AC/USB Wall Outlets

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SubGuy

SubGuy

Administrator
Zach
It's not too expensive. I would get one and try it, if not what you wanted or doesn't work right, return. And replacing a box isn't hard or expensive.
 
eyekode

eyekode

New User
Salem
Tom,
I have not installed these but I have considered them. But with a family of 6 they did not make much sense.

Also much of the clutter is the actual cable and not the wall wart. In fact some of the wall warts are tiny.

I settled on using a power strip with two built in charging ports.

Good luck!
Salem
 
thrt15nc

thrt15nc

New User
Tom
Thanks Salem. I hid a small power strip in a counter top "garage" a long time ago and we're sort of tired of it. There's just the 2 of us with three phones and an I-pad so I was thinking of one downstairs for two phones and the second upstairs in the office for the third phone and I-pad. I wish I was seeing better reviews for them. Zach I'm with you, i could return it, but I'm trying to ensure "hassle free" shopping!! :D

Tom
 
ehpoole

ehpoole

Administrator
Ethan
DanR said:
Amazon good ones:

http://www.amazon.com/Cooper-Wiring...id=1374006544&sr=8-2&keywords=usb+wall+outlet

http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-T5630...id=1374006544&sr=8-4&keywords=usb+wall+outlet
Click to expand...

I would be vastly more comfortable with the alternatives that Dan was kind enough to offer, but I even have some (long-term, but at least fewer short-term) concerns there.

Namely because it is very difficult to judge the safety of these cheap switching power supplies (used to generate the 5V for the USB ports) without "destructively engineering" one of them first. So many manufacturers cut critical safety components from these supplies that they can be downright scary to reverse engineer and their use can sometimes have deadly consequences when a device chassis becomes energized at 120VAC.

For a device that may well be installed in your house for the next 50 years, I seriously doubt that this device is using even high enough reliability capacitors to last the next 20 years... or whether it includes all the necessary safeties to safely shut down the unit when it does eventually fail. With plugin power supplies this is seldom an issue as we usually toss them out when we eventually replace the device... but how often do we rewire our house?

Additionally, the fact that the Amazon part has more than enough negative ratings to fully offset all of its positive ratings is a real concern. Many report extreme difficulty fitting it in their existing electrical boxes, meaning that they are over-filling their boxes beyond the limits allowed by Code in many cases which suggests that this is a model that requires an unusually deep utility box for a proper installation.... plus all the reports of finicky port switches which would be another concern.

Just my thoughts, but I'd rather stick with a quality (i.e. not cheaply built) plugin USB power supply.
 
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tryingtokeepmyfingers

New User
Tat
I totally second everything you just side........ I just had the dishwasher connections burn up at my girlfriends house..... lucky were home and caught it in time but whem it comes to eletrical I do not want anythimg permently installed that is not proven

I do want to do more research on amp output ratimgs on the usb chargimg ports.... that is another thought I have about the ones being discussed...the other night in wallgreens they had back to school stuff out and some car and wall usb charging addapters some bostimg 2.5 amps and some 1 amp... my phone charger said output was .7 amp and my car charger says 1 amp .... so I wonder what would be the upside or down side of the 2.5 amp.... also knowing other devices like my external blue ray isb drive would need the more amps but anyway amp output would be something to consider
 
CarvedTones

CarvedTones

Board of Directors, Vice President
Andy
I can shed some light on negative reviews for these things. I have had a few different devices - phones, cameras, tablets, mp3 players and wireless headphones - between myself and the family that used USB for charging. I have one tablet that will draw too much power if it is available (so those auto adjusting chargers are bad news for it) and glitch the capacitive screen for days at a time (until the capacitors discharge the excess; fortunately, it hasn't destroyed it). I have other devices that just don't charge using other chargers even though the info on the charger indicates the same voltage and amperage and it works with other devices. The good news is that the newer devices seem to be the best about dealing with various chargers. Anyway, my point is that I think negative reviews are largely driven by the disparity in devices being charged.
 
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thrytis

New User
Eric
I have one installed, I think the Leviton T5630. My main motivation of installing one is that I have young kids in the house and didn't want them to be pulling out the charger and having 120 volts exposed on the pins. It works fine for most of my devices, including a quick charge on my phone, but it is painfully slow for a Kindle Fire HD (on the high outside). That requires a lot of power to charge, and even the official Kindle quick charge charger seems a little slow to me.

One thing to keep in mind if you are installing one where there is high traffic nearby, the cables stick straight out from the wall and are easier to bump than most chargers that run parallel to the wall.

Also, check Lowes and Home Depot before buying online. The ones I've compared are cheaper in the store than online at places like Amazon.
 
thrt15nc

thrt15nc

New User
Tom
Thanks for everyone's replies. I'm going to chew it on a little more. I think if I do purchase, I think I'll call a manufacturer direct and try to get a warm and fuzzy feeling from a discussion with them rather than just placing an order from Amazon, etc. Will that help???.... I don't know, but it'll make me feel like I've done a little more than just buy blind.

Thanks all,

Tom
 
thrt15nc

thrt15nc

New User
Tom
Andy I had seen those in my looking around also and I liked the looks of them. But again, reading the reviews, it doesn't sound very promising. A majority of the reviewers say it only has enough power to charge one item plugged in at a time. Others specifically list the items it won't charge. A bunch of people go off on it not being useable "out of country" but to me who cares? The main reason I decided against looking at it any further is I'm trying to get away from something else hanging from my outlet. I want a clean look I can get with replacing an existing plug in a box with a plug with a charger unit.

Thanks,
Tom
 
N

nn4jw

New User
Jim
I belive that all such devices, as well as wall warts, draw a small amount of power even when not charging your device. Not a lot, but 24 hours a day every day. Over time it adds up, especially as you add more wall warts or devices that are constantly plugged in. Something else to consider.
 
CarvedTones

CarvedTones

Board of Directors, Vice President
Andy
What's held me back is that one device - a Lenovo 9" Android tablet - just doesn't like much besides the charger that came with it. It's the only thing I don't like about the tablet, so I use it a lot and it is the thing I charge the second most, next to my Droid phone. The Droid charges fine with the Lenovo charger but not the other way around. If I were sure that one of those wall mounts would work for it I would get one. The do stick out a little but have a center screw to keep them in place which would work fine on my 20 year old outlets.
 
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