USB socket

893bet

Can a double socket be replaced with a USB double socket similar to the below without any additional wiring?

http://www.videk.co.uk/shopimages/sections/normal/MAS0134.jpg

Thanks

punisher5112

Does the socket come with transformer attached?

If it does then it should be ok with wiring that is already there.

If it does it may depending on back box possibly wont fit so you would need to know that or you would have to chase some more room out of behind it and a new back box.

dolittle

it will work fine
some back boxes need to be at least 40mm deep

2011

dolittle wrote: »

it will work fine
some back boxes need to be at least 40mm deep

Exactly.
+1

893bet

Thanks! I guess the transformer is integrated into the socket!

KoolKid

893bet wrote: »

Thanks! I guess the transformer is integrated into the socket!

It is in any I have seen. Many have the option of surrounds to pad them out if the back box is not deep enough.

leex

Thinking of fitting one of these myself. Do these have the same negatives as leaving a regular phone charger plugged in (and on) without the phone attached?

The ones I have are pretty good. They've a comparator that shuts it down when it's not in use. No load consumption 9.5mW.

2A supply, I thought they'd be bad for some devices because the charge current would be too high but my phone current limits about 600mA.

I use them for all sorts, I've a daylight alarm clock and a little 6V motor on "after market" USB plugs. Most devices that take 4 x AA [EDIT: or 3] cells can be adapted to run off them.

Stoner

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

The ones I have are pretty good. They've a comparator that shut's it down when it's not in use. No load consumption 9.5mW.

2A supply, I thought they'd be bad for some devices because the charge current would be too high but my phone current limits about 600mA.

I use them for all sorts, I've a daylight alarm clock and a little 6V motor on "after market" USB plugs. Most devices that take 4 x AA cells can be adapted to run off them.

that's interesting and good to know. Are all chargers not fitted with a comparator?

It's hard to get a two gang socket with three switches one for the USB chargers with a split 2.1 Amp and 0.5Amp charger, but that would be ideal. I had a tech sheet for one about four years ago for a project that never went ahead. the only switched ones I've seen recently have been a double gang box with only one socket on it but two switches.

I've a couple of the car chargers have that have that split.

No idea I've only tested the ones I installed.
The little motor does upset my phone so I put a diode in parallel with the windings.

The outputs are parallel so it's 2.0A max. load across both ports.
I think most devices are self-limiting it's just a PSU, the charger is an IC built into the device.

My switches only control the mains sockets.
I have a little boost regulator I use on occasion with them as a variable power supply.

Stoner

Stoner wrote: »

Are all chargers not fitted with a comparator?

I should be doing some real work. :rolleyes:

I have three wall-warts on my test bench:

No load consumption:

Genuine Apple 1A: 320mVA
Sony Ericsson 500mA: 56mVA
Generic 500mA: 1.22VA

You can take the 9.5mW figure earlier as 9.5mVA, I don't have a power analyser.

Aldi 2.1A USB socket no load consumption: 37mVA

DublinDilbert

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

Aldi 2.1A USB socket no load consumption: 37mVA

Uses 1 unit of electricity every 3 years? That's not bad.

1000/0.037/24/365 = 3.08

4 times more than my other lot. These things add up. I'm not a fan of continuous loads.

Pedant alert: the unit of electricity is the Watt not the kiloWatt.

brightspark

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

Pedant alert: the unit of electricity is the Watt not the kiloWatt.

Pedant alert the S.I. unit of power is the Watt.

A unit of electricity (i.e the basic measurement of consumption used by electricity suppliers) is a kWH

Depends on your supplier. A lot of mine is homebrew hence I rather waste less.

SI units:

kWh = kilo-Watt-hour
kWH = kilo-Watt-Henry :P

Anda nuther thing that Aldi job isn't 2.1A either.
Unless it's 1.05A x2 more like 500mA x2.

chewed

sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I had a question about one of these USB sockets. I bought a double USB socket with on/off switches from HomeBase the other day. Can I replace a double wall socket (that doesn't have switches) with the USB socket that has switches? Or would I need to buy a USB standard socket?

DublinDilbert

chewed wrote: »

sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I had a question about one of these USB sockets. I bought a double USB socket with on/off switches from HomeBase the other day. Can I replace a double wall socket (that doesn't have switches) with the USB socket that has switches? Or would I need to buy a USB standard socket?

Yes the sockets can be interchanged, from a non-switched socket to a switched socket. Based on your question it would be wise to get someone familiar with electrics to do the swap and you can learn how its done.

The USB sockets are typically deeper so you need to ensure there's enough depth in the backing box to accommodate it.

Advbrd

DublinDilbert wrote: »

Yes the sockets can be interchanged, from a non-switched socket to a switched socket. Based on your question it would be wise to get someone familiar with electrics to do the swap and you can learn how its done.

The USB sockets are typically deeper so you need to ensure there's enough depth in the backing box to accommodate it.

The models I got were no deeper than the models already in place. Some are deeper, not all. I'm pretty happy with them. Now if only the kids would stop taking my bloody cables...

chewed

DublinDilbert wrote: »

Yes the sockets can be interchanged, from a non-switched socket to a switched socket. Based on your question it would be wise to get someone familiar with electrics to do the swap and you can learn how its done.

The USB sockets are typically deeper so you need to ensure there's enough depth in the backing box to accommodate it.

Thanks for that! I've changed sockets before but wasn't sure about switched vs non-switched.