Double plug socket with USB sockets

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Hi,
I've seen double plug sockets with 2 USB sockets for sale in screw fix, has anyone fitted them? Are the USB sockets some hoe connected to the 3pin sockets or will I need more wires putting in? I'm no electrician but I'm more then capable of changing a socket, but if extra wiring is involved then it won't be worth the expense, hence the question.

Thanks guys
 
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There's no additional wiring to do. Just the live neutral and earth wires, exactly the same as your existing socket.
 
They obviously have a built in power supply that is permanently switched on (using electricity). This power supply will also have capacitors that will wear out sooner being permanently on. No doubt you will be replacing it in a short time.
 
Not like you to be wrong winston :rolleyes: They do not consume any electricity when they are not charging. I've fitted a few. Customers love them and so far I've had no failures.
 
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Not like you to be wrong winston :rolleyes: They do not consume any electricity when they are not charging. I've fitted a few. Customers love them and so far I've had no failures.

They must consume a little bit surely. mW I suppose. Good to know there are no failures though.
 
They do not consume any electricity when they are not charging.

Do they have a physical switch in them? If not, they must consume electricity.

That said: Being on permanently does not result in a short lifespan.
 
I'm just wondering about installing these (as part of a final circuit) and then doing an IR test.
It depends on the circuitry, but I would expect to see a false IR reading, or for the thing to die.
 
To be safe the devices must have an output that is isolated from the mains supply and to achieve that isolation a transformer is required. For the transformer to be small enough to fit behind a 13 amp socket the transformer has to be operated at a high frequency which means the transformer is part of a switch mode power supply (SMPS) .

Even when un-loaded a SMPS will be consuming a small amount of power.

Wired ended electrolytic capacitors tend to have longer life spans than surface mounted electrolytic capacitors.
 
I'd be interested to know how the switch-mode power supply is fused down from the 32A circuit.

Saw some stand-alone USB charge modules, there didn't seem to be any kind of fusing within them (not even a pcb mount non replaceable item). The supply terminals were what appeared to be 10 or 16A pcb mount connector blocks. They certainly would not accept 2x2.5mm solid conductor

The manufacturer's technical dept. confirmed in writing that these were suitable for connecting directly to 32A ring circuit. I was distinctly un-easy about this.
 
Is there any reason why you cannot run the thing off a 13amp switched fused spur??, solves the fusing worry, and of course there is a DP switch too.
 
Wired ended electrolytic capacitors tend to have longer life spans than surface mounted electrolytic capacitors.
Got any paper to back that one up?
Not documented failure rates. Just the experience of the constraints on selection of components and assembly methods depending on the required reliability and the environment the equipment would be used in. In mass production surface mount has the massive financial / profit advantage of very low cost assembly.
 
Wired ended electrolytic capacitors tend to have longer life spans than surface mounted electrolytic capacitors.
Got any paper to back that one up?
Not documented failure rates. Just the experience of the constraints on selection of components and assembly methods depending on the required reliability and the environment the equipment would be used in. In mass production surface mount has the massive financial / profit advantage of very low cost assembly.
That's the opposite of my experience. When we switched a range of products onto SMD a couple of decades ago there was a massive improvement in reliability.
 

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