Put USB Ports On Your Wall Without Wiring

I see problems with this design. The tabs could get corroded or bent some how during shipping or installation, not to mention the screw heads on the outlet itself being corroded, causing resistance which would build up heat and make the tangs lose their spring against the screw heads. This could ark or burn up, melting the cover and starting a fire.

You want USB on a outlet change the whole outlet it takes nothing to do.
 
Would not trust their system of cramming an faceplace with big metal spring clips into an open live outlet. No thanks.
 
mullet said:
I see problems with this design. The tabs could get corroded or bent some how during shipping or installation, not to mention the screw heads on the outlet itself being corroded, causing resistance which would build up heat and make the tangs lose their spring against the screw heads. This could ark or burn up, melting the cover and starting a fire.

You want USB on a outlet change the whole outlet it takes nothing to do.
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This whole idea is one structure fire away from being recalled.
 
i960 said:
What's funny is that outlets have been installed upside down pretty much forever. You always see the ground terminal on the bottom, when it should actually be on top. Pretty much all newer outlets are labeled now with the ground pointing up. Not sure when the change was made.
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All the outlets that are less than 10 years old at work are installed with the grounds up. 3 prong cords seem to fit better without wanting to pull out, but nearly all of the flat mount plugs now have the cords facing upwards when plugged in.
 
You could get one of these: http://www.datapro.net/products/power2u-duplex-outlet-with-usb-charging.html

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Nothing new.
 
If you like this idea and don't want to wait (and/or want 2.1 amps, 2 outlets, and more power outlets), Belkin makes a pretty handy, slightly more obvious outlet.
 
Great idea but 1 amp chargers could be found at the dollar store, you can buy a dozen and have one in every single room of the house.
 
gxp500 said:
Great idea but 1 amp chargers could be found at the dollar store, you can buy a dozen and have one in every single room of the house.
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That isn't the point....this charger is slide flush, means it doesn't stick out. It also doesn't take up an outlet spot. Those are two key differentiation points. Those two items might provide value to some users. The third is that it works with any outlet.

Why is it people think there is only one solution to every problem?


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Other comments
Secondarily...do people know how many outlets these days are installed with the contact pressure holes (e.g. stick the wire in the hole)? This is becoming the norm for speed. Most contractors do bother using screw terminals anymore.

As for contact current, it is at most 50 mA....you can run that on hair of copper. This design is more than ample.

As for the 1A limit...good enough for now as a demonstration. Going to 2A isn't a stretch...it is just time.
 
cageymaru said:
Anyone invent USB on a network connected to a power outlet? Would be neat to be able to plug in your device to the wall to charge it and download some files at the same time. I know there is networking over power lines already. Why doesn't the Electric Utility sell us internet access over their power lines?
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Because using the power lines for internet traffic does not work so well once the signal hits a transformer, which are all over the place.
 
MrPatate said:
Actually those who use tapes are usually amateurs afraid of power. Exception being when outlets are unscrewed and left hanging from wires during renovation to keep using them, most of us never tape them (I'm an electrician).

Those don't work on Decora socket (what is used in homes that have less then 10-15 years old). And from what I can see the ends of the power "wings" could easily short against the metal box. A REALLY bad concept IMO.
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I've worked as an electrician for a few different companies and with dozens of electricians and taping the terminals is mostly preference. at the first company I worked for doing remodel work half the guys did it and half don't. The current company I work for building tract houses no one tapes the screws, we simply don't have time for it and no one would pay for that.

The one place where I will tape the screws on an outlet is when I'm installing it into a cramped metal box.

pgwalsh said:
You could get one of these: http://www.datapro.net/products/power2u-duplex-outlet-with-usb-charging.html


75PWRUS.jpg


Nothing new.
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I have a blemished one that I snagged from work installed in my apartment and it's only 0.7 Amp and can't fully charge my phone.
 
I can understand people at yahoo forums liking this but this is hard who here seriously thinks that its that hard to swap out a receptacle?

cyclone3d said:
I have never seen the screws taped. Who actually does this?

Also, for AC to DC power adapters, polarity matters not one bit. Most chargers don't even have a keyed plug so you can plug them in either way.

Most of the "push in method" outlets I have seen also have the screws available for use.
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I tape some of my receptacles, the bigger point is that there is a lot of shit that is non standard and if you are too dumb to be able to swap out a receptacle than you are probably also too dumb to figure out what is wrong when those contacts don't work because the receptacle was not the same standard, taped or any other thing that might go wrong. And even if you aren't dumb if it doesn't work right away then you will end up wasting time you could have spent replacing the outlet. The only place this really makes sense is in a few rare cases that someone really needs a charger in a confined space that happens to be configured such that this contraption makes sense. But that is somewhat hard to imagine given you typically need to plug other things in to the outlet that will stick out further than this.
 
Not trying to start an argument here , but this type of socket design is really wasteful of space and looks dangerous , over here Gewiss style modular boxes are standard and they they are much more compact and also future proof
you have slots you fill with modules of anything from 2-3 pin electric cables to RJ45 to TV Antennas and Water heater timer devices etc and i`m sure USB modules exist also.
 
LBJM said:
Do people actually wire them with the screw connector sitting right there? Talk about lazy.
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Yup, we see it all the time, another thing we see which boggles the mind, is broken fins off of dimmers so they can fit in a cramped s/gang box, those fins are on the dimmer for a reason....resistance = heat ;)
 
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