The majority of us need USB chargers in the cabin and the ones that plug into the lighter or accessory socket are a roll of the dice. Many users report that cheap ones work just fine, but others say they induce so much noise into the audio system they’re virtually useless. In some cases it depends how much noise is present in the first place, and even the type of USB cable you’re using. Appareo’s new Stratus Power Pro panel-mounted USB port is TSO-C71 compliant, and the company says it’s radio-shielded to eliminate VHF radio interference.
Priced at $399, the Power Pro has both a 3.0-amp USB-A and a USB-C connector built into a chassis that can mount in an existing 2 1/4-inch instrument cutout or it can be surface-mounted on instrument panels with 0.040- to 0.125-inch thickness. The port weighs 2.56 ounces and the body measures 1.84 by 1.84 and requires 1.2 inches of depth behind the panel, including the two-pin mating connector.