Anyone upgrade to USB/Power outlets (U-Socket) in your home?

[PhoenixEnigma]

I have a small place and computers damn well near everywhere, so I'm not really interested for myself.

I can see some people wanting to retrofit these, though. I know my parents have a couple spots where they're a little short on outlets - they'll have a lamp and a couple chargers and a digital photo frame or whatever all vying for a pair of outlets. Putting a USB+AC outlet there would let mom charge her iPad and still have the family photos display, and look a lot neater than a power bar.

 

[sjwaste]

I have a small place and computers damn well near everywhere, so I'm not really interested for myself.

I can see some people wanting to retrofit these, though. I know my parents have a couple spots where they're a little short on outlets - they'll have a lamp and a couple chargers and a digital photo frame or whatever all vying for a pair of outlets. Putting a USB+AC outlet there would let mom charge her iPad and still have the family photos display, and look a lot neater than a power bar.

That's the other thing no one has touched on - the AC adapter takes up an outlet. That's another reason I want these near our night stands. Each one has one outlet behind it, with a lamp plugged into it. Keeping the other outlet free, or in the case of our master bedroom, using it for the sleep number bed, would be nice. Less swapping. Same with our kitchen island - it has only the code-required outlet, and the end closest to the family room is often where we'll park a laptop and our cell phones.

$28 is still a lot, but I'm sure they can be had cheaper. Still, I see plenty of good uses for this. Not sure why we're still justifying it, actually.

 

[ShawnD1]

Less swapping.

Why not just buy a splitter? The 1 to 3 splitter in my bathroom cost $1.

 

[sjwaste]

Why not just buy a splitter? The 1 to 3 splitter in my bathroom cost $1.

I don't know, why not just have a single outlet and a power strip in every room? It's nice to just have plugs without extra stuff hanging off the wall. If it's a matter of cost, why do you care so much? No one is forcing you to buy anything.

 

[ShawnD1]

I don't know, why not just have a single outlet and a power strip in every room? It's nice to just have plugs without extra stuff hanging off the wall. If it's a matter of cost, why do you care so much? No one is forcing you to buy anything.

People buying dumb shit then not being able to pay their mortgage caused the greatest market crash in history.

 

[alkemyst]

Why not just buy a splitter? The 1 to 3 splitter in my bathroom cost $1.

ATTENTION WALMART SHOPPERS, SPECIAL IN AISLE 3 ON 1 to 3 SPLITTERS!

 

[alkemyst]

People buying dumb shit then not being able to pay their mortgage caused the greatest market crash in history.

wow bro you have serious anger issues as a small fry...

 

[sjwaste]

People buying dumb shit then not being able to pay their mortgage caused the greatest market crash in history.

I don't think buying some $28 outlets caused the crash.

Do you own a home?

 

[ShawnD1]

I don't think buying some $28 outlets caused the crash.

Applying the same silly logic to everything is what makes custom houses so expensive. "I want all of the receptacles to have USB, and I want a skylight in the kitchen, and I want a mirror on the floor so the light from the skylight reflects everywhere."
cost to build: 300k
interest rates go up
OH SHIT. BAIL!

Do you own a home?

Yes I do own a home. I also own lots of power bars.

Fess up to who you are and link back to your website where people can read the research.

A guy from Optima batteries showed up in the car forum one day to answer questions about batteries. It was pretty solid information.
This guy pimping his u-socket seems pretty good. He's right about AC adapters still using power when not doing anything. The AC adapter for my speakers uses 10W when doing nothing. The adapter for my Sega Genesis was pretty bad for power draw; it was hot to the touch even when the system was off.

 

[sjwaste]

Applying the same silly logic to everything is what makes custom houses so expensive. "I want all of the receptacles to have USB, and I want a skylight in the kitchen, and I want a mirror on the floor so the light from the skylight reflects everywhere."
cost to build: 300k
interest rates go up
OH SHIT. BAIL!

I think you're extrapolating quite a bit, and also misattributing factors that led to the current market conditions. What do you care if someone puts extra money into their home? If they can afford it, they can buy what they like. In any case, its not your job to determine whether or not others are spending their money intelligently. If you think some upgrades in homes caused the market bubble, you should look a little harder.

Yes I do own a home. I also own lots of power bars.

Great, so you either bought during the bubble and are bitter at anyone else spending their discretionary funds in ways of which you do not approve, or you bought recently and the crash created a buying opportunity for you. Either way, you're irrationally angry with the potential buyers of the product in this thread.

