[Ovmsdev] OVMS VW e-UP T26 connector

Michael Balzer dexter at expeedo.de
Mon Jan 19 17:45:48 HKT 2026 

Chris, I think you've got me wrong: the connector I found is the cable 
side, i.e. the one we need to adapt to, not the one we could use.

In the forum you wrote & show you actually also bought one of these to 
see if your modified ribbon connector will fit to it.

I assume cutting off the ribbon connector box as you did cannot be part 
of a manufacturing process, so I think we'll need to use an unboxed 
variant -- Mark, maybe you or your manufacturer has a better idea?

Regards,
Michael


Am 19.01.26 um 10:25 schrieb Chris van der Meijden via OvmsDev:
> Here some more details an my cable:
>
> https://www.goingelectric.de/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1197786#p1197786
>
> Am Montag, dem 19.01.2026 um 10:22 +0100 schrieb Chris van der Meijden 
> via OvmsDev:
>> Hi Michael,
>>
>> the connector you found looks good.
>>
>> I used a 26-pin PC IDC cable and cut the box. The pitch is 2,54 mm.
>>
>> https://www.goingelectric.de/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1186816#p1186816
>>
>> It fits perfectly in the t26 socket, but sits loose. I fixated it 
>> with an elastic band.
>>
>> This works for almost 6 years now in the car, so I never bothered to 
>> look for a better solution.
>>
>> For DIY it is cheap and works well. For a more professional, 
>> sellable, cable the VW connector seems to be worth a try I think.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> Am Montag, dem 19.01.2026 um 09:59 +0100 schrieb Michael Balzer via 
>> OvmsDev:
>>> I think there is no standard male counterpart for the T26 connector.
>>>
>>> The connector is used for other devices as well it seems, I'm pretty 
>>> confident it's VW OE part no. 7L6 972 726 A, which is also used for 
>>> the VW RNS-510 navigation system:
>>>
>>> →https://kufatec.com/en/repair-kit-connector-26-pin-7l6-972-726-plug-housing-for-vw-audi-seat-skoda-rns-510/38171-1
>>>
>>> This connector appears to be only meant for cables to be plugged 
>>> into a custom shaped casing hole of a device, exposing a 2x13 board 
>>> pin header, with the casing providing the mounting side for the 
>>> white lock lever.
>>>
>>> So we will need to use some standard 2x13 male ribbon connector, 
>>> combined with something to suitably secure the connection (there is 
>>> no movement stress on the cable under the seat, doesn't need to be 
>>> strong).
>>>
>>> IIRC the T26 plug is also thicker than a standard ribbon connector. 
>>> Chris, did you find an extra wide boxed 2x13 connector fitting the 
>>> T26 plug without cutting the box?
>>>
>>> If not we should probably better use an unboxed variant.
>>>
>>> Also, was that standard 2.54mm or 2mm pitch on the connector?
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Michael
>>>
>>>
>>> Am 27.11.25 um 09:38 schrieb Mark Webb-Johnson via OvmsDev:
>>>
>>>> I agree that tapping wires is not a good solution for general 
>>>> users. Something more reversal much more appropriate.
>>>>
>>>> Anyway, if someone can get me pinouts, a link to the connector, and 
>>>> cable lengths, I can get talk to the factory.
>>>>
>>>> Regarding the antenna, I am a little concerned because our 
>>>> certifications are limited on antenna types. In particular I 
>>>> remember some clauses in there regarding not using ‘combined’ 
>>>> antennas (as they void the RF testing we did), but also limitations 
>>>> regarding distance between the antenna and driver/passenger head 
>>>> (which we came close to in the Tesla Roadster rear-window antenna 
>>>> placement).
>>>>
>>>> Regards, Mark
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On 26 Nov 2025, at 4:50 PM, Chris van der Meijden via OvmsDev 
>>>>> <ovmsdev at lists.openvehicles.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> That seems the best approach to me too for a prefabricated cable.
>>>>>
>>>>> I hope somebody can provide the exact lengths for the cables, 
>>>>> otherwise it is going to be guesing by rough meassuring the 
>>>>> distances in the car.
>>>>>
>>>>> Am Mittwoch, dem 26.11.2025 um 09:20 +0100 schrieb Michael Balzer 
>>>>> via OvmsDev:
>>>>>
>>>>>> My 2 cents:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I think tapping into wires (variant 2 / footwell panel) isn't 
>>>>>> something we should suggest / encourage users to do.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A regular user is perfectly capable of unmounting the passenger 
>>>>>> seat and plugging in prefabricated connectors. That also is 
>>>>>> easily reversible, and using the original antennas for the OVMS 
>>>>>> is really neat as well.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So I'd vote for variant 1 (combined with OBD), with a long cable 
>>>>>> to mount the OVMS module in the front left near the OBD connector 
>>>>>> (i.e. not replacing the OCU under the passenger seat), and the 
>>>>>> kit for that could/should include the Fakra antenna plug/adapter 
>>>>>> with antenna cables of the appropriate length to connect to the 
>>>>>> module in the front.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> @Mark: for clarification, this image shows a very short T26 
>>>>>> connection meant to place the OVMS under the passenger seat near 
