usb outlets?

3548 Views 20 Replies 11 Participants Last post by gregzoll, Dec 29, 2012

funfool

Discussion Starter · Dec 23, 2012

Was unsure where to stick this post.
My question is about the new outlets that have usb ports included with them.
<they are new to me anyways, I have never used them>

I have a small netbook tablet that needs a new charger.
If I plug it into my usb ports on my desktop pc, it produces enough power to run the netbook, but not enough power to charge the battery.
Is a certain amount of voltage required to charge the netbook's battery. While this method will have enough power to charge my phone or other items.
Just seems, instead of buying a charger that will only work on 1 item, an outlet and and creating a docking station for devices would be better.

So question is, how many volts will the usb electrical outlets provide?
Are they regulated to a certain level?
Is there any chance the outlet will work for what I want?

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1 - 20 of 21 Posts

curiousB

· #2 · Dec 23, 2012

I recently installed the Leviton model of this device. Its 2x USB ports and one 120VAC outlet.

It works well but I was disappointed to learn the USB ports weren't the same. One has higher current output than the other. So in my case I can only charge an iPad on one port while an iPhone can be charged from either. I don't like that Leviton buried this in the fine print.

Maybe the one you have doesn't have this limitation. Just to be clear these devices put out 5VDC. Its the current hence the power out that can vary, not the 5 VDC voltage.

They do clean up some of the counter clutter which is what I was going for.

http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/SectionDisplay.jsp?section=53874&minisite=10251

Speedy Petey

· #3 · Dec 23, 2012

As curious says, ALL USB ports are 5.1V.
You have to see what the current requirements are (A, mA, watts, etc) for you net book to see if the receptacles will provide enough to charge it.

Most of those wall receptacles are rated for USB current of +/-2A, or 2000mA.
The Leviton linked is a shared 2.1A across both ports.

shazapple

· #4 · Dec 23, 2012

Probably depends on the manufacturer. The volts (usually 5v) and amps it provides should be listed. Check the charger on your netbook for the volts and amps. If they match up or are somewhat close you are good to go.

An interesting article
http://www.extremetech.com/computin...ks-or-how-to-avoid-blowing-up-your-smartphone

funfool

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 23, 2012

I have not purchased the outlet yet, just grabbed a photo off the nets to show what was referring to.
I will check the requirements of my device. I was just hoping to get some others opinions before purchasing .... even if does not work for this particular device.
I do have a ideal location for such outlet in a nicho and great place to put phones and such to charge.

Just thinking like all products, some are better then others.

AdamBNYC

· #6 · Dec 23, 2012

That sounds SO bad to me. a USB port on a laptop is NOT meant to charge the laptop or even provide a charge to the laptop. You just backfed your house power through the USB port into the system. I am amazed you didn't fry your laptop.

The USB outlets are only meant to charge devices that would normally take a USB charge, like cell phones, ipads ect.

Laptops DO NOT charge through the USB port. The reason its not charging the battery is because it was never intended to receive power through the USB on the laptop. The laptop USB is only supposed to provide power to external devices. I would stop doing this immediately.

Reactions: 1

funfool

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 23, 2012

Couple more adult beverages and will be posting like Adam :laughing:

Like any charger, the way I understand them, rather connected from usb to a cigarette lighter in car, a usb port on your computer, a standard wall charger to plug into a 110 volt outlet. The device will pick up the current and charge the device.

The nextbook2 is just a little larger then a phone at 7" ... is not a laptop, and designed to read books and surf the web.
And as posted above, I am not currently using this method to charge ... just asking opinions.

TTW

· #8 · Dec 23, 2012

AdamBNYC said:
That sounds SO bad to me. a USB port on a laptop is NOT meant to charge the laptop or even provide a charge to the laptop. You just backfed your house power through the USB port into the system. I am amazed you didn't fry your laptop.

The USB outlets are only meant to charge devices that would normally take a USB charge, like cell phones, ipads ect.

Laptops DO NOT charge through the USB port. The reason its not charging the battery is because it was never intended to receive power through the USB on the laptop. The laptop USB is only supposed to provide power to external devices. I would stop doing this immediately.

Huh? ! ?

Speedy Petey

· #9 · Dec 23, 2012

AdamBNYC said:
That sounds SO bad to me. a USB port on a laptop is NOT meant to charge the laptop or even provide a charge to the laptop. You just backfed your house power through the USB port into the system. I am amazed you didn't fry your laptop.

The USB outlets are only meant to charge devices that would normally take a USB charge, like cell phones, ipads ect.

Laptops DO NOT charge through the USB port. The reason its not charging the battery is because it was never intended to receive power through the USB on the laptop. The laptop USB is only supposed to provide power to external devices. I would stop doing this immediately.

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
WOW! I agree with Funfool. Time to lay off the eggnogg. :laughing:

Sorry, but NO matter how hard you try you will NEVER "backfeed" your house with a laptop. I get what you are saying (sort of), but your theory is unrealistic. Besides, when have you EVER seen a USB "A" male-to-male cord? I have never.

gregzoll

· #10 · Dec 23, 2012

Funfool, are you sure that you are not talking about a tablet? Do not know of any netbooks that use USB charges. As for the charger dying for whatever the device is, the manufacturer should have a OEM replacement, or you can find them online at Amazon.com for that exact device.

The USB outlets are great if you have a place that you drop your cell & keys on the counter when you get home, and want to charge, vs. having a wall transformer. But even now, the transformers are so small, that they are cheaper to pick up, than what those outlets cost.

