USB sockets

zax47

Fitting a few of these for customers now, very useful. If you are looking at the Screwfix ones then I prefer the BG one rather than the LAP one. IMO it's better made (albeit a bit more "chunky" looking") and definitely fits a 25mm back-box if replacing an existing double socket. The LAP one can be touch & go depending where cables enter back box. If fitting as new then I tend to drop a 35mm deep box in, if the wall allows.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/bg-13a-2-gang-sp-switched-socket-usb-charger-outboard-rocker-white/8534f

namecheck

zax47 wrote: »

Fitting a few of these for customers now, very useful. If you are looking at the Screwfix ones then I prefer the BG one rather than the LAP one. IMO it's better made (albeit a bit more "chunky" looking") and definitely fits a 25mm back-box if replacing an existing double socket. The LAP one can be touch & go depending where cables enter back box. If fitting as new then I tend to drop a 35mm deep box in, if the wall allows.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/bg-13a-2-gang-sp-switched-socket-usb-charger-outboard-rocker-white/8534f

That's good to know - I ordered a couple yesterday. I decided on the BG one, partly because of the back box potential issue but also because it is on offer at the moment.

audigex

Zola. wrote: »

I don't really see the point in them personally. You'll get a faster charge when you use the actual charger with the power source.

I'd love to see the explanation for that....

Power is power. That socket provides a combined 2.1 amps (the same as a "tablet" charger, or two regular phone/iPhone chargers). It's no more or less efficient than any other 2 amp charger (with one device) or two 1 amp chargers (if you plug two devices in)

If anything, if you plug in one phone, it should usually (if the phone is capable of handling 2 amps) charge faster than if you used a regular phone charger (this is the reason I always use my iPad charger to charge my iPhone)

Terry98

audigex wrote: »

I'd love to see the explanation for that....

Power is power. That socket provides a combined 2.1 amps (the same as a "tablet" charger, or two regular phone/iPhone chargers). It's no more or less efficient than any other 2 amp charger (with one device) or two 1 amp chargers (if you plug two devices in)

If anything, if you plug in one phone, it should usually (if the phone is capable of handling 2 amps) charge faster than if you used a regular phone charger (this is the reason I always use my iPad charger to charge my iPhone)

The desktop charger (link above) can charge 2.4 amps per port. I don't know the max charge for the iPhone but are you still saying its still preferable to use the iPhone charger?

I sometimes need to charge 3 or 4 different devices (Apple and Android) at the same time so one charger is better than four plugs.

DTDfanBoy

audigex wrote: »

I'd love to see the explanation for that....

Power is power. That socket provides a combined 2.1 amps (the same as a "tablet" charger, or two regular phone/iPhone chargers). It's no more or less efficient than any other 2 amp charger (with one device) or two 1 amp chargers (if you plug two devices in)

If anything, if you plug in one phone, it should usually (if the phone is capable of handling 2 amps) charge faster than if you used a regular phone charger (this is the reason I always use my iPad charger to charge my iPhone)

There are plenty of phones/chargers which are capable of charging at well over 2.1 amps, a couple of mine throw out 4.5 amps, it would probably take me 3x as long to charge from a wall socket compared to using the dedicated charger

50Twuncle

DTDfanBoy wrote: »

There are plenty of phones/chargers which are capable of charging at well over 2.1 amps, a couple of mine throw out 4.5 amps, it would probably take me 3x as long to charge from a wall socket compared to using the dedicated charger

Power / Current is drawn - not supplied
If a device needs more current - it will draw it
So even though a source can provide 2 amps - it wiĺl only supply 2 anps if the impedencand noe is correct !!
And NO USB device will draw 4.5 anps !!

ashleypride

audigex wrote: »

I'd love to see the explanation for that....

Power is power.

USB charging is not just about power, the device and charger negotiate the charging rate, so the maximum rating of the charger can be irrelevant.

Some information here
http://apcmag.com/android-usb-charging-secrets.htm/

DTDfanBoy

50Twuncle wrote: »

Power / Current is drawn - not supplied
If a device needs more current - it will draw it
So even though a source can provide 2 amps - it wiĺl only supply 2 anps if the impedencand noe is correct !!
And NO USB device will draw 4.5 anps !!

Perhaps you should try explaining your theory to the guys who make the phones

zax47

DTDfanBoy wrote: »

Perhaps you should try explaining your theory to the guys who make the phones

Your point is? Just coz 4.5A is (maybe) available that doesn't mean the device will draw that.

"Ye canna' change the Laws of Physics Cap'n"

I'd be surprise if that piece of crap in the picture could even supply 450mA for more than 10 seconds - for what it's worth....:rotfl:

DTDfanBoy

zax47 wrote: »

Your point is? Just coz 4.5A is (maybe) available that doesn't mean the device will draw that.

"Ye canna' change the Laws of Physics Cap'n"

I'd be surprise if that piece of crap in the picture could even supply 450mA for more than 10 seconds - for what it's worth....:rotfl:

Well I guess it's a question of who knows best, the blokes who spent a few million £££ developing one of the best phone charging systems in the world, or a couple of MSE dinosaurs :think: