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would you buy/trust this? (usb+ac power in one)

post #1 of 23
12/7/09 at 12:27pm
Thread Starter 
TruePower UCS Power Outlet With Built in USB Ports - TruePower UCS Power Outlet With Built in USB Ports



saw this and kind of laughed a little to myself.

how long will it take before someone messes something up and fires happen?

just seems to have FAIL written all over it. would you buy or install one of these?

(not me)
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post #2 of 23
12/7/09 at 12:45pm
Is it just USB-power? or with data transfer? At least it's handy for charging your camera/cellphone/mediaplayer
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post #3 of 23
12/7/09 at 12:49pm
I don't get it, where's the fail? If it gets UL approval I'd call this a great idea. I would definitely install it.
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post #4 of 23
12/7/09 at 1:00pm
Thread Starter 
I'm guessing there's a small transformer or circuit in there that converts ac down to 5v dc. I have a small box that I bought for a few dollars that does the same thing, its transformerless and weighs almost nothing. it converts ac power down to usb 5.0 dc.

but the FAIL is when the (probably cheap and unsafe) circuitry finally fails. INSIDE YOUR WALL.

sounds like FAIL to me.
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post #5 of 23
12/7/09 at 1:17pm
You'd assume that if it comes into production it will be tested for safety.

It would be a WIN if it is connected to your PC for data transfer. I'd so use it connect my External Drives in another room, now I have to use the network and it is buggy because of IP addresses.
Anyway, I think it's genius. No need for this myself but I see the possibilities.
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post #6 of 23
12/7/09 at 1:20pm
I don't know... I lived with aluminum wiring for a couple years and that was far scarier. I found studs that had burn marks on them from how hot the wires were getting... Chalk it up to some "creative" wiring...
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post #7 of 23
12/7/09 at 1:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by linuxworks View Post
I'm guessing there's a small transformer or circuit in there that converts ac down to 5v dc. I have a small box that I bought for a few dollars that does the same thing, its transformerless and weighs almost nothing. it converts ac power down to usb 5.0 dc.

but the FAIL is when the (probably cheap and unsafe) circuitry finally fails. INSIDE YOUR WALL.

sounds like FAIL to me.
Again if it is UL approved I do not see it being any more or less dangerous than a dimmer switch or the home automation products.

Also keep in mind modern household electrical code does a pretty good job making it so that even if a failure as you describe happens it only goes so far. I.E. the box in the wall smokes a bit but no fire. Those boxes have to be UL listed and that means they do not ignite, and sheetrock does not burn, so to get a fire started inside one that will spread is not a simple task. Basically the fire has to burn long enough and hot enough to melt the box and then ignite the framing. The idea that you have enough combustible inside the box to do this is small since UL listing is there to limit that.
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post #8 of 23
12/7/09 at 1:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anonanimal View Post
I don't know... I lived with aluminum wiring for a couple years and that was far scarier. I found studs that had burn marks on them from how hot the wires were getting... Chalk it up to some "creative" wiring...
That is not even the scariest part of using AL wiring. Most electrical parts (switches, outlets) are meant for Cu wiring. Al requires different parts because if you tie Al to a Cu you get corrosion which creates high resistance which make more heat which leads to fire!. Many people ignore this issue with Al and ends up causes issues.

The only Al in my house is the heavy gauge wire to my heat pump, this is a 200A circuit and the bonehead who owned the house before me tied the Al directly to Cu. Shortly after moving in the whole thing overheated and burned up a good bit of the junction box.
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post #9 of 23
12/7/09 at 1:40pm
Weren't these UL certified the first time around:

Apple Recalls iPhone 3G Chargers Over Fire, Electrocution Danger - Tom's Guide
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post #10 of 23
12/7/09 at 1:46pm
Thread Starter 
I'm not sure I trust UL as much as in the olden days.

I've also seen the cost of UL cert driving companies away and some 'other' smaller cert testers are now hawking their logo as 'almost good enough'.

when money is involved, companies tend to ignore a lot of safety. this is my concern.

if I have a plugin device that catches fire, I can immediately unplug it and throw it in a metal wastecan. how on earth can I remove a shorted or faulty power supply ONCE ITS IN MY WALL?

scary. I would never ever consider installing one.

on a humorous note, it did remind me of a Gallagher joke on the holiday season and safety:

Gallagher: Lets just take something that you've looked at a long time and just ever noticed before. Lets look at Christmas from a fire prevention point-of-view. Now, when its dry in your house and you got the heater on to help dry that air out real good, you go get an evergreen tree. You put it in the corner, next to the drapes. You lace it with cheap wiring. You put packages of tissue paper, rapped in tissue paper, underneath. Then invite your friends over, get drunk and light candles.


lol - that joke always made me laugh
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post #11 of 23
12/7/09 at 4:48pm
Do you stay with your adapters while charging? I don't so it wouldn't make a difference to me.
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post #12 of 23
12/7/09 at 6:18pm
I wouldn't mind using one. Same difference as putting the wall wart on the outside. If a fire starts either way it's going to be a problem; I don't see one being worse than another. That said, I don't see it being useful - everything I charge with USB is usually more than a couple feet (the length of a USB cable) away from the wall.
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post #13 of 23
12/7/09 at 8:49pm
I don't see a problem, but then I come from a country so regulated that you can't take a piss without some kind of certification having been passed.
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post #14 of 23
12/7/09 at 9:05pm
You're Vogon?
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post #15 of 23
12/7/09 at 10:05pm
I'd say there's a fairly good chance of a cheap USB adapter lighting your house on fire whether it's a wall wart plugged in or the circuitry built into the plate.
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