 

[ShawnD1]

Great, so you either bought during the bubble and are bitter at anyone else spending their discretionary funds in ways of which you do not approve, or you bought recently and the crash created a buying opportunity for you. Either way, you're irrationally angry with the potential buyers of the product in this thread.

The housing market in Canada never crashed. It's still as high as it ever was. There are no opportunities to be found.

 

[alkemyst]

The housing market in Canada never crashed. It's still as high as it ever was. There are no opportunities to be found.

I don't think you pay attention to the news and mortgage business.

 

[sjwaste]

The housing market in Canada never crashed. It's still as high as it ever was. There are no opportunities to be found.

Well, then I guess if a correction is due, you can go yell at everyone who had USB outlets and foreclosed!

 

[alkemyst]

Applying the same silly logic to everything is what makes custom houses so expensive. "I want all of the receptacles to have USB, and I want a skylight in the kitchen, and I want a mirror on the floor so the light from the skylight reflects everywhere."
cost to build: 300k
interest rates go up
OH SHIT. BAIL!


Yes I do own a home. I also own lots of power bars.


A guy from Optima batteries showed up in the car forum one day to answer questions about batteries. It was pretty solid information.
This guy pimping his u-socket seems pretty good. He's right about AC adapters still using power when not doing anything. The AC adapter for my speakers uses 10W when doing nothing. The adapter for my Sega Genesis was pretty bad for power draw; it was hot to the touch even when the system was off.

Most of the bailers weren't building homes. They were flipping as-builts.

 

[ShawnD1]

I don't think you pay attention to the news and mortgage business.

I just paid $140,000 for a condo located 3 blocks away from the ghetto, and that was considered a good deal. Condos for $130,000 had holes in the walls, water damage, broken radiators, etc. After seeing that this condo was NOT inhabited by meth addicts, we immediately made an offer and threw down a deposit. The person who lived in there even had the contents of their refrigerator neatly organized, so we're pretty confident about this purchase.

Well, then I guess if a correction is due, you can go yell at everyone who had USB outlets and foreclosed!

Nope. Rules in Canada recently changed so the max term is 25 years instead of 30 years and you max refinance is something like 90% instead of 95%. By taking steps to avoid a market crash, there will be no market crash. It will stay like this for years.
My prediction for the year is that real estate prices will drop roughly 10%. My coworker thinks they will go up 10%. I wrote down both our predictions and I'll hold onto that piece of paper until next year.

 

[Dessert Tears]

Or something like: http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10851&cs_id=1085102&p_id=8856&seq=1&format=2

I got one of each of the Monoprice USB Wall Chargers. I tried the smaller "ice cube" one. It's a little larger than similar iPod or BlackBerry plugs, but I like that the prongs fold in. I'm not sure if it can output the full 1A through one port or if it's 2x500mA.

My personal devices are Micro-USB (BlackBerry, Kindle) or Apple (iPod). My household has a greater variety and a sack full of cables and power adapters sitting by one of the outlets. I think that some consolidation is possible. I read that Nooks are picky about how the non-power USB pins are connected (and incompatible with Apple), so it might remain the odd device out.

 

[alkemyst]

I just paid $140,000 for a condo located 3 blocks away from the ghetto, and that was considered a good deal. Condos for $130,000 had holes in the walls, water damage, broken radiators, etc. After seeing that this condo was NOT inhabited by meth addicts, we immediately made an offer and threw down a deposit. The person who lived in there even had the contents of their refrigerator neatly organized, so we're pretty confident about this purchase.


Nope. Rules in Canada recently changed so the max term is 25 years instead of 30 years and you max refinance is something like 90% instead of 95%. By taking steps to avoid a market crash, there will be no market crash. It will stay like this for years.
My prediction for the year is that real estate prices will drop roughly 10%. My coworker thinks they will go up 10%. I wrote down both our predictions and I'll hold onto that piece of paper until next year.

most would consider paying more than $10k to get them a gunshot away from the ghetto.

Lol at buying a house based on the 'fridge though.

 

[Jeff7]

I wonder what they're using to do the voltage conversion?
Is it a decent little switcher circuit with at least 70% efficiency, and reasonable idle power consumption? Or is it something like the wall warts that suck a bit of power to do nothing more than warm themselves pointlessly?

And it might get around legislation about those phantom power-drainers, since it's not technically a plug-in device. That depends entirely on how any such legislation is written though.

Is there a chance that could damage the batteries? Every other type of battery is permanently damaged if you try to charge them too fast.

If you had a device rated for 400mA @ 5V, you could plug it into a USB port to charge, or you could plug it into a power supply that's rated to put out up to 15A @ 5V, and it wouldn't be a problem.
The device will take only what it needs - unless it's very poorly designed.

