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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
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Products: Dual socket with USB charger

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    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2015 edited
     
    • CommentAuthorringi
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2015
     
    I would not touch these, as chargers are getting better every years and there is also a new USB standard coming out.

    I expect a mains socket to have at least a 15 year life....
    • CommentAuthorYanntoe
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2015
     
    If you go for a MK Logic Module, then the power is only "ON" when the USB lead is inserted.

    https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MKK5837W.html

    So, neat, probably more reliable than some, and sorts out the problem of chargers being left on 24/7.

    Looks good to me.

    Y
    • CommentAuthorringi
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2015
     
    Maybe for a hotel room, but at home the lead will just be left in all the time...
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2015
     
    Been a long time since chargers draw power when they are not charging I think.
    • CommentAuthorgravelld
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2015 edited
     
    USB are normally backwards compatible... I quite like this idea. Remember not all phones are sold with chargers these days (surely a good thing from a green perspective), they give you the Micro USB -> USB cable and just expect you to have a USB -> power converter.
  7.  
    Good chargers don't draw any power when not charging but the fact they've linked this one to the shutters suggests something else is going on here. Would be interested to see the draw with shutter open but no load as I was going to fit a couple of those MK units.

    USB has been a standard for a long while but the plugs have changed on the device end and are just about to change on the other end as well.

    See https://fstoppers.com/editorial/future-proofing-obsolete-apple-adopts-new-usb-port-53847
    • CommentAuthorborpin
    • CommentTimeJan 18th 2015
     
    I would never bet on an Apple idea becoming the 'standard'. Yet to be approved and crucially for adoption, is not backwards compatible. Now that is not a reason not to adopt it, but equally there will be USB2 compatible devices around needing charged for a good while yet!
    • CommentAuthorcjard
    • CommentTimeJan 18th 2015 edited
     
    It might not become standard, but the majority share of the world will be using it (judging by one glance at a crowded tube train and the number of iDevices on show).. I dare say Apple do occasionally do a good job of these things - I'd far rather the lightning connector be the universal socket rather than micro USB; it's far more robust, simple and it's reversible. While I'm no apple fan, I gotta give them props for that one. That said, coming from an era of headphone sockets and nokia chargers that were round, and the size of a pencil I'm no stranger to the notion of a connector that can be inserted in any orientation so I'm prepared to limit the amount of respect Apple get for reinventing a poorer version of that wheel
    • CommentAuthoratomicbisf
    • CommentTimeJan 19th 2015
     
    Posted By: borpinI would never bet on an Apple idea becoming the 'standard'. Yet to be approved and crucially for adoption, is not backwards compatible. Now that is not a reason not to adopt it, but equally there will be USB2 compatible devices around needing charged for a good while yet!


    I think it'll go the way of FireWire! Is it really too much effort to manage to get a USB plug in the right way round?
    • CommentAuthormarkocosic
    • CommentTimeJan 19th 2015
     
    MK are only 1A output (per outlet) so stuff charges slowly: rubbish.

    The "Apple" connector isn't apple proprietary; they freely license this "mini displayport" standard.

    Wait for the Nest socket faceplate. (I'm betting this is their next "boring" product) It'll have USB and their proprietary versions of zigbee/ethernet over power I'm sure.

    Best bet currently? Raspberry Pi power supplies. They're 2A @ 5.25V (the absolute limits of the USB spec) and things charge REALLY quickly from those. £5.50 each. No EMC/EMI issues either.
  12.  
    When the inventor of USB dies they'll lower his coffin into his grave, lift it up, turn it over, and lower him back down again.
  13.  
    Posted By: markocosicThe "Apple" connector isn't apple proprietary; they freely license this "mini displayport" standard.


    The MDP connector does not provide charging capabilities though, unlike the various flavours of USB and the Apple "Lightning" connector (this is not to be confused with Thunderbolt, which is another video/audio interface).

