[MTVhike]

I have a receptacle installed by my builder which I am trying to replace with one which includes USB ports. I got an Eaton TRUSBAC15 which includes a USB-A and a USB-C port, as well as two regular outlets. Today I did the replacement and ran into three problems.

1. It's quite big and I hard time getting it into the box, because of the long 12Ga wires the builder used. It also has a pair of wires going to a second receptacle, so they all are hard to fold up enough. There is no width or length problem. It is still about 1/4" proud from the wall; I was thinking about getting an extension. Any well, I thought I would try it out, so:

2. I plugged my phone charging cord into the USB-C port and my FM radio into one of the regular outlets. The cord went to a non-contact charging disk. The radio had a buzzing background noise. I removed the phone cord and plugged it into the wall wart which came with it and there was no noise.

3. I finally realized that it is a 15A receptacle on a 20A AFCI circuit. The only other thing on that same circuit is that second receptacle which gets its power from this one.

I could solve the last problem by changing the AFCI breaker to a 15A one. (All the wiring in the house is 12Ga or larger size).

I might be able to solve the first problem by cutting the wires shorter so I could fold them up more efficiently or open up the wall and putting in a larger box; this seems a little extreme.

It actually wouldn't be too difficult to run a new line, with a new, larger box and different outlet, but without buying a different one and trying it out, I wouldn't know about the radio interference issue.

I probably should just give up on this project and restore the original receptacle, but does anyone here have another solution?

 

[dcwired]

A 15 amp receptacle is 20 amp pass-thru rated. The only time you need a 20 amp receptacle is when you have a single item that has a 20 amp male cap configuration.
As to static, I am not sure.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

No reason to change the breaker or run new wires. We have a couple in the house, no static problems.

I bet the problem is the charging disk. It is putting out an RF signal to charge the phone. Change to a cord and see if the static goes away.

 

[MTVhike]

No reason to change the breaker or run new wires. We have a couple in the house, no static problems.

I bet the problem is the charging disk. It is putting out an RF signal to charge the phone. Change to a cord and see if the static goes away.

If I plug the charging disk's USB-C plug into its own wall wart, there is no interference.

 

[SW Dweller]

Did you get the ground on the outlet tight?
Next get the specs on the non contact charger. Chances are as it has been said the charger is creating the problem. Non contact means the power is getting there threw the aid.

Lastly you could try a shielded USB cord.

Tripp Lite 10' USB 2.0 Hi-Speed A/B Device Cable Shielded M/M 10ft - U022-010 - USB Cables - CDW.com

Buy a Tripp Lite 10' USB 2.0 Hi-Speed A/B Device Cable Shielded M/M 10ft at CDW.com

www.cdw.com

 

[MTVhike]

Did you get the ground on the outlet tight?
Next get the specs on the non contact charger. Chances are as it has been said the charger is creating the problem. Non contact means the power is getting there threw the aid.

Lastly you could try a shielded USB cord.

Tripp Lite 10' USB 2.0 Hi-Speed A/B Device Cable Shielded M/M 10ft - U022-010 - USB Cables - CDW.com

Buy a Tripp Lite 10' USB 2.0 Hi-Speed A/B Device Cable Shielded M/M 10ft at CDW.com

www.cdw.com

I can't change the cord, and as I said before, plugging it into a separate PS which, in turn, is plugged into the same receptacle, there is no noise.

 

[viper]

What you are experiencing is likely EMI from a cheap chopper circuit inside the charge device. You are feeding it 120VAC, and it spits out 5VDC. Many of those, including walwarts are VERY dirty! Plus, a radio is going to pick up on that for sure! I've worked with audio equipment for decades and this is always an issue. Even LED lights, dimmers, etc, all create drama.

There are EMI filters available that help suppress these issues for your radio.

 

[Biscuits]

Tech is changing too fast to install new outlets for something that might be obsolete in six months.

I'd stick with plugin usb adaptors. Then when it junks out, much easier to replace than swapping in a new outlet.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

What you are experiencing is likely EMI from a cheap chopper circuit inside the charge device.

No no no. He has already said 3 times that there is no interference if it’s plugged into a different outlet. Everything we are proposing is falling on deaf ears. We’re just a bunch if dumb schmuks on a faceless forum.

 

[MTVhike]

No no no. He has already said 3 times that there is no interference if it’s plugged into a different outlet. Everything we are proposing is falling on deaf ears. We’re just a bunch if dumb schmuks on a faceless forum.

No no no. He has already said 3 times that there is no interference if it’s plugged into a different outlet. Everything we are proposing is falling on deaf ears. We’re just a bunch if dumb schmuks on a faceless forum.

Well, Eddie, not quite. It's the same receptacle, which has two regular 120V "ports"., one USB-A one and one USB-C one. When plugging the USB-C cable into the USB-C port, I get the interference, while if I plug the same USB-C cable into the cheap wall wart, and plug that into one of the 120V ports, then no interference. It's the same receptacle, but two different ports on that receptacle.

As an aside, I'm trying to get the terminology right, tell me if I'm wrong. The duplex receptacle has two ports (others on this forum have informed that "outlet" refers to any place one can get power, including a receptacle or a light socket. But is each port on a duplex receptacle considered an outlet? And, what about my case, when the entire device has two 120V ports (NEMA 5-15R) and two USB ports. What terms should I use?

 

[seharper]

1. It's quite big and I hard time getting it into the box, because of the long 12Ga wires the builder used. It also has a pair of wires going to a second receptacle, so they all are hard to fold up enough. There is no width or length problem. It is still about 1/4" proud from the wall; I was thinking about getting an extension.

An extension box such as a Legrand Wiremold Surface Conduit Starter Box will probably give you the space you need.

2. I plugged my phone charging cord into the USB-C port and my FM radio into one of the regular outlets. The cord went to a non-contact charging disk. The radio had a buzzing background noise. I removed the phone cord and plugged it into the wall wart which came with it and there was no noise.

You didn't mention a ground wire, so I'm wondering if this socket picks up ground from the steel box. If it's not mounted, it's not grounded.

If this was a steel "Handi-Box" that would explain the lack of space.

3. I finally realized that it is a 15A receptacle on a 20A AFCI circuit. The only other thing on that same circuit is that second receptacle which gets its power from this one.

I could solve the last problem by changing the AFCI breaker to a 15A one. (All the wiring in the house is 12Ga or larger size).

No no no! Don't do that!

15A sockets are totally legal on a 20A circuits as long as the total number of sockets exceeds two.

So if a standard 15A duplex outlet is the only thing on the 20A circuit, you are all set. If one of these is the only socket on the 20A circuit, that's a problem. Get the difference?

But you have a second outlet in any case, so at least 3 actual sockets, you're all set on a 20A circuit.

Anyway that wouldn't cause buzzing.

I might be able to solve the first problem by cutting the wires shorter so I could fold them up more efficiently or open up the wall and putting in a larger box; this seems a little extreme.

I generally consider excess wire length to be my very best friend and I would never cut it.

However, the minimum length is 6” beyond end of sheath and 3” beyond surface of wall. You want more than that to cover wire end damage from one too many times through a wire nut etc. Cut wisely

 

[MTVhike]

SEHarper, the box is a grey plastic one (how are these different from the blue ones?). The ground wire is attached to the ground terminal on the receptacle. Regarding the wire length, I appreciate the desirability of having long wires, but it's just very tight to get all that length folded up into the box. Maybe I should try harder!