Center console cover removal

[vr4Legacy]

Originally Posted by jogosub

Sorry Rooby ... I want to remove the rear cover from the center consolde ARM REST assembly (not the console that you have attached pictures...) It's the one between the front seats, where your elbow is resting.....back side of it..... with 2 A/C vents facing rear seat...I should have been more specific in the heading of my post ... my bad ....

I guess this is where I am confused. The rear cover is attached to the center console.. not the folding arm rest. So you need to remove the whole console to do anything.. I don't see what the difference is between the "console" and "center consol arm rest assembly".

But, it seems you've gotten your answer.

Just my $.02 but I'd install a flush mount plug that screws through the rear. I think a surface mounted plug would be prone to being hit and broken or knocked off.

[jogosub]

Originally Posted by vr4Legacy

I guess this is where I am confused. The rear cover is attached to the center console.. not the folding arm rest. So you need to remove the whole console to do anything.. I don't see what the difference is between the "console" and "center consol arm rest assembly".

But, it seems you've gotten your answer.

Just my $.02 but I'd install a flush mount plug that screws through the rear. I think a surface mounted plug would be prone to being hit and broken or knocked off.

The panel on the back side (around a/c outlets) does not seem to be a part of that console; i.e. it's not one piece!... it feels as if you could just pull it off... I wasn't talking about folding arm rest. Folding arm rest does not have a/c outlets... sorry but I still don't get it, what's so confusing. Center console arm rest assembly has 1 shallow tray that folds up and the second one (that folds up) that exposes the deep storage with 12V and USB outlets.
But anyway, I did find my solution with the surface mounted outlet. I don't think there will be an issue with that thing being hit if it is at the right spot.

[ckhbuy]

Since the 110 volt outlet does not have a grounding socket, I keep a 2 prong to 3 prong adaptor in my arm rest at all times, for those rare times when I need to power my computer - which has a 3 prong plug - from my Subie. You can pick them up for a buck at Radio Shack/home Depot.

I go to Japan about 6-7 per year - work in technology development - and I am always dismayed at their casual attitude towards grounding in the labs where I work. I've been shocked more than once because of it, in fact - measured 40 volts on the chassis of a hot oven in the lab once there with respect to ground(they shrugged)! The outlet in my Subaru looks EXACTLY like the typical outlet installed to power a laptop in a couple of hotels I've stayed in round about Tokyo. Kind of funny, makes me think of travelling every time I use it.
Christopher

[jogosub]

Originally Posted by ckhbuy

Since the 110 volt outlet does not have a grounding socket, I keep a 2 prong to 3 prong adaptor in my arm rest at all times, for those rare times when I need to power my computer - which has a 3 prong plug - from my Subie. You can pick them up for a buck at Radio Shack/home Depot.

I go to Japan about 6-7 per year - work in technology development - and I am always dismayed at their casual attitude towards grounding in the labs where I work. I've been shocked more than once because of it, in fact - measured 40 volts on the chassis of a hot oven in the lab once there with respect to ground(they shrugged)! The outlet in my Subaru looks EXACTLY like the typical outlet installed to power a laptop in a couple of hotels I've stayed in round about Tokyo. Kind of funny, makes me think of travelling every time I use it.
Christopher

Can't you power up your computer in the car from USB outlet in the arm rest console? Or from an adaptor that plugs into 12V power outlet and has 2 USB outlets with 2 ratings; one for Apple products and other one for others, like Samsung? Just wondering....

[RoobySooby]

Originally Posted by jogosub

Sorry Rooby ... I want to remove the rear cover from the center consolde ARM REST assembly (not the console that you have attached pictures...) It's the one between the front seats, where your elbow is resting.....back side of it..... with 2 A/C vents facing rear seat...I should have been more specific in the heading of my post ... my bad ....

You can lead a horse to water ......

Let me repeat myself.......