AdamBNYC

· #11 · Dec 23, 2012 (Edited)

Speedy Petey said:
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
WOW! I agree with Funfool. Time to lay off the eggnogg. :laughing:

Sorry, but NO matter how hard you try you will NEVER "backfeed" your house with a laptop. I get what you are saying (sort of), but your theory is unrealistic. Besides, when have you EVER seen a USB "A" male-to-male cord? I have never.

You completely misunderstood. I mean that you are powering the laptop through the USB which means you are backfeeding through the laptop USB to power the laptop. NOT backfeeding into your house breaker panel. I agree, thats crazy!

USB ports on a laptop are meant to give power OUT not accept power IN!

Op is saying that his power adapter is burnt out, but when he plugs his laptop into the USB outlet on the wall, then into his laptop, he can turn his laptop on. Its not supposed to do that.

BTW, Now you have. Search m to m USB

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...la-_-NA-_-NA&gclid=COmtsPjNsbQCFUid4AodAyIAUw

AdamBNYC

· #12 · Dec 23, 2012

funfool said:
Couple more adult beverages and will be posting like Adam :laughing:

Like any charger, the way I understand them, rather connected from usb to a cigarette lighter in car, a usb port on your computer, a standard wall charger to plug into a 110 volt outlet. The device will pick up the current and charge the device.

The nextbook2 is just a little larger then a phone at 7" ... is not a laptop, and designed to read books and surf the web.
And as posted above, I am not currently using this method to charge ... just asking opinions.

Total different. Your not using a netbook. Your using a tablet. Completely different device.

AdamBNYC

· #13 · Dec 23, 2012

BTW, instead of changing a whole outlet, just use something like this. You are correct, your Desktop PC does not produce enough power via the USB. If you had a Mac, thats another story as they push more through the USB.

http://www.tmart.com/USB-Power-Adap...gn=product&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=base

LooseSCruz

· #14 · Dec 23, 2012

AdamBNYC; said:
Op is saying that his power adapter is burnt out, but when he plugs his laptop into the USB outlet on the wall, then into his laptop, he can turn his laptop on. Its not supposed to do that.

That's not at all what OP is saying. OP is utilizing a desktop pc's USB port to charge a tablet.

:whistling2:

Reactions: 1

Dave632

· #15 · Dec 23, 2012

Power supplies don't work backwards. Just because you feed it AC and get DC out doesn't mean that feeding it DC will produce AC at the end of the power cord.

It's not like backfeeding, where a generator connected to a home's electrical panel can produce voltage that goes from the house out to the utility. In particular, power supplies contain diodes, pass transistors, IC regulators, etc. that only work one way.

curiousB

· #16 · Dec 24, 2012

AdamBNYC said:
You completely misunderstood. I mean that you are powering the laptop through the USB which means you are backfeeding through the laptop USB to power the laptop. NOT backfeeding into your house breaker panel.

This can't happen despite the alarming warning. USB cables are defined as a master slave configuration and the connectors are different on each end. The power source is the master the other end is the slave. The Leviton wall plug is the master as are the ports on the laptop. There is no master/master cables so the scenario can't happen.

Everyone relax, come on out of the bomb shelters. The sky is not falling today. The Mayan's were wrong.

Marqed97

· #17 · Dec 24, 2012

I have several male A to male A USB cables. I use them for media upgrades on Ford's Sync system. It took awhile to find them locally tho. They are identical on both ends and 4 feet long. One end into the car, the other into my laptop for software/application updates.

I've found that on cars equipped with USB ports, most of them cannot charge a tablet. They will charge smartphones, though. I've had several complaints that folks can't charge their iPads in the car from these ports. Previous to this I was unaware that there are 2 different current (power) levels for USB ports.

I'm looking at getting a few of these outlets too, so I've been following the posts about them. I don't care so much about charging my iPad off of them, although it would be convenient. It would be nice to have at the kitchen counter and next to the nightstands for our phones, though.

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LooseSCruz

· #18 · Dec 25, 2012

Marqed97 said:
I'm looking at getting a few of these outlets too, so I've been following the posts about them. I don't care so much about charging my iPad off of them, although it would be convenient. It would be nice to have at the kitchen counter and next to the nightstands for our phones, though.

The model made by Leviton (as well as those by Pass & Seymour and Cooper Arrowheart) is capable of charging an iPad or other tablet. They just can't do two tablets at once. The one by Cooper is nice because it's got a duplex receptacle in addition to the 2 USB ports where Leviton and P&S only have a single receptacle. That said, the price point is a bit higher and most people, so far, don't seem to mind the single receptacle so we stock the P&S model at our shop and they sell like crazy.

waynestractor

· #19 · Dec 29, 2012

The one you pictured is the Newer Technology Power2U unit. It is rated at 5.2v, 2000ma, (10w), equivalent to an Apple ipad wall charger. They do work good, we sell them and have never had a problem/complaint, but they are a very tight fit in a standard single gang box and require min. 16ci or larger.

Marqed97

· #20 · Dec 29, 2012

waynestractor said:
The one you pictured is the Newer Technology Power2U unit. It is rated at 5.2v, 2000ma, (10w), equivalent to an Apple ipad wall charger. They do work good, we sell them and have never had a problem/complaint, but they are a very tight fit in a standard single gang box and require min. 16ci or larger.

I was wondering about the size... Figured they'd be a bit bigger due to the power supply for the 5v out. I'm heading to Menards in a few hours for some other stuff so I'll have to check them out. Thanks for the heads up on the box size.

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