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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - USB Charging port

Hi all, have any of you fitted a USB charging point, discretely, so you can charge a mobile phone on a day out. If so how did you do this, where did you fit it and what parts did you use.

Thanks.
Daniel

Yes I have Daniel, it’s off eBay they are about £8 and mine illuminates with the ignition on. As you can see mine is fitted in a spare gauge hole I had in the dashboard using a 2” grommet. There was an article in Mascot not so long ago where somebody made a small panel under the central of the dash facing downwards so it was invisible and fitted two in it . It’s great for Satnav to avoid traffic .

Mike Fairclough

Daniel,
I couldn't bring myself to drill a hole in the dash panel, so I fitted mine under the dashboard edge, there were already several holes in the lip. Just a little bent metal as a strap to hold it in place, but a 32mm copper pipe strap would work.
The two wires I fed through one of the firewall holes, temp gauge I think. Negative to ground and the positive to a switched supply on the fuse box.
The actual unit has both USB-A and USB-C and a digital voltage display.
About £15 from a local motor shop.


N Broomfield

Daniel,
I build mine in the side panel of the centrwe consol pretty high up neer the heaterventpipe.(blue arrows)
From there ive put in an Iphone charge cable that runs behind the dahs and come up thrue the panel between dashrail and front window next to window enforment is where in the previous model the movable mirrors were attached to.(blue arrow)
On this I made a magnatic bracket of an old mirrorclamp of an old mirror I had and i can pull the cable up and connect it to the phone.
works great and because of the chrome bracket and polished alloy magnet it kinda look period/in style which is a look a prefer.

sorry I dont have better photo's for now.
When intrested let me know and ill make better photo's and send them.


A de Best

There was a French chap, based in London, who did this some time ago. His solution was an extended bracket to take the USB socket and bonnet release cable. This replaced the original bracket for the bonnet release and utilised the original screw holes and screws.
It was quite unobtrusive, located in the passenger side "glove box".
Cédric doesn't post here anymore and I don't even know if he still has the Midget.
I only remember it because I made the bracket for him.




Greybeard

I currently don’t have a usb charging port but plan to add one to the consul I made which has a volt meter, 12v socket/light and a pair of radio tweeters on the side.
The radio/cd/usb player is mounted on the passengers footwell shelf.

richard b

Nice bracket, Grey.

You should put them into production.
Dave O'Neill 2

Thanks for all the replies. I liked the bracket combined with the bonnet release bracket so might go with that.
Daniel

I have since 'discovered' that there is an adaptor thing I can plug into the cigarette lighter socket (I have had that socker for years and originally fitted it for a G-tech meter). Then after buying a cheap unit from ebay I found that several years ago I had a free one from my insurer when they were at Hinckley Town show. It works ok and once I find a spare lead (I have lots somewhere) I'll put it in the box of useful things I keep in the boot.
Daniel

Grey,

Cedric?

That's a very neat solution for a hidden USB port.
Jeremy MkIII

I've got a USB dual charge socket in a cigarette socket and I find it wiggles out after a short while. It's a bit disconcerting to realise the satnav is running off it's internal battery instead of off the car battery. Plugging it back in, if you are driving alone, can be tricky. I solved it with an elastic band running between the 2 charge ports. I loop it around the back and between 2 USB sockets I keep permanently plugged in.
Rob
MG Moneypit

This thread was discussed between 21/05/2025 and 23/05/2025

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