I initially purchased this inverter to plug into the Power Port for extra USB ports and laptop charging on trips, but realized that I have too much junk hanging from my DC plugs (triple plug in cigarette lighter port for dash cam, phone charger, and universal battery charger). I decided to pop off the dash and check to see what was behind the Power Port in hopes that I could install the 300w inverter in this spot. There is a good bit of room, but I was going to have to cut into my A/C duct to make it fit. I removed the Power Port from the front plate, remover the front plate, then removed the front plate from the inverter to see if it would fit. It was good to go, so I got started!
Tools used:
Screwdriver
Dremel
Spare speaker wire
Electric tape
Longer screws
Sharp knife
Sandpaper
Pen/paper/scissors
First, I removed the end plates from both ends of the inverter to modify them, and to move the power switch from the back to the front of the inverter. (If I had planned on installing the inverter from the start, I would have bought one with the switch on the front. Several steps can be removed by using an inverter with a front power switch.)
Second, I cut the power switch wires, added the spare speaker wire to each, taped them together (I didn’t have anything else to join the wires), pushed the new wire to the front, and attached the ends to the power switch.
Third, I put the rear plate back on the inverter, then used the dremel to remove the deep corners from the front plate, and sanded the entire back of the front plate so that it was as low profile as possible. I also cut the hole for the new inverter power switch location, the new hole for the power light location, and enlarged the holes for the USB in the front plate (the extra depth from the power port plate didn’t allow the usb plugs to plug in far enough).
Next I made a template of the front plate using pen, paper, and scissors. I cut the template a few mm small so that no cuts in the power port housing would be visible, and so I would be able to sandwich the power port housing in between the inverter housing and front plate. I then drew the template onto the power port housing, and cut with the Dremel. I lined up the front plate of the inverter on top of the power port housing, marked the screw holes, then used the Dremel to make sure there was room for the screws to go through.
Finally, I sandwiched the modified power port housing in between the inverter and the inverter front plate, using new, longer screws (the original screws weren’t long enough because of the extra thickness from the power port housing). I used a sharp leather man to cut a rectangular hole in the air vent behind the dash to make roomthen, plugged the 12v dc plug into the original dc outlet, crammed everything behind the dash to the left, and snapped the dash back into place. The USB outlets are always powered, and the 110v outlets are powered by the switch. There is a fan that turns on in the inverter which makes a small amount of noise when inverter is powered on). I think that it turned out pretty good, and is definitely more practical for my needs.
Note: There is an airbag plug attached a plastic covering on the back of the power port housing on the 2005. I believe there is an on/off key on later models. I just put a piece of electric tape over the end, and moved it out of the way. The A/C still blows cold out of the vent that I cut, and it probably helps keep the inverter cool while running.
Edit: This is the $24 inverter that I used, but I assume any short inverter with end plates and a power switch would work.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K25F64S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_uA.LCb38AT4SM
Tools used:
Screwdriver
Dremel
Spare speaker wire
Electric tape
Longer screws
Sharp knife
Sandpaper
Pen/paper/scissors
First, I removed the end plates from both ends of the inverter to modify them, and to move the power switch from the back to the front of the inverter. (If I had planned on installing the inverter from the start, I would have bought one with the switch on the front. Several steps can be removed by using an inverter with a front power switch.)
Second, I cut the power switch wires, added the spare speaker wire to each, taped them together (I didn’t have anything else to join the wires), pushed the new wire to the front, and attached the ends to the power switch.
Third, I put the rear plate back on the inverter, then used the dremel to remove the deep corners from the front plate, and sanded the entire back of the front plate so that it was as low profile as possible. I also cut the hole for the new inverter power switch location, the new hole for the power light location, and enlarged the holes for the USB in the front plate (the extra depth from the power port plate didn’t allow the usb plugs to plug in far enough).
Next I made a template of the front plate using pen, paper, and scissors. I cut the template a few mm small so that no cuts in the power port housing would be visible, and so I would be able to sandwich the power port housing in between the inverter housing and front plate. I then drew the template onto the power port housing, and cut with the Dremel. I lined up the front plate of the inverter on top of the power port housing, marked the screw holes, then used the Dremel to make sure there was room for the screws to go through.
Finally, I sandwiched the modified power port housing in between the inverter and the inverter front plate, using new, longer screws (the original screws weren’t long enough because of the extra thickness from the power port housing). I used a sharp leather man to cut a rectangular hole in the air vent behind the dash to make roomthen, plugged the 12v dc plug into the original dc outlet, crammed everything behind the dash to the left, and snapped the dash back into place. The USB outlets are always powered, and the 110v outlets are powered by the switch. There is a fan that turns on in the inverter which makes a small amount of noise when inverter is powered on). I think that it turned out pretty good, and is definitely more practical for my needs.
Note: There is an airbag plug attached a plastic covering on the back of the power port housing on the 2005. I believe there is an on/off key on later models. I just put a piece of electric tape over the end, and moved it out of the way. The A/C still blows cold out of the vent that I cut, and it probably helps keep the inverter cool while running.
Edit: This is the $24 inverter that I used, but I assume any short inverter with end plates and a power switch would work.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K25F64S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_uA.LCb38AT4SM
