Home DIY

Ta, looking again now...

Edit: Top one now out, thanks again.

Planning on picking up a load of bits from tlc today and wanted to replace one of our kitchen socket faceplates with a USB one.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/BG822U3.html

Was planning on going with this BG one as it's a brand name, inexpensive, 3.1A shared and has a standby mode.

Is there anything I should be aware of?

Existing sockets are all very utilitarian, so I assume they're as standard and cheap as they could be. It says it takes a 25mm back box.

Style wise, I'm OK with the mismatch as all the other sockets are visually obscured.

Use wise it's mainly for a baby monitor and a phone. But I've got a artery recharger that annoyingly needs a powerful USB plug, of which I only have one which takes a standard USB. So it'd be good to have something that can power that.

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They seem decent and on special offer. TLC are usually good value for this kind of thing. Sometimes the wiring makes it tricky to squeeze into a 25mm backbox despite the claims. One reservation I have about them at the moment is the change over to USB C is happening and increasingly that will become the standard plug. How long that takes will depend but current Apple equipment is already becoming incompatible with USB B.

Electricians have been grumbling about the reduced capacity to test them and the introduction of a point of failure where sockets were previously seen as pretty simple and reliable.

Other brands exist, but you can get them with both Type A and C

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-13a-2-gang-sp-switched-socket-4-2a-2-outlet-type-a-c-usb-charger-white/728FV

I'm not so worried about obsolescence as we tend to keep stuff and still have quite a few type A cables - in particular for the two main anticipated uses. Plus I can always change it again down the line if it's totally useless... although a new kitchen at some point is more likely to make them redundant than tech.

Although the 4.2A of the Screwfix one is tempting for an extra fiver... but I'm buying quite a few items at the moment so all those just a bit mores rack up.

Worth nothing that those sockets are both single pole.

I wouldn’t touch any lap gear with a barge pole.

+1 - I always use double pole.
And 25mm back boxes can be a bit of a squeeze.

Mk have just bought out sockets with wago style connectors but I don’t know if they have them for their usb sockets yet. They deffo need bigger boxes tho.

Does single pole matter for kitchen counter sockets?

Thinking through a max use scenario:

1. Google Home Mini + pass through doorbell, playing music and the doorbell rings
   
2. Hand blender blending
   
3. Baby monitor charging
   
4. Phone charging
   

Why's that? Bad experiences with LAP stuff?

It wasn't a recommendation, just a note to say that the concept exists.

It’s screwfix own brand, very cheaply made Chinese crap. Often made to look similar to competitors stuff but at a much lower price.

Mate has to install lots of it doing random service work, says they regularly break as you’re installing them as the materials are so poor (he knows what he’s doing, he’s not some cackhanded oaf).

It’s just better to have DP and the material cost difference is often fairly negligible compared to the cost of labour when installing so it seems a false economy to put cheaper gear in.

Most of the world seems to get by with unswitched sockets though?

In a socket with an integrated USB outlet I'd be more worried about that bit. They always seems a bit crammed in and poorly ventilated.

Oh for sure, it might just be the case that DP is simply an indicator that it’s a higher quality accessory. And I’d deffo agree about not wanting to put cheap USB sockets on either.

This MK one is more than double the price, but two pole: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MKK2745.html

But it doesn't seem to have a standby mode. And at that price I could go for this BG one with A+C and fast charging https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/BG822UAC30.html

I would just say that from my experience MK stuff is better quality than BG (with the exception of the weird made in China budget line MK has just put out).

Realistically the SP/DP will make little to no difference in day to day use. But the reliability of the USB part will - which I can’t speak for, other than my previous observations about each brand and their quality.

Thanks

Mk doesn't do a USB version just yet

What would you suggest then?

What's DP with fast charge and stand by mode?

What brands are better to look at? I'm also. Looking to upgrade my sockets around the flat. Annoying having chargers everywhere

Considering how limited the choice is and how new those features are (on a socket anyway), I’d say the perfect one probably doesn’t exist. I’d take BG over Lap all day, and the MK ones don’t have those features yet.

Lots of USB sockets have crap charging, mess with electrical testing, and are sold on their features rather than their reliability - the last thing I want is some crap circuitry crammed into an accessory that is connected to mains power. I also don’t want the socket itself to be second fiddle to the USB outlet it has built in.

There’s profit to be made from being the first to market with certain features, but across the board I’ve tended to notice that the better companies tend to take longer to get the same features available on their products.

So in short, I’d wait for MK ones if possible (but that might never even happen), or take the BG ones if I was desperate. But in reality I’m no expert in what’s available. Generally tho, the sparks I know tend to want to know that things are reliable before they install them, as a callout to have a look at a faulty accessory is a complete headache.

I'm with Nef on this one. MK is my first choice. I have had dodgy fake MK ordered by a client on Amazon though, really no problem telling it was a fake the quality of every aspect was appreciably lower.

BG seem to be the most reliable of the experimental stuff. They do an outdoor socket with RF switching which is useful for lights for example. In general the plastic quality is lower, moulding quality too, the connectors on the rear are more inclined to fail when installing them too.

Over the lifetime of a socket I don't see any reason to go cheaper than MK and if they don;t have a USB version available I'd assume it's not possible to make a durable one just yet.

Quick check - quick punt

I am looking to clear some space so i am looking to sell my FATMAX 4-in-1 Mobile Work Station for £40 ON(s)O (collection only) if anyone is keen. Still in good nick. Slightly dusty and missing a washer in one of the locking levers (doesnt affect operation at all and could be rectified easily). Im in SW18 (Earlsfield)

Heres the amazon link

All photos from amazon, so if you need actual photos then let me know.

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Being realistic I'd struggle to collect from you location wise, but I'm now interested in one of these.

Roughly what is the size when you extend it? 3 times the folded depth? Or does it end up bigger?

Cheers.

Where you based?