Are there ever enough outlets? With the evergrowing array of gadgets that find their way into our home (Pads, Tabs, Fires, iPhones, and Nexuses) it seems like the answer is a resounding "No!" Maybe it's time to give that outlet a reboot with some USB functionality. Read on and we'll show you how.
It's 2012 and although there aren't flying cars as the movies predicted, we do at least have some choices when it comes to USB Wall Outlets.
Perhaps you're a minimalist though, and the amount that the RCA plug sticks out from the wall is buggin'. Then you can go with one of these built-in options:
As any DIY minimalist knows though, going sleek and smooth usually equals 4x the time and effort (give or take a few x's). So before you're buying one of the built-in options you may want to do a little research and check the depth of your electrical junction box depth. Why oh why? Because these USB wall plates have got some serious back. Below is a comparison of regular outlet (left) against a USB wall outlet from Fastmac (right).
To pack in that extra bulk you're junction box is going to need to have a volume of around 20 cu. inches. Or about 3" deep for a single-gang switch. It's likely an older home will be outfitted with much slimmer junction boxes and is probably not suited for this job. You're certainly welcome to try, but that task will likely require fitting in a new junction box and doing some drywall patching. Assuming that's more trouble than most will be willing to undertake, we're just going to show you how to do it in the event your junction box does have enough area.
Here's how to do it:
- Find an outlet you want to replace. Don't do this for GFCI outlets with a button, as these USB outlets do not have GFCI functionality built-in.
- Cut off power to the room(s) you're replacing the sockets in via the main circuit breaker panel.
- Unscrew the existing wall plate and remove.
- Unscrew the electrical outlet from the junction box.
- Take note of how your socket is connected. Try snapping pics with your phone and drawing a diagram.
- Remove the power wires from the existing electrical outlet
- Our Fastmac USB outlet just has one neutral wire terminal. So if you had a middle-of-run wired outlet (pictured to the right in image above), you're going to have to combine the two wires into one. The kit supplies a knot and extra wire for this
- Attach the wires to the new USB electrical outlet. Don't forget the ground.
- Push back in the wires and screw the new USB outlet into the junction box. Likely a very tight and snug fit.
- Turn back on the power and look for the polarity mismatch indicator. If it's glowing something is wrong with the wiring. Go back and try to fix.
- If the indicator is not glowing then you should be set. Turn back off the power and screw in the wall plate cover.
- Clean up and turn back on power when done.
Voila! It's a cool trick if you get it working right. We tricked out our guest room, master bedroom (by the nightstands where sleeping gadgets lie), and an outlet by our living room couch for guests. All outlets shown here also pack enough current to charge the iPad as well. So if you're power charging options at home are feeling sparse, grab one of these and more power to ya!
Other USB and Outlet Upgrades:
5 Ways to Battle the "Not Enough Outlets" Problem
Our Favorite Lazy Tech Accessory? A USB Extender
Six USB & Power Grommets for the Desk and Kitchen
How To Swap a Two-Prong for a Three-Prong Outlet
Socket to Them: Identifying Outlets of the World
(Images: 1.,5.,9. 10 Chris Perez, 2. RCA, 4. OCW, 3.,6.,7.,8. Fastmac)
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Klutz that I am, it seems rather remote that I'll be able to do this without electrocuting myself or burning down the house, but seems like a great idea. (Note to self: call electrician.)
Wow! So, we're going there now. From now on all new houses will be built with USB plugs in them. Wild.
Interesting. I like the idea, however I haven't seen these for Australian power outlets yet. Also, I don't know about America, but in Australia it is illegal for an unlicensed person to carry out any work on the electrical wiring in a home. Not just for your safety, but future owners too...
In America, I think depends on the state or locality. I do think it's illegal in NYC, but it's not where I live in Ohio.
should add a note on there for older home owners, to look and make sure you have copper wire and not aluminium. If you mix the two bad things will happen.
