting, but I'm looking for some community expertise.
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Old 03-25-2021, 06:58 PM   #2
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Look at Blue Sea Systems products. Heavy duty intended for use on boats.
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Old 03-25-2021, 08:27 PM   #3
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BlueSea is the way to go. It’s all I will use.
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Old 03-25-2021, 09:01 PM   #4
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Not that it will be easy find in the spec sheet but if it states: "USB Battery Charging 1.2" it should be able to charge at 5 Amps. Most USB devices will state they will charge at 2.1 or 2.3 amps which is fine, but if it doesn't state the charge amps it will probably charge at the original standard of 1.5 amps, stay away from those.

I agree with the previous posters Blue Sea is good, I order it through PKYS.
The price usually is determined by the charging amperage for the most part, you will be paying a premium for the higher standard.
The Blue Sea 1045 Fast Charge 4.8 Amp Dual USB Charger (2.4 amp per plug) is around $37.
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Old 03-25-2021, 09:32 PM   #5
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3 replies and 3 votes for BlueSea. That's what I'm going to order. Thanks for the advice.
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Old 03-26-2021, 09:21 AM   #6
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2022 Interstate 24X
Carlisle , Pennsylvania
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Hi

Be aware that some modern usb charge gizmos deliver a *lot* of power. If you get into USB-C, power levels up around 100W ( so the equivalent of 20A at 5V) get mentioned. Finding something like that as a drop in ... probably not so much.

That said, yup, go with Blue Sea

Bob
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Old 03-28-2021, 04:34 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uncle_bob View Post
Hi

Be aware that some modern usb charge gizmos deliver a *lot* of power. If you get into USB-C, power levels up around 100W ( so the equivalent of 20A at 5V) get mentioned. Finding something like that as a drop in ... probably not so much.

That said, yup, go with Blue Sea

Bob
Luckily, our two phones will draw 4.2 amp between them. The Blue Sea 1045 is capable of 4.8 amp. The stock AS receptacle is only good for 2.1. Makes sense that we fried it. Only surprise is that it didn't happen sooner.
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Old 03-28-2021, 08:56 PM   #8
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Had the same problem with my 2016 FC25FB. The cheap factory unit had no thermal protection and was very hot to the touch. Replaced it yesterday with a USB 3.0 charger I found on Amazon from Cariamn. What I liked about this unit was the overcharge and thermal protection but was sold on its use of an on/off switch. If the unit is lit blue it is on. If it’s dark, it’s off.

As we boondock a much as possible, extending the usable battery amp hours by cutting vampire draws is a constant effort. Even if your USB ports are working fine, just being able to turn them off when not in use is worth the effort. We needed to enlarge the hole slightly for the replacement unit but otherwise was an easy project.

On our trailer, the grey #14 wire was the positive lead and the white was the negative.
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Old 03-29-2021, 06:36 AM   #9
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Hi

I've gone through an alarming number of aftermarket 12V to "high power" USB chargers. None of them seem to be made well enough to run a Mac laptop for months and months.

Bob
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Old 09-27-2021, 06:29 PM   #10
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I tried replacing one of my USB’s that stopped working with two different new ones. I even tried the Blue Sea 1045. I wired it all up, but noting worked. I test the wires in the closet to the USB and they’re reading about 3.8 amps so there is power to the outlet. I called Airstream service and they told me some of the USB outlets are sometimes powered differently. Anyone else had a problem getting a new one to work when it’s still showing power to the outlet? The USB on the other side of the bed still works but he one by the DVD stopped. Our camper is a 2017 FC 28 RBQ. They all worked a few weeks ago when we bought this camper.

I should also mention that on one side there is a black wire and a white wire. The other side (by the bed) has a black and a pink wire.
Wouldn’t they typically use the same colored wires on each side?

Thanks for any help!
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Old 09-28-2021, 08:21 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deano112 View Post
I tried replacing one of my USB’s that stopped working with two different new ones. I even tried the Blue Sea 1045. I wired it all up, but noting worked. I test the wires in the closet to the USB and they’re reading about 3.8 amps so there is power to the outlet. I called Airstream service and they told me some of the USB outlets are sometimes powered differently. Anyone else had a problem getting a new one to work when it’s still showing power to the outlet? The USB on the other side of the bed still works but he one by the DVD stopped. Our camper is a 2017 FC 28 RBQ. They all worked a few weeks ago when we bought this camper.

I should also mention that on one side there is a black wire and a white wire. The other side (by the bed) has a black and a pink wire.
Wouldn’t they typically use the same colored wires on each side?

Thanks for any help!
Hi

The normal way to check a wire (to see if it is live) is to measure its voltage rather than its current.

If the wire has 3.8V on it, that's a problem. There likely is an "upstream" DC/DC converter that has fried. The converter should put out 5V. You would wire it to a straight USB plug rather than an adapter.

The USB by the DVD likely is a straight plug ( = just wires) that goes to the back of the DVD to get power. If you are on shore power and the DVD is on ... you get power to that USB. It is also possible that your "pink wire" USB is the same sort of thing, there's a "wall wart" buried somewhere that feeds it off of shore power / the inverter.

Back in the day, USB was a low power sort of thing. The load talked back and forth to the supply and they figured out how much current to run. There was a practical max limit of an amp or two. That was long ago.

Now some USB gizmos seem to be quite happy pulling 2X or 3X the old maximum limit. Plug in two devices and you are *way* over. Pretty much guaranteed destruction of your USB outlet.

Bob
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Old 09-29-2021, 06:47 AM   #12
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I discovered I had a blown fuse (#7). It looks like that fuse is for the woofer according to the information in the panel box. Once I replaced the fuse, the USB near the DVD started working again and I was able to get the new one working as well. Once I put in the new fuse, the voltage to the USB was reading 13.7 which was the same voltage as the battery in the camper according to the panel in the camper. Interesting that they are somehow connected!

Thanks,
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Old 09-29-2021, 08:32 AM   #13
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Although the USB ports output 5 v, the voltage going IN is 12 v dc.
There are no 5 v. circuits. The conversion is done in the outlet itself.
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