Earlier this week, we showed you how to add a USB Power Outlet to Your Car. If you need a bit more versatility and power, though, here's how to install a full, four-outlet power panel with regular A/C plugs.


This project is a bit more involved than the aforementioned USB hack, but it will give you quite a bit of versatility in terms of charging your electronic devices. You'll need a strip of aluminum for the panel, a power inverter, some inline fuses, a 12 volt extension plug, and some wire and connectors to hook it all up. You'll also need a soldering iron as well as a few other basic tools to get behind your dashboard and to mold the panel to your liking.


The main idea of the project is that you will take apart the inverter and hook up the internals to the car's battery, and add some 12 volt cigarette lighter outlets on the other side of the panel. The inverter in these particular instructions also came with a USB port, so if you get a similar model, you'll have one of those too. Unlike the USB hack we featured earlier, you'll be able to get some pretty good power out of this thing. You should easily be able to charge your laptop, iPad, or other more power-hungry devices instead of just your mobile phone. Hit the link for the full guide, and be sure to check out the above video as well for more details.

How to Install a Cool Looking Power Panel in Your Vehicle [Instructables]