USB plug sockets "always on"

About 18months ago I changed my bed side sockets to mk branded USB wall sockets with dual 1.5a usbs in the middle and a socket either side with switches.from screwfix All propper rated apparently but defianantly not Chinese eBay junk.

Today I woke up to a burning plastic smell in as much that my phone charging cable – the one that came with Motorola moto g and was charging my Moto g at the time was black and melting on the charging end but equally the USB part of the wall socket was extremely warm to the touch. So I switched the whole lot off at the breaker till after I’d been riding.

Looking at it now- I’m not keen on the always on aspect of the USB part – and I’d debated this at the time before deciding to go for it and sticking with a known brand from a reputable supplier. But anyway sockets out the wall – no obvious damage to the socket and all cables entering the socket are terminated firmly with no signs of scorching or shorting. USB seems to be functioning with correct output using a new cable

I know it’s impossible to tell but is it likely my socket was over supplying the cable that lead to the blackened melted mess -or is it more likely I hadn’t pushed it right into the phone and it was “shorting” leading to the scorching and the socket overheating.

Bit paranoid about these things now esp as with no offswitch it could have happened with no device in and no one about if it was the socket

It’s for this reason I decided against fitting them, and just use a plug in charger.

Probably irrational, but there you go.

The cable is just a pipe, cheap crappy cables can melt.

Sounds like the phone is faulty.

Sockets making a very very feint buzzing noise.

They are gone. Taking them back to screwfix.

Too risky **** that shit.

I’ve got them in every room – never had any noise or issues from them.
Although every charging cable is an original rather than copies.

Hmm not sure about the sockets sorry but I decided not to fit them due to not being arsed to find matching ones if they ever broke… however I have had a usb cable melt when charging from a normal usb 3 pin plug convertor… I think the cable was the dodgy part though. Are you sure it wasn’t the cables fault that then caused the socket to fail or buzz?

Devices ‘pull’ charge rather than chargers ‘pushing’ it.

The wall USB module was hot because your phone was pulling more charge than it could handle. Hence the melty bit at the phone end.

Ok but if thats the case then what was letting it draw more than 1.5a that the socket is supposed to supply ?

Buzzing would likely be transformer. 240v AC to 5V DC.

Depends what kind of transformer is inside. I would guess they’re not linear as that would make them big, heavy and inefficient (and hot).

Personally, problem with wall socket USB is you have limited sockets and may not get enough juice from them. I have numerous gadgets that prefer a 2A USB and that’s often tricky to get even from plug in multi socket USB adapters other than from one port, or otherwise have to use dedicated adapters. I’ve also got a Dell tablet that has a special 24W 19V USB charger, although it can charge via 5V USB but it takes forever.

Yes but shouldn’t buzz when nothings plugged in……It’s partner on the other side of room doesn’t buzz with or without load.

If nothing else the socket that was in my wall is now defunct.

I’ve got a few of these chargers. I figured the internals will be the same as a plug in charger, nobody actually unplugs chargers when not in use anyway, and a metal and breeze block enclosure is far more fire proof than a charger in a four way adapter sitting on a carpet, stuffed down the back of a bed / table / sofa / other combustible item of furniture…

I looked in to charging speeds a while back; all cables are definitely not the same. I have devices that will charge at 2A or 0.5A depending on which cable is used.

phiiiiil – Member

I’ve got a few of these chargers. I figured the internals will be the same as a plug in charger, nobody actually unplugs chargers when not in use anyway, and a metal and breeze block enclosure is far more fire proof than a charger in a four way adapter sitting on a carpet, stuffed down the back of a bed / table / sofa / other combustible item of furniture…

OTOH the charger’s out in the air, not recessed into the wall. I get the feeling heat management on a phone charger is pretty marginal at best

Enough to put me off wall socket ones. At least a dodgy plug in charger can be easily unplugged, and of course only charge when at home and awake.

http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/electrical-professionals/product-safety-unit/usb-socket-outlets/

Though you’d expect Screwfix stuff to be of a decent standard, but then again such places do sell ultra cheap junk that while maybe meets certain safety standards can be just rubbish quality.

Big Clive always maintains using stand alone plug in chargers…

Loads of his vids on this subject, this is the first relevant one i happened across

Ratty got the lads on stand by just in case.

Have you got a smoke alarm in that bedroom or in fact every room? I’ll get some more to you if you want em.

It’s for this reason I decided against fitting them, and just use a plug in charger.

Probably irrational, but there you go.

+1
I couldn’t really say why, but just didn’t like the idea of them.

Mines were mk branded not just general junk.

Think I’ll go back to wallwarts

You can’t win really… there are loads of tales on the internet about exploding external chargers too, didn’t apple make theirs (slightly) cheaper because so many people were using third party ones that kept catching fire?

We’ll all be charging our phones in the same metal box buried in a bucket of sand as we do our dodgy Chinese bike lights… 🙂

You say that but then I’m careful about where my chargers come from

I purposefully don’t buy the cheap knock offs.

Heaven forbid somebody careful like Samsung making anything that might catch fire 🙂

Ok but if thats the case then what was letting it draw more than 1.5a that the socket is supposed to supply ?

Thats what is guaranteed to supply. In reality it’ll do 50% more at least.

Sockets making a very very feint buzzing noise

Not unusual for power supplies to do this, a few of our USB sockets hum a bit under load. It’s just the ferrit in the switch mode PSU vibrating a bit…

Fair point on Samsung Phill.

Footflaps. Mines buzzing with no load on it.

Well it was. It’s in the return heap

Think I’ll go back to wallwarts

In this country they’re still called ASDA.

Interesting thead, @uylsee thanks for video subscribed to that channel too now.

In this country they’re still called ASDA.

Fairly tenuous, but it is the weekend, so….

Incidentally, I’ve never heard the term wall warts before.

@trail_rat 🙂 You’re right though, you’re far better off with a known brand of charger rather then a crappy dirt cheap one from goodness knows where on ebay.

That said, I trust my built-in chargers as much as I do my external chargers as they came from a reputable UK based company that has an interest in not being responsible for selling dodgy goods. One of them did quietly whine constantly; I replaced it because it was annoying, not because I was worried about it. We’ve got a Sony radio and a swanky coffee machine that do / did the same thing (I actually covered the offending inductor in the radio in glue to stop it; it’s now lovely and quiet, although no doubt far more of a safety risk now I’ve pratted about with it…)

Chinese electronics containing substituted parts or badly made??

Shocking!

Incidentally, I’ve never heard the term wall warts before.

I’ve seen it used for ages, and I use the term as well, but I think it’s more common in the US than here.
I just like it as a particularly descriptive term.

jambalaya – Member 
Interesting thead, @uylsee thanks for video subscribed to that channel too now.

Likewise fascinating stuff. I’m going to be watching his vids for hours now 😀

Anyway, standalone can be just as dodgy it seems.