USB Mains faceplates - poor quality

JustAnotherSaver

So we converted a few of our mains faceplates to USB ones years ago. It's a bit concerning how many have failed.

One of the ones downstairs has totally failed as far as the USB ports go. Neither work at all & if i remember right, this wasn't all that long after they were installed. Ok more than days & weeks but it's not like it went after 5 years either.

I seem to recall another that had to get switched out because of the same issue.

I have one in my PC room where the on/off switch for the plug turns on/off but it doesn't actually DO anything - it's permanently on.

Again if i remember right (yep, it's been a while but i've only just gotten round to asking) I bought them all from Screwfix at differing times.

I've never actually had a non-USB faceplate fail. Not in the 20 odd years I lived with my parents or the near 10 years I've had my own house, so I don't know if i've been terribly unlucky or whether the ones I have are poor quality or whether that's just the way these things go.

Is there a brand any of you can recommend to get because I don't want to switch them out only for them to go again in 6 months time.

casper_gutman

I've never had a problem with any of my USB ones, which are BG Nexus so not massively expensive. 

I've had problems with three standard sockets (two in previous rented properties, one in this house) which had contacts that became loose leading to overheating and cracked faceplates in two cases. They've all been very old so it's not surprising.

scottishblondie

We also have BG Nexus ones, with and without the USB.  We fitted them 3.5 years ago when we moved in and have had no issues at all.  

Owain_Moneysaver

If they were Screwfix own-brand LAP they do not have the best of reputations. 

fenwick458

JustAnotherSaver said:

I've never actually had a non-USB faceplate fail. Not in the 20 odd years I lived with my parents or the near 10 years I've had my own house, so I don't know if i've been terribly unlucky or whether the ones I have are poor quality or whether that's just the way these things go.

The standard USB chargers (not fitted into a socket) will tend to be more reliably built as they have a lot more room available. with the sockets they have to really cram it all in so thy will fit in most backboxes. 
also most other chargers will come with really expensive bits of tech, and that means you get a good quality charger. apple or samsung aren't going to skimp £10 on the charger and risk breaking your expensive phones, but the likes of LAP from screwfix are manufactured to a price point and they absolutely will find the cheapest chinese bits to put inside the socket and hope for the best, if they got the best ones they could for £10 extra like apple and samsung it would double the price of their product and nobody would buy it
I'd recommend these, USB A & C click mode