I agree w/ Welcomereality, you should check w/ your city/state code and make sure doing such "update" is in compliance. If it's allowed, hey, this is great!!
for people with less DIY ability i was at the home depot the other day buying a new power strip/surge protector and they sell power strips that have several USB ports in them too. if you are like most people and keep your tech centralized its pretty handy and you dont have to mess with wiring.
It's true you shouldn't mess around with electrical stuff if you don't know what you're doing. However, at this level, knowing what you're doing requires like, five minutes max worth of training. Don't let people scare you.
Very nice walkthrough!
AHAHAHA the last picture. XD
So the thing I don't like about this is that it appears to be the same as leaving a wall wart permanently plugged in - sucking energy the whole time. I have all my chargers on switched outlets (or you could put them on a power strip that is plugged into a timer). But having these things always sucking energy is pointless and seems like a pretty bad idea.
Ok, so I looked a little closer and the fastmac version seems to be pretty good at shutting itself down if not in use. So that makes a lot more sense to me now.
thx ADAMWA home depot I can do
No surge protection.
Hi Chris!
Nicely done! I especially like the last image- should've thought of that myself
:-D
I wanted to point out that the U-Socket fits inside a standard 16-cubic inch gang box (all of the gang boxes available at Home Depot start @ 18-cubic inches). If your house was built after World War II, chances are that it will have the right size gang box & therefore the U-Socket will fit. Also, the depth is 49mm.
As for installation, this item is self installable- you don't need an electrician. It might look intimidating at first, but once you turn off the circuit breaker, it's just a piece of harmless wire- I can't recall the last time a circuit breaker failed to stay off O:-) Before I wrote the manual you linked to above, I was a bit hesitant, but once I got into it, I realized that I worried for no reason :-D
I hope everyone gets a chance to try the U-Socket. Once it's installed, you'll love the convenience of always having a charge port available to you & then you'll wonder how you ever did without it :-)
Abbi
I like where this is headed but since I don't have a whole-house surge protection system I'll stick with the surge protector/power strip/USB charger that's a plug-in!
The Wall Plate Charger from RCA has a serious design flaw that's a deal-breaker for me.
If I installed this into the outlet next to my bed, I'd need a 3-prong outlet strip for my lamp, laptop, and electric blanket. I'd plug a USB hub into the USB port for my phone, iPod, and Bluetooth. The small electronic items would go on my bedside table.
Any time I or the laptop moved too much, the cords would tug at the the outlet strip, which would move around. Its cord would tug at the USB cord, often pulling the hub and my delicate electronics off the table and onto the floor.
The typical 3-prong connection should be on the bottom, and the USB ports should be on the top.
What is the point adding USB outlets if they are not transmitting data? Why not just add more regular outlets if you need additional power sources? USB without data capability seems pretty useless... You can just as easily expand a duplex outlet into a quad outlet.
FYI, the FastMac wall outlets are not UL listed.
What does this means This means Underwriter Laboratories has not certified that these wall outlets have no design flaws that might result in a fire inside the walls of your home. As a result, no electrician in their right mind will install these for you, and many of them will tell you not to install them (as opposed to letting you DIY them). In the event of a fire, the insurance company would leave you holding the bag if you had the FastMac one installed.
The one sold via OWC is UL Listed, however it is not listed as BTO tamper resistant, which is something to consider if you have kids, and some building codes require BTO tamper resistant outlets.
This is really awesome!
So, so useful. Love!
I'd like to clarify a misconception put forth by a commenter that looks a bit disingenuous :-/ (since they just joined the community and that's the only comment they've left so far).
The U-Socket is indeed listed. It meets UL and NEC code. It's approved for UL 498, UL 1310, UL 60950 & UL 514c. Electricians around the country have bought it & installed w/o issue, as have many insurance companies. Putting forth comments that "you will be left holding the bag" are just not true and should be disregarded.
For BVZ. Decently designed, "Wall warts" should waste no electricity when simply plugged into a socket with nothing attached to the output end. The only ones that might use some miniscule amount of electricity when not in use is one that has a LED on it that burns at all times for some reason. With nothing attached to the output end you have an open circuit so no electrical current can flow through the device. Think of it this way, how much electricity does a standard outlet use when nothing is plugged into it?
