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HOW TO: add oem usb to your rns315/510 with mdi

k0mpresd

Ready to race!
since it seems only the rcd units have the plug for the oem usb cable in the back, heres how to manually add it to your mdi so your rns will recognize the connection (play mp3 off flash drive and charge your phone).

so you got one of these fancy oem usb ports + cable. get the port installed, pull out the rns and realize theres no place to plug the cable. whoops.



so lets make it work. :) pull out the mdi from the center console.



cut the end off your usb cable and solder the 4 wires inside the
mdi directly to the connector. 5v, ground, data +, data -.
sorry about the messy soldering. took me a couple tries to get the pins correct.





make a little hole for the cable to exit the bottom.



now just reassemble everything. test functionality.



and it works. :thumbsup:

 

BarryT82

Go Kart Champion
Couldn't you also connect the data wires to the radio harness? There are two pins labeled as data +and -.
 

k0mpresd

Ready to race!
Couldn't you also connect the data wires to the radio harness? There are two pins labeled as data +and -.

where would you get 5v and ground from then?
i saw that as well but who knows if thats usb data. this way i knew would work 100% and the mdi controls it all. all the pins i needed were in a few mm spread on the connector. no splicing, no nothing. just cut, solder, done, works.
 

BarryT82

Go Kart Champion
Not everyone has an mdi. The ground could be connected to the radio ground and you could possibly get a cheap 5v cell phone charger and supply power to it. It has a built in transformer to step down the voltage or increase the resistance.
 

k0mpresd

Ready to race!
Not everyone has an mdi. The ground could be connected to the radio ground and you could possibly get a cheap 5v cell phone charger and supply power to it. It has a built in transformer to step down the voltage or increase the resistance.

i would assume most that have rns units have the mdi unit as well.
im sorry, but do you have a problem with the way i did this? its very clean and is about as oem as you can get.
this way required nothing but removing the mdi, soldering 4 wires, and mounting the switch. no need to pull the radio, splice wires, hack up an aftermarket usb charger just to steal 5v, ect.

not to mention, this is only for the people that dont already have the rcd units that this plugs directly into. i didnt have that port so i made it as oem as i could. that was my goal. which is also why i listed the title as "add usb to your mdi".
 

BarryT82

Go Kart Champion
I'm just saying that if someone doesn't have an mdi because they did a retrofit that they may be able to use the data inputs on the harness.
 

jlk250

New member
Thanks for sharing all this work. One question. I have the MDI module out of the console but can't get the electronics out of the big housing even though I removed the two screws that join them. What else do I have to do? To get from your second photo to the third, for example?

Edit: got answer and it's apart. When I'm done I'll post pictures.
 
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MKVInnie

Passed Driver's Ed
Thanks for sharing all this work. One question. I have the MDI module out of the console but can't get the electronics out of the big housing even though I removed the two screws that join them. What else do I have to do? To get from your second photo to the third, for example?

Edit: got answer and it's apart. When I'm done I'll post pictures.
Can you share with the class? I'm on the same step and am trying not to break anything.
 

MKVInnie

Passed Driver's Ed
Does anyone have suggestions on how to remove the MDI control box from the plastic housing ( 2nd picture in the DIY ). There are no obvious tabs and I can't find an exploded diagram for it.
 

MKVInnie

Passed Driver's Ed
Does anyone have suggestions on how to remove the MDI control box from the plastic housing ( 2nd picture in the DIY ). There are no obvious tabs and I can't find an exploded diagram for it.

Well its been a long time, I put this little project on hold because I couldn't get the MDI out of the console and didn't feel like breaking anything ( second picture ). After you removed the screws in it, just pull / push it out, it will take some force but it will be okay. There is an arrow toward this plastic lip part on one side of the MDI box, I used a wrench extension to apply force on it and pushed the box out of the holder apart. You can do it.
 

nik

Go Kart Champion
Can I plug an Iphone in there and have it recognize as an Iphone? or still need the MDI for that? I hate how short the new lightning connector cable is for MDI, and any of those amazon/ebay extension cables suck.
 

BadBoyBeltran

New member
Does the Data Out on the USB Port plug into the Data Out on the USB cable? I’m also curious if these Data outputs can play the music through the USB so this can be more than just for Power/Charging.
 
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