In-Wall USB Charger Mod is an Awesome Idea
In-Wall USB Charger Mod is an Awesome Idea
Posted 12/03/2009 at 9:30am
| by Paul Lilly
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We place such a premium on USB ports because, let's face it, just about every digital gadget plugs into one these days, many of which are capable of recharging themselves through your PC. But instead of keeping track of both a USB cable and a power plug, why not just convert a spare in-wall outlet or two into a USB outlet? In the words of the Guinness brewmasters, "Brilliant!"
All this mod takes is about $10 and a half-hour of your time, with a little bit of courage and a whole lot of safety precautions highly recommended. The relatively simple mod involves taking a pair of cheap USB chargers easily obtainable for a few bucks on eBay and stripping off the extra casing. Mod the faceplate, wire it up, and you're good to go!
You can find more detailed instructions here, and when you're finished, hit up this link to see all of what you can plug into your new outlet, including a USB fridge.
Image Credit: Instructables
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ericha
December 03, 2009 at 11:41am
This is a horribly bad idea. "Wall Warts" are designed to be cooled by the ambient air around them, which naturally moves around a hot object. If you put the charger in the wall, there is no airflow to cool it. This could potentially start a fire inside the wall! UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANYONE DO THIS!!!!!!
lien_meat
December 03, 2009 at 2:10pm
and also, why the hell would you completely get rid of the regular plug? USB doesn't power appliances...and I believe the max wattage for usb is 5 watts...which just isn't enough for anything besides small devices. just stupid idea.
GoldenMonkey
December 03, 2009 at 2:17pm
I agree. This is completely useless. Why not just leave the USB ports plugged in regularly so you can still have access to the wall outlets when you need them.
Scootiep
December 04, 2009 at 5:58am
I'm gonna agree with the rest of you as well. A simple adapter that you plug into a wall socket would be far less of a hassle/danger/inconvenience to deal with. This outlet swap really is a stupid idea.
To start press any key...ohh, where's the "Any" key. - Homer Simpson
ChuvelxD
December 03, 2009 at 12:45pm
You my friend, are a party pooper. Please go elsewhere with your common sense. We have no need of it here...
tri8gman
December 03, 2009 at 10:38am
I'd rather have the USB as an addition rather than having the outlets entirely replaced. The usefulness of the outlet has gone down dramatically. Where once I could plug my laptop or even a sizeable appliance, I can only plug in small electronics. However it is a very interesting idea.
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