How to Make a USB Car Charger for an iPod

There are few things more frustrating than listening to your iPod while away from home and discovering the battery's about to die. You could run home to recharge, but that's awfully inconvenient. Or you could build a charger cable to carry in your car with you.

Things You'll Need

• Any car charger with an output of 4.75 to 5.25 volts
• USB extension cable, at least 8 inches
• Voltage meter
• Soldering iron
• Cable strippers
• Scissors
• Heat shrink tubing

Instructions

1. Test your charger with your voltage meter. Make sure the charger is plugged in first. The output should fall within 4.75v to 5.25v. Unplug the charger before you continue.

2. Remove the cell phone connection. Use the stripper to expose the red and black wires.

3. Prep the USB cable. Cut the female plug and strip the shielding to reveal the 4 USB wires. Expose the red and black wires and trim back the other 2. Heat shrink the exposed wires.

4. Solder the connecting wires, red to red and black to black. Wrap the joints to prevent shorting. Protect the joint by heat shrinking the assembly.

5. Plug the device into your cigarette lighter and test the voltage again. Don't connect your iPod until you've verified the output.

Tips & Warnings

• The basic parts for this device cost $8. You can buy smaller, 1-piece commercial adapters for $6 to $10.

• Use a voltage meter to check output. Make sure your adapter output is between 4.75 and 5.25 volts. Any other voltage can damage your device.

• Make sure the car charger is unplugged while rewiring.