Once you get the _assembly_ out, you can see the attaching _screws_
which hold your _rear cover_ to the _assembly_.

You can just tear the rear cover off if you like. Just makes it much
more difficult to replace it with any sense of security.

[jogosub]

Originally Posted by RoobySooby

You can lead a horse to water ......

Let me repeat myself.......

Once you get the _assembly_ out, you can see the attaching _screws_
which hold your _rear cover_ to the _assembly_.

You can just tear the rear cover off if you like. Just makes it much
more difficult to replace it with any sense of security.

Got it! Sorry, I did not realize that you have to take whole the console out in order to remove the back panel....guilty as charged! I am a bit slow at my age with my education....LOL

[ckhbuy]

You're probably right, most likely Dell (manufacturer of my laptop) makes a 12 volt car outlet plug/convertor for their Latitude laptop, even the monster Latitude I have that requires a 90 watt power supply, not the typical 60 watt kind. 90 watt power supplies are "special:" when plugged into outlets in most airplane seats these outlets automatically switch themselves off because they are often (but not all airlines) limited to 60 watts only.

8 years ago Dell certainly did sell that type of adaptor, but I haven't looked recently. I just take my normal Dell office power supply, plus 3 to 2 prong adaptor, and plug it in to my car's outlet when my Dell battery is dead and I have to work in my car somewhere a long time. I typically leave the car running....wasteful, I know, but it's dang cold here anyways, and leaving the heat on is nice when it's really, really cold.

Being obsessive compulsive, I also have 5 extended life Dell batteries I carry on-board for use during 25 hour (buses/airplanes/more buses) trips to Asia, during which I can never sleep. Man, I need counseling...

[RoobySooby]

Originally Posted by ckhbuy

Being obsessive compulsive, I also have 5 extended life Dell batteries I carry on-board for use during 25 hour (buses/airplanes/more buses) trips to Asia, during which I can never sleep. Man, I need counseling...

Have you seen this video:

Coffee Shop People: Guy Freaks Out - YouTube

Coffee Shop People: Guy Freaks Out - YouTube

That boy needs counseling.....

[Se7enLC]

Originally Posted by jogosub

Can't you power up your computer in the car from USB outlet in the arm rest console? Or from an adaptor that plugs into 12V power outlet and has 2 USB outlets with 2 ratings; one for Apple products and other one for others, like Samsung? Just wondering....

Not from USB - USB is 5V, and can supply anything from 500mA to 2A or so, depending on what it's made for. I don't know the spec of the one in the Subaru, but even the adapters that plug into the cigarette lighter and provide USB ports with multiple ratings only go up to about 2A. 2A@5V (10W) isn't enough to be useful for a laptop (the one I have for my Dell says 90W (4.62A@19.5V). You should be able to charge a tablet that way, though.

But you can buy an adapter specifically to power a laptop from a 12V cigarette lighter socket. A lighter socket can put out up to 20A@12V (240W - more than plenty!). The adapter would have to step up the 12V to whatever voltage your laptop wants.

[jogosub]

Originally Posted by Se7enLC

Not from USB - USB is 5V, and can supply anything from 500mA to 2A or so, depending on what it's made for. I don't know the spec of the one in the Subaru, but even the adapters that plug into the cigarette lighter and provide USB ports with multiple ratings only go up to about 2A. 2A@5V (10W) isn't enough to be useful for a laptop (the one I have for my Dell says 90W (4.62A@19.5V). You should be able to charge a tablet that way, though.

But you can buy an adapter specifically to power a laptop from a 12V cigarette lighter socket. A lighter socket can put out up to 20A@12V (240W - more than plenty!). The adapter would have to step up the 12V to whatever voltage your laptop wants.

Aplet or IPod maybe....that is, what I meant, or Apple iPhone....they have different A ratings than Samsung, etc. ... not PC .....- you are absulutely correct! Sorry about that! My adapter, that you plug into 12V outlet has 2 different USB outlets...