    Paul in Montreal.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJan 19th 2015 edited
     
    Posted By: Simon StillWhen the inventor of USB dies they'll lower his coffin into his grave, lift it up, turn it over, and lower him back down again.
    This is the bloke to blame, though suspect they will set fire to him.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajay_Bhatt
    • CommentAuthortorrent99
    • CommentTimeJan 20th 2015
     
    I quite like the full size USB plug/socket for 5V power distribution at low currents. Yes it's directional, but that's no issue.
    What does annoy me is the micro USB plug/socket, or rather the reliability of them. I've already had to replace the one on a 1.5 year old tablet, now my 2010 vintage smart phone is getting fussy about which charging cable it needs.

    Once those go, the item can't charge and becomes a paperweight. OK so most people change their smartphone more often than their underwear, but really it ain't too green is it?:angry:
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJan 20th 2015
     
    What annoys me is the position of them on laptops.
    I have then on the side and at the back, both get bashed or are in the way. I have a habit of putting my mug down on the side ones. May have to think about wireless/bluetooth more and use an SD card instead of a memory stick.
    • CommentAuthorCWatters
    • CommentTimeJan 20th 2015 edited
     
    What does annoy me is the micro USB plug/socket, or rather the reliability of them.


    Same here. The socket on both of my kids phones have failed. I'm having to remove the batteries to charge them. Could be mechanical but I'm beginning to suspect they don't like high current. One failed soon after switching to a 2A charger.
  18.  
    Micro USB is the devils work. Even when you've got the plug the right way up it can be hard to get in and it's small enough, and near symmetrical enough that even peering at it doesn't always help.

    I really rate Apple's Lightning port. USB3 looks even better. That said, USB ports for power will be around for many years.
  19.  
    Update on this - MK have released their integrated sockets now-
    https://www.mkelectric.com/en-gb/Products/WD/logicplus/switchedsocketoutlets/Pages/K2743WHI.aspx
    Can be picked up for about £25 each.

    I've bought quite a number of these to put around the house. MK stuff in my experience is always good quality and they claim to do device detection (which I trust also means they go to ultra low power mode when not charging). Unlike the separate module these don't have shutters on the usb sockets.
    • CommentAuthorringi
    • CommentTimeOct 6th 2015
     
    I fail to see the point compared to just using a plug in USB charger, unless you are somewhere that the USB charge may go missing.

    Therefore I would only consider "Dual socket with USB charger" for say a hotel room, but not my home.
  21.  
    Point for me is avoiding trailing extension leads (or excessive wall sockets). Bedroom, desk, kitchen all benefit.
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeOct 6th 2015
     
    But there is no extra lead from a wall wart charger?
    • CommentAuthorSimon Still
    • CommentTimeOct 6th 2015 edited
     
    A double socket in those locations isn't enough for the things I want to plug in. I can either
    - use one of the sockets for an extension lead and plug the extra items into that
    - install additional sockets in the wall
    - use a double socket with usb outlets to get charge up to 2 devices whilst using the sockets for other things

    We'll see. Might turn out to be a crap idea but seemed to make sense to me a few weeks back when I bought them.

    The alternative was buying a couple of extra Apple chargers and leaving them plugged in but given that they're £15 each the MK sockets weren't much more expensive.
    •  
      CommentAuthordjh
    • CommentTimeOct 6th 2015
     
    There's always
    - scrap some of the devices that need charging :devil:
  25.  
    Indeed - all these devices with lovely efficient low powered USB-rechargeable batteries that used to take a handful of rarely recycled AA batteries. What has the world come to.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 7th 2015
     
    • CommentAuthorEd Davies
    • CommentTimeOct 7th 2015
     
    Devices with batteries not designed to be replaced because people will have gone out and bought the latest model before the battery dies … but that's a separate green rant.
    • CommentAuthorringi
    • CommentTimeOct 7th 2015
     
    In the past I have fixed a 6 way "extension lead end" to a wall next to a socket, by wiring up a custom extension lead of the correct length.
    • CommentAuthorrhamdu
    • CommentTimeOct 15th 2015
     
    There are lots of mains + USB power adaptors now available, in UK and travel versions. So easy to use one of these, I am not sure I see the point of hardwired USB sockets.
    e.g. http://www.robertdyas.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=adaptor
  30.  
    Does the USB part of the socket plate have its own inbuilt fuse? What fuse rating, and how's it replaced?

    Or is your phone charging off the back of a 40A mcb?!?!

    To be fair, I haven't noticed plug in chargers have replaceable fuses either.

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