Installing power port and USB in the back

[Tozan]

Since my Tahoe has a bed in back we decided we need another power port and a USB port. You can pick up power at the power port on the right side and run the power under the carpet.


First step is to remove the rubber seal around the rear hatch.
Next remove the kick plate covering the carpet on the floor. Then remove the plastic cover across the top. Using a flat screwdriver will make removal of those easier. Then remove the upper corner piece with the speakers. Then you can start popping out the lower rear side panels.

In the following photo is the right lower panel and that is the standard power port with the new wires coming off it.



I ran the power over and jumped the two units together. Since we will only be putting things like cell phones into the USB port connecting all the power ports on the same circuit should not be a problem. If you are going to run bigger things you should run your power wires from the battery or connect it to a fuse in the fuse panel. The next photo is a closeup of how I wired the two new power ports together


By removing the speaker in the back it will make it much easier to get the bottom side panel off. Just take your time and pop it loose from the body and the lower plastic piece. This photo shows the back of the speaker panel.



The following photo shows the bottom panel removed and some of the tools needed to install the new power ports. Any questions feel free to ask and hope this makes it easier if you want to do this modification.

 

[Tozan]

This is a photo of everything put back together they are installed on the right rear panel these have covers like the OEM ones up front. They would be convenient for people to use in the third row seats too.

 

[Doubeleive]

when I did mine I got it about 3/4's of the way back together and realized I forgot to plug the speaker back in lol

 

[Tozan]

Hmmm I wonder if I remembered... lol

when I did mine I got it about 3/4's of the way back together and realized I forgot to plug the speaker back in lol

 

[Doubeleive]

Hmmm I wonder if I remembered... lol

easy to forget, lol

 

[Tozan]

I checked... I remembered... lol

 

[sneasle]

This is cool. I'd probably want to run beefier lines so I could run a small invertor for a cooler. I wonder how hard it would be to get wires all the way up to the front...

 

[Tozan]

This is cool. I'd probably want to run beefier lines so I could run a small invertor for a cooler. I wonder how hard it would be to get wires all the way up to the front...

I have run lines front to rear it is pretty easy. Once you have the rear panels loose you can run wires under the carpet down to the rear step plate. At each door you will only need to remove the step plates and run the wires in or beside the plastic channels. Then you can attach the wires to the elect panel and a good ground. Or run it through the fire wall and connect directly to the battery. If you want to run really large gauge wires to the battery you could consider going under the cab but I wouldn't think you need that much power back there.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Great idea. So simple, yet convenient. Gotta do this in my work van.

 

[PG01]

You can pick up power and ground, keyed, rap, all that right under dash.... above and to left of brake pedal.