>>>>>> the T26 connector, replacing the OCU:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This does not apply when mounting the module in the front near 
>>>>>> the OBD port.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Taking +12V from the OBD port, the T26 connection cable then only 
>>>>>> needs to connect GND and CAN-L, CAN-H of the T26 connector:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This image shows the vehicle side of the T26 connector, i.e. the 
>>>>>> OVMS cable needs to be plugged into that.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It would be nice if the OVMS plug could also be secured by using 
>>>>>> the white lock lever shown, that's what Chris intends by using 
>>>>>> some original T26 part for this. Maybe there are compatible 
>>>>>> connectors available, but other ways to secure the connection 
>>>>>> would also be OK.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Can't help with the cable lengths needed for a proper 
>>>>>> installation, I still haven't done that connection other than by 
>>>>>> a flying CAT5 cable for re-engineering…
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>> Michael
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Am 26.11.25 um 08:15 schrieb Chris van der Meijden via OvmsDev:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi Mark,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> as I started the e-Up OVMS project years ago my first approach 
>>>>>>> was the T26 cable. The reason for that more complicated cable 
>>>>>>> was that with the direct connection to CAN3, I was able to get 
>>>>>>> write access for i.e. climate control.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> My way to do so was replacing the VW TCU under the passenger 
>>>>>>> seat and connect to the VW T26 connector there (hence the name 
>>>>>>> T26).
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> As the project developed the direct ODB access was added by 
>>>>>>> other very capable developers to gain more data from the car. So 
>>>>>>> we ended up with 4 cables. T26 alone, ODB alone, ODB + T26 under 
>>>>>>> the passenger seat, ODB + T26 at the passenger footwell panel.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> T26 alone and ODB alone have only historical value, so there 
>>>>>>> needs to be a decission, if you want to make the hybrid cable 
>>>>>>> for under the passenger seat or at the passenger footwell panel.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The advantage of the "under the seat" cable is, that you can use 
>>>>>>> the GPS and GSM antenna of the car. Disavantage is, the you have 
>>>>>>> to struggle with the seat. The "footwell" cable is much easier 
>>>>>>> to install, but OVMS will need extra antennas for GPS and GSM.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I would suggest, that the decission about what cable to make 
>>>>>>> should be discussed here briefly first.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Then someone will probably be able to provide the length of the 
>>>>>>> cable.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Information on the connector, wire type and pinouts are in the 
>>>>>>> documentation. The connector is a workaround as we were not able 
>>>>>>> to find the original female T26 plug. But perhaps things has 
>>>>>>> changed and somebody has more information on that now.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hope this is of some help.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Regards
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Chris
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Am Mittwoch, dem 26.11.2025 um 10:49 +0800 schrieb Mark 
>>>>>>> Webb-Johnson via OvmsDev:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> We’ve had some enquiries regarding making a standard OVMS cable 
>>>>>>>> T26 for VW eUP, Skoda E IV, and Seat MII electric.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> From my understanding, the cable is variant 1 described here:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> https://docs.openvehicles.com/en/latest/components/vehicle_vweup/docs/index.html
>>>>>>>> https://docs.openvehicles.com/en/latest/components/vehicle_vweup/docs/index_t26.html
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> If there anybody here knowledgeable about this, that could help 
>>>>>>>> specify the cable exactly? Things like:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>  1. Exact T26 connector
>>>>>>>>  2. Length of each cable segment
>>>>>>>>  3. Cable wire type
>>>>>>>>  4. Pinouts
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Preferable somebody who has already done it and can document 
>>>>>>>> exactly what they have.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Also presumably this requires unplugging the existing OCU, and 
>>>>>>>> what is the impact of that?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Regards, Mark.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>
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-- 
Michael Balzer * Am Rahmen 5 * D-58313 Herdecke
Fon 02330 9104094 * Handy 0176 20698926


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