This Panel-Mount USB-C Port Solves Common Problems - Hackster.io

USB-C (and, more accurately, the USB4 protocol) is vastly more capable than previous USB protocols and associated connectors. USB Power Delivery (PD) can supply up to a mind-blowing 240W and USB4 allows for up to 80 Gbit/s under normal conditions. But that capability comes at a cost and USB-C connectors (along with associated protocols) are vastly more complicated than the preceding tech. As a result, the hardware on the market is inconsistent at best. LeftyMaker was tired of the headaches and so he designed his own panel-mount USB-C port that solves most common problems.

A USB-C connector contains 24 pins. For comparison, a good ol’ USB-A connector (for USB 1.0 to USB 2.0) had just four pins: two for power and two for data. That’s a lot of pins and to further complicate things, the pin layout is not electrically symmetrical. You can flip the cable over and it will probably work exactly the same, but it doesn’t have to—the manufacturer can wire it so that the function changes depending on orientation.

It gets weird and LeftyMaker found himself very frustrated when he wanted to add a female panel-mount USB-C port to his project to supply power. He discovered that the options on the market wouldn’t work with other USB-C devices, like power banks. That’s because those devices check the pins and expect to see resistance on two of them (CC1 and CC2). If they don’t, they won’t let the power flow. Hardware on the maker-focused market seems to ignore that.

Most of the panel-mount ports LeftyMaker was able to find only had two wires connected to the USB-C pins: power positive and power negative. So, they wouldn’t work with USB-C power supplies that check CC1 and CC2, as they should. LeftyMaker even found one port that does have a wire connected to the CC1 pin to connect a resistor, but doesn’t have a wire connected to the CC2 pin. The result is infuriating: flip the cable over and it won’t work.

Instead of tearing his hair out, LeftyMaker made his own port. It is simple and is only intended for providing power to DIY devices. It has a breakout board with resistors connected to CC1 and CC2, an LED indicator, big pads for power wires, mounting holes, and an extra-long connector body to extend through thick enclosures.

In short, it is exactly what a maker would want for adding USB-C power to a project. It doesn’t, however, have any provision for data.