Just like a light bulb rated for 60W. That's 0.5A at 120VAC, but it's plugging into a circuit that likely has a 15A or 20A breaker. The resistance of the filament is what "regulates" the current.

 

[nonameo]

Do you even know what "literally" means or how to use it properly?

XDXD the money isn't burning a hole in his pocket, it just drips right through

literally!!!

 

[Engineer]

It seems it would make more sense to use something like: http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10907&cs_id=1090701&p_id=9195&seq=1&format=2 which would be a better in wall solution.

Or something like: http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10851&cs_id=1085102&p_id=8856&seq=1&format=2

(Maybe combine this with it: http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10907&cs_id=1090701&p_id=7993&seq=1&format=2 You get more power outlets and usb ports.)

Or even: http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10907&cs_id=1090701&p_id=7991&seq=1&format=2

I personally have tons of usb ports and usb wall adapters. However to each there own on what they wanna do to charge there usb devices.

Apply coupon INFOCOMM12 for 10% off through 7/10/12.

 

[mmntech]

The housing market in Canada never crashed. It's still as high as it ever was. There are no opportunities to be found.

New mortgage rules should cool it down. It was getting to the point where only the upper-middle class could afford homes. People were getting way over the heads thanks to cheap interest. With average home prices in Toronto at $500,000, you'd have to be making at least $96,000 per year under the new rules at current rates. That is if you're not stupid and base it on 1/3 of your gross income. A lot of people are dumb and base it on dual income. Very, very bad idea. In Canada, I can't afford to buy a condo on my current salary. In the US, I could get a two story detached and be comfortably within the affordability rules. Even pre-recession. Sad, isn't it. All the new rules are doing is adding common sense back to the market with the once standard 25yr/20% down mortgage.

As for these plugs, I do like the idea. I really hate wall wart clutter. The downside is them burning phantom power, and the cost. Plus there's a lot of devices that don't seem to like it when you attach them to a charger other than their own. PS3 controllers and my Vita included. My iPad charger will do most other USB devices, but not those.

 

[Dessert Tears]

Plus there's a lot of devices that don't seem to like it when you attach them to a charger other than their own. PS3 controllers and my Vita included. My iPad charger will do most other USB devices, but not those.

According to a forum thread that I found while looking up the Monoprice adapters, some devices are picky about the non-power USB pins. If I understood it correctly, Apple devices do it one way, and the Vita and B&N Nook do something else. I have the Monoprice adapter, a Nook, and PS3 controllers.

 

[alkemyst]

According to a forum thread that I found while looking up the Monoprice adapters, some devices are picky about the non-power USB pins. If I understood it correctly, Apple devices do it one way, and the Vita and B&N Nook do something else. I have the Monoprice adapter, a Nook, and PS3 controllers.

I doubt this is true as all of these 'cables' will work with standard USB ports and I have yet to see any not work with a car adapter that puts out at least 2A

 

[TangoJuliet]

sorry to bump this but has anyone purchased these?

I'm re-doing the outlets in the bedroom and want to buy them. The ones from OWC (macsales.com) are getting terrible reviews from Amazon. I don't want power bricks or ac adapters all over the place. These will work perfectly but I'm a little nervous from the reviews. $38 shipped (for 2) isn't a ton of money to lose for trying though

 

[McLovin]

sorry to bump this but has anyone purchased these?

I'm re-doing the outlets in the bedroom and want to buy them. The ones from OWC (macsales.com) are getting terrible reviews from Amazon. I don't want power bricks or ac adapters all over the place. These will work perfectly but I'm a little nervous from the reviews. $38 shipped (for 2) isn't a ton of money to lose for trying though

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...gId=-1&keyword=usb&storeId=10051#.UKqQ5oap468

I purchased the wall out above because I've never heard of U-Socket and the Lead Eletrician at my work recommended Leviton. He also said Cooper Wiring (http://www.amazon.com/Cooper-Wiring-...b+wall+charger) is also good.

The thing I've been watching out for on any USB charger is the Amps the charger puts out. I don't remember which website I read the information on, I think it was XDA, but most chargers only put out 500-800mA. If you're lucky to find a charger that can do 1A/5v and you have a phone that made in the last 5 years, the phone/mobile device should automatically sense what Amperage is being put out and charge at that rate. Things that charge at 1A, charge faster than at 500mA.

The Leviton and Cooper Wiring outlets were the only ones that labeled the out of the USB ports. The reason that's important is because iPad's, and most tablets, requite 1.5A to charge properly. Both Leviton and Cooper support 1.5A output.