FYI ... Lowes does carry one made by Cooper that IS UL and CSA rated.
An LED light glows when the USB is charging. The specs indicate that is does not have a "miswired indicator light".
Reviews say there is not enough juice to charge an ipad, but if left plugged in overnight, it will still charge.
The Lowes item number is 365252.
For BVZ. These devices have a small transformer in them. The primary coil is connected to the 120 VAC. There will be an electrical current in the primary even if the secondary coil has an open circuit. That is why it is recommended to unplug your charger even if you have disconnected your phone or other device.
Robgomes is right, do not install these unless they are labeled as having been tested by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), such as UL. It could void your homeowners insurance if a fire results. There are imported electrical equipment that just does not meet US and Canadian standards.
Abbi - you noted above that your product is approved for the UL Code yet you don't use the UL logo? When I checked the OWC product, they listed their UL #. When we checked out your site there was no certification # shown. Perhaps you could provide it since You state the product is approved for the UL code. Please provide the UL Code # that the independent testing lab issued to you as OWC does - UL listing #E339607 - can you provide us yours and publish it as well?
Asking you because we know you've got a strong technical and scientific background and have a strong desire for the right thing to be done.
BVZ: the OWC model has spring-loaded shutters over the USB ports that trigger switches for the DC output.
Eric3872: power-only USB ports at the receptacle save you having to find or carry around a USB AC adapter, and they save space.
I have checked the Underwriter's Laboratory website and found NO LISTING for either "Fastmac" or "TruePower" (the company name listed on the PDF installation instructions for the Fastmac). I contacted UL directly and they have no devices listed for either company. Simply quoting the UL categories under which such a device MIGHT be listed is not sufficient. Unless 'Abbi' can provide a legitimate UL file number for the device, I would have to consider that it is NOT UL approved. I would hesitate to install one in my home, especially considering that the extra depth of the device would cause a crowded wiring condition in a standard 2.5 inch outlet box.
Brilliant!!
If you don't want to worry about wiring something, this is the solution we've added to our outlets: http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Outlet-Surge-Protector-USB/dp/B004CLYJ0U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329170433&sr=8-1
You unscrew the screw from your current outlet cover, and screw this in, instead. (You don't actually remove the faceplate, just the screw) Surge protection AND USB charging for your devices, and no wiring required!
I would like to update my previous comment. I found a True Power (Fastmac) USB outlet at my local Microcenter store today. There was NO UL logo or label anywhere on either the package or the item itself. Conclusion: it is NOT UL approved.
This one states it is approved. Plus it has 4 ports instead of 2!
http://www.globtek.com/power-supplies.php/multi-port-usb-wall-charger
NEVER EVER try and replace any outlets by your own, ALWAYS use the service of a qualified electrician.
doesnt seem too hard......I think I could handle it, I dont think you would need a pro unless maybe you needed to replace the box
5 minutes and a flathead screwdriver and its done.
It doesn't appear any larger than a GFCI receptical.
If you don't want to worry about wiring something, this is the solution we've added to our outlets: http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Outlet-Surge-Protector-USB/dp/B004CLYJ0U/ref=sr_1_1? ie=UTF8&qid=1329170433&sr=8-1
You unscrew the screw from your current outlet cover, and screw this in, instead. (You don't actually remove the faceplate, just the screw) Surge protection AND USB charging for your devices, and no wiring required!
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POSTED BY KIMBERLYK. ON 02.13.12 AT 05:02PM
Now this would be great if you lived in a rental, where you could move out, remove it, replace screw and your done.
$30 per outlet can add up quick.
"Serious back" is an understatement! If my place is like many apartments, the builder put in the smallest (read "evil and diabolical") outlet box they could find. But I like the utility of an outlet with USB power. That Belkin screw over the outlet pack sounds like what I'm needing.
That's amazing ways indeed to upgrade a wall outlet to USB functionality. I'm kind of tired seeking my iPhone charger after reaching home to charge my iPhone. Therefore installing USB function it'll reduce effort quite smartly. Thanks for useful instructions.
Covalin in sudbury