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Power sockets with USB outlets

9fingers

9fingers

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Anyone know if the usb power supplies are connected all the time or use the insertion of a plug to turn them on?
Just thinking that if the former then the reliability of the circuitry must be fantastically high to survive being powered up 24-7 for a decade or more without failure.
I've never had one to tear apart to find out. Price differential seems to be about £8 retail between with USB and without.
Bob
 
They are connected all the time.

Its the sort of thing where you need to buy a good brand for safety IMHO.

Pete
 
Thanks!
I agree not worth scrimping on

It is virtually 40 years since I rewired our house and even using almost exclusively MK and Crabtree, I’ve have had to replace 2 13a sockets both with switch problems. One mechanical and one electrical failure

Bob
 
I wish I'd fitted ML or Crabtree to our house when we renovated it. We were taken by the Pure range from Knightsbridge. Perfect example of form over function with a reliability (or lack of) to match.
 
Big Clive took one of the cheap ones apart a while back, which gives plenty of reason to go for the better branded stuff. I have a few of them around the house in places where adding another socket to take a plug-in charger wasn't practical, all MK Logic Plus, and haven't had any problems with them so far (~5 years).
 
As above USB sockets are hugely variable, but unfortunately usually will always last for the warranty period beore giving up.
MK are no longer the quality product that they were along with Wylex in the past they were the preferred brands of the electricians i use, these days they prefer Hager for consumer units and RCBO’s etc and CLICK ONE for the swithches and outlets. The current trend for strip LEDs is driving them slowly doolally as there is no real accepted brand leader and quality even within a brand very variable.
They blame globalism and brand names being bought for reputation that is then dragged into the gutter by new owners.
I had 8 flats wired in 2002-4 with at the time a mix of mk, wylex and proteus ( the then offering from screwfix), not a that many ffailures in that time, ceiling pendants failing where tenants used old 100w bulbs made them brittle from heat used to be the most common, but with leds no longer an issue, a couple of light switches that failed mechanically, sockets abused by tenants are the most worrisome especially where european adapters are forced in and a convenient object jammed into the earth hole, along with hoovers plugged in at one end of flat and trying to reach the other pulling plugs at odd angles cracking faceplates.
 
A metal fronted double socket that I bought with 2 usb sockets on it ( sorry not sure but I think MK ) for in the workshop had easily worn away transfers on the front showing that one usb was 1.5 amps and the other 2,5 amps I think! As they wore away. The smaller I believe is for phones and the higher for IPads, are they all differentiated like this?
The values and uses are from memory and may not be correct.
Ian
 
We've got a couple of USB twin sockets LAP brand from Screwfix. Seemed like a good idea at the time but we hardly ever use the USB sockets. They say 3 amp but they don't do fast charge - where the voltage gets bumped up or whatever so plug in adaptors get used instead.
 
Usb is a 5 volt supply it’s the available current that changes, some sockets can supply more so the device can charge faster. The device charging controls the current drawn so you can plug low power devices into a high power usb without having any problems.

Pete
 
USB tech changes every few years. When this house was done in full last year, we did not install any for this reason. It will date the electrical installation and is a needless extra cost to my mind. We used Hager for new CUs, and HAger SS flat plate sockets, Hager smart dimmers. Some electricians reckon (based on online YT from John Ward and some other guy) that Hager AFDDs are not the best as they require excessive arc current to trip.
 
Pete Maddex said:
Usb is a 5 volt supply it’s the available current that changes, some sockets can supply more so the device can charge faster. The device charging controls the current drawn so you can plug low power devices into a high power usb without having any problems.

Pete
Click to expand...
en.wikipedia.org

Quick Charge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

I've had a USB power meter attached while fast charging and seen the voltage go up using 'Quick charge'. the link above explains it.

Just used the meter again and my phone is currently charging at 9.1V and 1.6A
 
I replaced a double socket with one with two usb ports, my wife said she didn't see the point. Two weeks later I looked and both ports have leads plugged in ...................... along with another two leads plugged in to usb adaptors in the sockets.
 
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